The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1886-03-06
BUNNELLO's MANY TnEFTs.
Within . Few Months He Stole o., 600
Worth of J~welry.

worm O1 0eWe1ry.
New YORK, March 8. Diamond thief
Bunnello, who real name is Herbert Hep
worth. confessed yesterday to Inspector
Byrnes. He is a tall, handsome youth,
and though only II years old, he has sto-
len $4,000 worth OF jewelry and money
within the last three months. Four years
ago he came with his parents to America
from Leeds, England. The family settled
in Toronto. There he went to school, got
to reading dime novels, and met the son
Of a Canadian thief named McWain The
two lads began to pilfer. They stole goods
from In front OF stores. stole the pennies
from church almsboxes, and occasionally
they entered honse ana stole jeweiry and
money. Young Hepworth was at last ar
rested on five indictments, but owing to his
youth and the respectability Of his parents
he was only tried on one charge. He pleade
guilty, but sentence was suspended, on
condition that the boy would forever leave
Canada. Ills parents moved with him to
Brooklyn, and the son got work in print
ing office at No. l Franfort Street at
$3.50 per week. At intervals he would get
off. on complaint OF being sick, and would
enjoy his favorite pastime OF stealing His
father at last found him out and thrashed
him. This made the boy worse. Taking
the name Of ''Bunnello" he left home to
be professional burglar. Several petty
robberies were committed, Bunneilo hay-
Ing no cOnfederates. but relying entirely
upon his own cunning. On November 7,
he went to New Brighton, s. H. and in
broad daylight went in through IL window
on the second floor of Mr.. NJ. MartleN s
house, on Central Avenue, while the family
were away, and carried off $4,000 worth
OF jewellery. On Novernb ber 27, in the day
time, he entered Erastus Winan's house on
TOmpkin's Avenue, Staten island by the
parlor window. He ransackeG the house
turned drawers inside out and unlocked
jewel boxes. He got 50. 100 worth of jew
elry there. In going out he passed through
the front door with the pIunder tied up in a
package. but he did close the door for fear
OF attracting the attention OF two labOrers
who were digging Il trench near the house.
On December he found the side door OF
Mr.. j. J Burchel's house, No. 1143 Park
avenue. open. He went in. Servants were
clearing knives in the kitch en. Waiting for
little whil', he heard one OF the girls drop
a box OF knives on the floor. and taking
advantage of the catter, he ran up stairs,
floor, and stole 5 200 worth uf yaluab bles,
mostly jewely. He was about to 90 p
stairs, when Mr.. BurchelIs son came in,
took off his hat and coat at the entrance,
and came up stairs. He passed With. a
HAe young thief, who wss hid Jehind
a aSuntain. Khen.aIl was quiet, Bunnello
srtent dom Stock the coat and vent out
'front.' d0s.r. His~next opera tons were
j f9xlerscy City. He robbed two houses
There No. day following the BurcheIl
job H did not get much in Jersey City,
and that night took train for Phiadel-
phia. The BurrIlel! robbery was reporthd
tn ho NJ ,,firn ouI RvrpoS
put DetectIve-SergeantsK K'llalea and Han.
ley on the case. They found 10y II clew
obtained from Il pawn-broker that
Bunnello had gone to Phiiadelphia.
Detective O'Brien was sent there with
Hanley and Killalea went to Washington.
Bunnello was there already, and on the
night of his arrival he had stolen $500
worth of jrwelry from the home nf Mrs. II.
G. Ogden No. 1929 Nineteenth street He
then went to Georgetown and robbed the
house OF Mrs. Greenlease. A servant SAW
him leaving the house and he was arrested,
pleaded guilty to attempted larceny, but
owing to his youth was sent to the refnrna-
tory. The New York detectives had heard
of the arrest. They went to Georgeto II
and tried to induce Major McDay, Chief Of
Police. to release Bunnelln, as he had bees;
indicted in New York for the Burchell rob
berry. Bus McDay would not release him,
although bunch OF keys belonging to Bur
chell were found in Bunnello's pockets.
After eight days C nfiment. Bunnelo tied
his beiclothes into II rope, broke a hole
through the wall and escaped from the
eformatcry. He walked to Baltimore
that night and boarded tn Whining
ton express train, but was put off
by the conductor jnst outside OF Whining
ton because he had no money. That night
he robbed house, he doesn't know on
what street, got Il gold watch, Il diamond
pin, two gold rings-one marked Sallie
Pearson-a lady's crescent brooch, and $40
in money. He took the next train for
New York, arrived in Brooklyn Feb. Is.
and there pawned the jewelry stolen in Will
mington. On Feb. 20. at 1890 p. m.,
young Bunnello came back to New York.
He went 10 the house of Mrs. Mcbride, No.
40 West Fifty fourth street, entered it by
he basement door, found the occupants all
asleep on the upper floors, and carried off
81 600 worth ii jewelry from the second
floor. That night he took a train fo~ Can
ada. but dispatches had been sent ahead.
At Buffalo he stoppe1 off tn pawn some Of
the jewelry, and was arrested by a Buffalo
de: :ective. He was brought here and locked
up. All OF the jewelry stolen in his many
robberies, except one piece, has been recov-
cred by aid of Bunnello's confessions. las
a thief who worked without accomplices
he was the most successful boy robber, l.
t hink, that ever lived" said Inspector