Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-20
THE STAR BURGLAR FREE.
Billy Porter Released on Furnish
ing $40, 900 in Bail Bonds.


Craftsman Billy Porter, who has beer
in the county Jail in Troy tor several
months on a charge OF completely in the
robbery of Marks jewelry store in that
city early in 1884, was released in $4,000
bail on Monday, and after receiving the
congratulations of numerous friends took
the O'Clock boat for Albany.
Porter is probably the star burglar OF
this or any other country. In the Troy
robbery he was associated with Sneeney
Mike, who still remains a prisoner IN
that city, and a clever French burglar,
known among the professionals as Joe
dubuque. The party captured money
and jewelry valued at 100000, and sue
cessiully GLIDING the VigilAnt police OF
Troy made their way to this city.
Here, after converting their booty into
cash, the party separated. Dubuque going
West and Porter and Sheeney Mike tax
ing passage for Liverpool. Their visit to
England was a source OF unending trouble
to the police, and the rObberies that they
perpetrated in that city, in London and in
Manchester were so cleVerly planned and
so skllully executed that the best talent
OF Scotland Yards famous {, tectives was
completely nOn-plussed.
Having exhausted England they paid a
short but brilliant visit to Paris, wnere,
aided by clever operators of that country,
they reaped another rich harvest. 1t was
said that the pair realized fully 100000
by their English and French expeditions.
When Sheeney Mike returned 10 h 8 ma
tive land he established himsefnear Jack
sonvllle, Fla, as a manufacturer Of
cigars, and set his brothers up In business
on Eighth avenue, in tnis city.
When Sheeney Mike was captured in
Florida early in the spring and taken to
Troy he is alleged to have given the prose-
cutting officer Information Inculpat!ng
Porter in the Marx robbery, and the latter
was captured in this city soon after and
taken to Troy. Dubuque was also taken
and will be tried in October.
Porter's boDdsmen are John Gleason
in $4,000, James Ryan in $500, aud
Thomas NJ. Danabv in $500. The latter
is policeman in Troy, and the Judge be-
fore whom the application for Porter's re-
lease was made at first refused to accept
him as bOndsman. 1t seems, however,
that the State law prohibiting policemen
and other State or city officials from be-
coming sureIes in criminal cases applies
to the city OF New York alone, and, there
fore, Danahy was finally accepted.
POrter's last public appearance in New
York was in October, 1883, when he was
tried for the murder of johnny Irving in
the drinking saloon kept by Thomas, alias
'Shang" Draper, at Thrty-fIst street
and Sixth avenue. Nobody could be found
to testify to the shooting, and Porter was
discharged.
1t was rumored that Porter had reached
this city by the Albany tram which ar
rives here at $50 p. m, but dilgent in
quiry among those VINO were once his in
Inmates failed to develop any trace OF
the famous burglar. The detectives OF the
Twenty ninth precinct were of the opinion
that be came to this city with the inten-
ton of making his way to Europe.
They say that he is worth probably
over 100000. and that the loss of the
so, 900 in which he is held tor appearance
at the trial In October next would be but
"A tritie to him as compared W tn the risk
Of the long imprisonment that would
probably be imposed upon him. They
tn INK, therefore, that if he be in this city
he will carefully avoid his old haunts and
his ancient associates, and, as they ex-
press it, ''keep shady"