Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-05-06
NEW YORK LETTER.
SECRET POLICE HIsToRY-A prTEc.
TIvE's STORY.
The Great Robbery Of the Concord Bank az
Told for the First Time-wsn
Street Litsran.
correspondence Of tho Richmond Dl.pa.cA.,

NJ" iObk, may ., IONS.
While walking up Washisgton street.
Boston, last week. | encountered we'll
known New York detective, who said he
was going TO the Massachusetts, State
prison at Charleston. and invited me TO
accompany him. We were, OF course.
speedily admitted, when the detective
had mysterious interview with two OF
the congic;s.
at the invitation OF the warden we
subsequently, made tour OF the prison.
In the shoe-shop my detective friend
called my attention to q pale-faced man
who was bending over a peggiRg-machine
THAT was Charley Adams, remark
cd the detective while we were in our
train 10 this city, Though he is better
known to the police as Langdon w.
Moore. He is one OF tho most skilful
bank burglars in this country"
Is he III now for robbing bank ?" !
asked.
Yes. he and a gang broke into the
Cambrdgeport Bank in 1850, and is now
serving out sixteen-year sentence. He
will be out during the summer OF 1899,
owing 10 communication for good behavior,
and We viii have to keep our eyes open
after that.
NOT TOO OLD TO STEAL.
"Why. he is quite gray" said 1. els
be not too old for more crime ?"
Thieves like him are never too old
for work. Adams was born IN 1880, and
has spent half OF the past forty years in
prison. lie always aimed at getting big
plunder. He got so much once that the
authorities were afraid to prosecute
him.
How was that 2" | asked, seeing
there was a chance for n story.
"Weil, you must remember that at the
close OF the war there was an immense
amount of money invested In Govern
ment bonds. Adams and a pal of bis
emptied the safe OF bank and carried
of nearly a million. When arrested he
gained his liberty by surrendering the
greater part of his booty.
THE Concord Bank, OF Massachu-
sets, had for its president Mr. George
Haywood, who was also the cashier Of
the County Savings Bank. and he kept
all the securities belonging TO the latter
institution in the vault of the Concord
Bank. All Of the merchants and most
Nl lIt lhAuAtio Ill tAhN nbNlAADOO hoA
bonds on deposit in the vault for safe
keeping, though, MS 1t turned out, they
could not have chosen a more convenient
place for the burglars.
ENGLISH HARRY.
"a man named Harry Howard, but
moro commonly known as English
Harry was a well-known and very skill
full burglar. He had met Charlie adams
while they were in prison together for
bursting into different banks. In the
early part of January, 1865, he happened
10 be In Concord, when the idea at once
occurred to him that the bank might be
safely cracked. On the impulse of the mo
ment English Harry entered the bank
and requested change for 600 bill.
Mr.. Cheshire, the teller, declined to give
it, not liking Towards appearance.
"This only angered the ex-convict and
he at once proceeded to birmingham,
where Adams was living on his farm.
The result of their conference was that
week after Adams called at the bank
and opened negotiations for the pur-
chase Of some 1880 United States bonds.
Having his eyes open, he soon discovered
that the cashier kept the key to the vault
on ledge near the door. aud was also
foolish enough to have the combination
on paper beside 1t.
WORKING ON THE BANK.
"Adams and Howard then began
working out plan for robbing the vault
They first took an impression OF the iocb
on the outer door, and sent it to New
York TO have key made. Fifteen days
o1....oI hafora thav cot thf
KEY TO lit, and nearly three months more
were occupied in making keys for sever
other doors which had 70 be opened be
fore they could reach the vault safe.
Even then they were foiled, for wheI
the two men entered the bank one dark
rainv night, they discovered that thu
cashier was not silly enough to leave hi
safe key on the ledge over night, so they
had 10 adopt some other plan. AT frs
thew decided TO blow open the safe, fixing
the time for the approaching equlnoctla
siorm. But the storm proved to b'
dry one, and so Adams and Howard
were compelled to abandon the project
though they spent five nights in the banl
with their tools before dong so.
eff there is anything | admire abou
these big bank burglars 1t Is the pert
nacitv with which they conduct then
operations Having wasted nearly foul
months Howard was disposed to give
the thing up, but Adams insisted upoI
making another and bolder attempt.
BOLD ROBBERS.
Zone bright, sunny day, Howard
drove ND in front Of hardware stor
nearly opposite the bank. He wa
dressed like country farmland an'
ordered four or five pounds of nails
difrerent kinds. While the clerk wa
filing the order Harry stood at the doc
and saw the bank officers and clerks g.
away for their dinner. a few minute
after Adams appeared and receiving
signal that the coast was clear, cooily en-
tered the building, locking the QUITE
door behind him. He found the sal
kew ON the ledge, as he expected. and
onen,np the vault, soon stripped 1t OF 1t
valuable contents, amounting, as nav
said. to nearly a million.
II need not say that the burglar.
created q great sensation and the PoIic
ali over the country were put on then
mettle by the offer OF big reward 10
the recovery OF the stolen money an'
securities IL
.'Six months elapsed, however, withou
snv clue. and with the exception OF GAP
tam John Jourdan, % the New 1or
police, nearly everybody gave it up as
bad Job.
A CHANCE ARREST.
offs curious how often mere acc
Mill mt a detective on a fresh scent, an
,hst - inst what Happened in this case
Captain Jourdan had discovered that
man named David Kinney bad been sell
inc altered bonds, and as he was know
10 tee pal of Charley Adams ne lumPe
at the conclusion that the I@'ter mao nn
A hand in the burglary. lie iound, no"
ever, that Kinney was very ny =