The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-16
PLOT To MURDER AND ROB.
THE LIVES or 7UO ON PEOPLE FED
ny LECK dND OUTRAGE
The Fact that They Lived Alone mt Smith.
town Branch nnd Had some Money In

The Fnct that They Lived Alone ut Smith.
town Brnnch AMI Had some Money III
the House Known 10 Two Criminals
A rlot to murder and rob two cd people iiv-
Ing In the Village Of Smithtown branch. J. L..
and then to fire tho house, was betrayed OH
| Sunday night through the nvaricionsness OF
| one OF the principals. Tho scheme was
planned in BROOKLYN by Harry Van Name. Is
years old. and james Lynn. Van Name rs
| ~ CIT several years In prison for at emp'sd
murder. while seventeen years OF Lynn's lie
has been passed In confinement. They pro-
posed robbing the house Of Treadwell Whit
man. VINO lives in n lohciv spot ut the Landing
with his sister 10th are aged and feeble.
4 hey arc called wealthy. and it il rumored
, keep large sums OF MI ncy in the honse.
On Wednesday evening Inst II stranger In
ouiie from Mrs. I. y. Hawkins. in Smithtown
Branch. the way 10 Mr.. Whitmnns house The
strangers actions aroused Mrs. lIawkins's aus
pcions. She communicated them to Deputy
sheriff John llandshnw, a noiGhbur AS moth
Ing followed the stranger visit it was thought
Mrs. Hawkins's fears were groundless,
On Sunday night however. man answering
the description OF the person seen Nv Mrs.
Hawkins entered Deputy sheriff Hnn1shaws
home during his absence. and accosted Mrs.
Handshaw with The same Inquiry viii, b had
be, mndo OF Mrs. Hawkins When opu,y
Sheriff HanIshaw returned that night his vile
told him OF the STRANGERS visit. His suspi-
cions were aroused. He concluded that The
stories of the nEod copies reputed wealth
bad drawn some criminal to the place. and
he started tor tho Whitman house. 1t
was then TO- o'clock at night. ne was
sSsYmnnya BY mo 6 % ms ne
house cautiously While silently insrerting
tho rremi.es Fl ON the load he saw Y" front
Retro early, and no knew they were always
careful about securely fastening every door
s"nehinH was wrong. i,iddnG his man fol-
loW. lianJshAw crept luiet y toward ihe house:
aud entei cd the dark hallway. As. no cropped
his way along he heard slight NOR alenu OF
him and the NEXT infant he came IN contact ,h
the!o was q struGGl e. Eandshnw's companion
rushed to his assistance and. after hard
The noise, at"u.ei ne % couple In the
prisoner was marched out al the point OF z re.
,olver. When he was searched burglars
ioun1s. gag AZ a set Of skeleton hoys. and Two
pawn tickets were + und in his p93sses.ion.
h sE Mas E J.. q
Myrtle nyenue. for "kngs Ac. ST. TO Van
Name, Tho other was rom T. Newman "
When nrtaiGned before Justice Ransom the
He gave his address MS IS Bnyart stresl. New
York. 1t is said. however that he lives at 9U3
Fulton street. brooklyn. He said tho scheme
was first proposed 10 him in Brooklyn by II
man named James Lynn II" knew Lynn In
jail Lynn told him there wns u big pile Of
money 10 DO made in Smith own Branch. and
no risk. The story Of the lonely lie and re.
puted wealth of the Whitmans was then re-
lated to him BY Lynn. They planned. he said.
to murder the old couple rob the house. ilro it
TO hide their crime. AMI ESCAPE.
Lynn Ia n mason. He lives in BROOKLYN. but
has been employed on some work at tho st.
JohnRnd institute. 1t was while working
there that he lenrnel OF tho Whi'mnns. Lynn
the p ans aud then send ~ Van Name. Not
came ,mpn1ient and went on to smi, htown
him he had n third person that lie wanted to
let into tho Job Van Name demurred. He
did not want to divide the money between
three persons.
The, met again on Sunday evening about
O'clock and Van Name. failing TO persuade
Lynn to d. op the third uerson. concluded to
get of by himself. do tho Job and thus CAPTURE
all the money. Then no act out to find the
place. and by chance inquired his way Of Mrs.
Hnndshaw.
warrant was issued for Lynn. and lie was ar
rested md taken Lee oie Justice Hanson.
When he learned that Van Name had divulged
the plot it Ia said he also made a confession.
Both men W, re thGn committed without bail
10 awnit the action OF the Suffolk county
Grand jury.