The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-12-28
GREAT BANK BURGLARS.
JAMES Dunlap OF Tbs NoRrH-
AMPToN GANG TO BE RELEASED.

son the Man Who Furnished the
Details Of the Banks Weak Points
Turned States Evidence-Return of
Most of the 100000 stolen.
A dispatch from Boston, saws a Nav
York letter in the Philadelphia Press. an
nounces that on Dec. 2S, exactly fourtean
years from the day Of his Incarceration in
the Massachusetts, state prison, James Dim,
lap will be set at liberty by the force Of an
executive pardon.
When Dunlap comes forth into the world
again he will be, so far as is known. the
only survivor Of the most extraordinary
gang Of bank burglars this or anv other
country has ever known. It is possible that
one or two members of this association of
brilliant criminals are still liviugia Europe.
and one Of then is believed to be coufined
IN continental prison under an assumed
name. But be is practically serving a life
sentence, and so far as the world Is son-
cerned is dead man. Dunlap was serving
sentence OF twenty years imprisonment
but he was entitled 20 some four years. com
mutation on account OF good behavior. Had
II not been Tor the pardon he would have
still some two years TO serve
was talking with an officer of the Mas
sachusetts prison some two or three veara
ago about this famous bank burglar. and
this officer revealed a strange sympathy.
for such discplinarian as he is. to show
toward convict. He declared that DUNLAP
had succeeded in doing what no other pris-
oner bad ever accomplished, at least in Mas
sachusetts. he had made every one of the
ofncers ana suoordinates Of the prison
friend. he had been in every respeck "a
model prisoner-always gentle. constantly
on his guard lest he should break even a
minor rule of discipline, respectful NOT
because 1t was commanded, but because he
seemed to desire to be, to those whosa dntv
1t waste guard him; the most patient Of
men when he was sick, constantly showing
kindness to other prisoners when it was
allowed. It seemed impossible To heliave
that this gentle hammered man was one of
the leaders of that criminal association
which for i've or six years committed some
OF the most astounding exploits in criminal
annals.
1t is an indication Of Dunlap's power 60
make friends, that among the most urgent
OF those who asked for his release on pardon
Wereithe officers OF the Northampton tank.
where the last robbery of this gang was
committed in manner which makes il the
most dramatic and sensational Of all bank
robberies
One July day in 1877, entered the court
room at Northampton, Mass, ia company
with Robert Pinksrton, the detective. and
Richard OConnor, now a captain upon the
New York police force Mr. Pinkerton had
told me that he would give me every oppor-
tunity to listen TO the trial of Robert Scott
and James Dunlap on a charge of having
robbed the Northampton bank of nearly
$S,O0O,OOO. The trial was to begin that day
AS took my seat within the inclosure
reserved for the bar, | asked Pinker-
ton If the notorious prisoners were in the
court room. had never seen them. The
famous detective cast his eye quickly about
the room, and then he said Yes. they are
here, and would like to see if YOU can
pick them out. They are even within this
iEclosure."
A number OF men were in the inclosure
most of them sitting around long table
assigned to counsel. Two were in chairs to
one side Of the table. They were rough
looking men with what seemed to me to be
fnrtlve expression of eyes. They were
plainly cled, and | at once decided that
they were the criminals, and told Pinkerton
SO. Every one else within the Enclosure had
the appearance of cultivation and pros
perlty. Plnkerton laughed heartily when
thus located the criminals, aud he said: 81
don't think those men would feel compli-
mented. They are the two deputy sheriffs
who brought the prisoners from the county
Jail. and they are sitting there to guard
them"
NOT AT ALL LIKE CRIMINALS.
Iconfessed my inability if those were not
the men to pick out the distinguished
criminals, and then PnkerJon TO my amaze
ment said: ''lhose two men sitting at the
end of the table and chatting with each
other are the criminals The tall slender
man with dark hair and eyes and we'll
trimmed beard is Scott. the leader Of the
gang. That handsome man beside him with
the blonde mustache, rosy cheeks and
laughing eyes is Dunlap"
at first thought that Pinkerton was jok
Ing, for | thought these two men were
among the counsel to be employed on the
case. They were neatly, elegantly, but not
fashily dressed. The faces of each of them
indicted to the casual glance at least intel
lectual ability. and they displayed what
seemed to be evidences Of refined tastes and
cultivated associations. Yet they were
Scott and Dunlap.
Scott during the trial frequently indicated
those mental gifts which has made it posi-
BILE for him to become the leader of very
brilliant gang of criminals. He was re.
served, quiet, passive during the entire
trial Even his counsel had been impressed
by his intellectual strength Dunlap
seemed to be man of happy nature. He
watched the trial with the keenest interest,
AuQ buo OF bQe cashier,
MIR. Whittlsey, Dunlap could not restrain
his mirth.
Whttlssy told the story of the robbery,
of how. just before dawn he found himself
awakened by masked men, who gagged
him, who held every member of the family
prisoners, and there was a touch of htlmor
in his description Of the fright and the UNI
conventional appearance of the members OF
his family In their night dresses, guarded
with most punctilous politeness by the
members of the gang. AS he told this story,
Dunlap could not repress the smiles which
came to his lips, and he afterward said that
Whittlsey's testimony brought up the
scenes of that night in all their comical as
poets wildly before him, and that he was
smiling, not SO much at Whittlsey's state
ment, as at his recollections.
THE STORY OF THE ROBBERY.
Some of the gang were left with the
household while others took Mr.. Whittlsey
through the streets TO the bank where, at
the point of pistol, they compelled him to
give up the combination. held him there
while the safe was being rifled. then took
him back to his house, warned the family
not to stir for an hour, doing all these
things with the utmost politeneSs and con.
alteration, and expressing regret that they
had been obliged to inconvenience the
family at that hour OF the night.
They had with them nearly S2,000,00o in
cash and securities, some OF which were
negotiable aud some not. They hid the
securities in the attic of a school house in
the suburbs of Northampton underneath a
6pnnh ami than fbav eoaftarad UniuO IN