Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-29
"sHEENY MIKEo CoNFEssEs.
How the Notorious Burglar ana his Com
paniOn Cracked Il Safe.

From, the Reao York Ror1d.
TROY, March 26.--The trial of Michael
Kurt, alias ''Sheeny Mike" for having,
with Porter, robbed Marks jewelry store
Of diamonds and iewelry worth $4,000
Feb. "a, 1884, was continued to-day. De-
tectiye Robert A. Pinkerton testified that
the prisoner confessed to the detective
and District Attorney Rhodes that he
(hurtz and Porter robbed Marks jewelry
store in thls city Feb. "a, 1884. Phe
evidence created great sensation.
detective Pinkertou narrated all the de-
tails Of the plans for and execution Of the
robbery, and stated that Porter broke
open the safe while kurtz kept watch out.
side. After the burglary they went to
Albany aud Rochester and thence 10 New
York via Corning. After reaching New
YORK they sold the jewelry 10 n man
named Langley, he agreeing TO give 50, 500
tor it.
In his opening address TO the Jury Dis
trict Attorney Rhodes outlined what the
prosecution expected to prove. In Feb.
Iuary, 1884, kurtz and Porter came to
Troy from New \ ork. They carefully
studied the surroundings of Marks n
Bros. store, and saw the jewelTy aud dia-
monds placed in the safe. In order 10 as
certain whether anyone sleptOn the prem
ises he tied black silk thread across the
door, examined IL every half hour through
the night aud found IL intact. They then
prepared for the robbery, and on q subse-
quent night at II O'clock they broke
through the brick wall, and within half
an hour were In Marks' cellar. They
tried 10 force the trap-door which led to
the office back OF the jewelry store
but found 1t difficult task, for IL was fas-
tened down aud writing-desk stood upon
II. Before ! O'Clock, however, kurtz and
Porter We're in the Office above. AT d
O'Clock Sunday morning they began the
work for which they had come. Kurtz
went out on the street and gave the two
taps as q signal ITO work" Porter took
siedgehammer, aud within three min
utes the safe door lay on the floor. 1t
took but few blows from that expert
cracksman to tear il from its hinges, and
then the diamonds and iewelry lay at his
mercy. Porter took the tray Ofvaluables,
and In less than ID minutes the savings OF
mans lifetime were In the satchels In
the back once. Porter, with their aatch-
els, took the $ O'clock train for Albany. at
Ia very easy TO see that the counsel for
the prosecution could not tell you all
these facts IN detail il be. had not been M
formed by some one who knows 10 all.
The confession OF a criminal may be used
to convict htm. II is not the flrBt time in
the prosecution of criminals that the
counsel has been obliged 10 use one
criminal tor States evidence against
others. Criminals know the iaEv, aud II
becomes race to see who can get his
neck out FIRST. We are Obliged by law TO
cOrrobOrate such evidence, and we have
the testimony In this case 10 do II with.
1--WE have overwhelming evidence
against these men, even after two years
have elapsed, although during that time
! they have crossed and recrOssed the
ocean. We shall ALEC add this evidence
that within two weeks after the Marks
! burglary. March s, William ID. Porter,
under the assumed name OF Robert -.
Moulton, sailed IN the steamer SerVia for
England, and Michael Kurtz accOmpa-
MED him under the name OF II. &. Collins,
| They lived 10 such luxury as a man
should who can crack safe In five min
utes and get away with SOC, 000
The counsel for tue defense has men.
| toned the fact that / indicted Michael
kurtz as 'Sheeny Mike Yes, did so in
| dict him, and have precedent In AN In.
dictment found against him in his native
city Of Boston, where he was brought up
| and upon which indictment he was sent
to State prison for twelve years. How
could get better name for him than
one taken from a record made by himself
in his native city, / learn that 'sheeny'
is no reproach TO race, but simply a
word meaning receiver OF stolen goods, ,
which title Kurtz had won for himself. /
am willing that they should say that
money has been spent and every resource
used TO bring these notorious criminals TO
Justice"