The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-05-24
O'BRIEN, The HUMAN Ell
Caught at Havre, But Gets
Away Again.
HE HAD SAILED FROM NEW ORLEANS

49, No ~ A1tN ~ up 1hN ~
is Thought That the French Detectives
Were Bribed.
LONDON, May PA dispatch was re-
ceived here yesterday from Havre,
stating that the French police had cap
tured Thomas O'Brien, the American
bunco man, as he was quietly slipping
ashore from the steamship Marseille,
which had arrived from New Orleans.
Shortly after another message came say
ing that O'Brien had once more succeed
ed in making his escape and had disap-
peared, no one knew where.
There is little doubt that a companion
of the bunco %steerer, O'Brien, bribed the
detectives who had charge of O'Brien to
let him get away. Officers from Scot
land Yard were preparing to go to Havre
to identify O'Brien when news arrived
that he had escaped. The commissary
of police at Havre is greatly stirred up
on account of O'Brien having got away,
and he has not only called all mis- subor-
dinates to account, but has telegraphed
to every port in France a description of
the man.
A Havre dispatch says that it is GER
tain that O'Brien has not got away on
any of the railway trains, and the police
there believe that he must have gone on
board "a steamer or other vessel just
starting for q port along the coast or for
Great Britain. The French police think
that he will try to make his way to Bor-
deaux and thence TO South America.
The police of Gravesend, Dover, aud
detectives from Scotland Yard are out
watching for O'Brien, who is expected
to land on the English coast. The
American Legation has made special eff
forts to secure his capture, and it is safe
to say that O'Brien cannot land any
where on the southern coast of Eng
land, or at any considerable port in the
United Kingdom, without being arrested
Immediately.
Police Inspector Roberts of Gravesend
and Sergeant Rowland of Scotland Yard
went out on a launch and stopped and
boarded the Messageries steamer Ebre
on which it was thought, O'Brien had
fed from France. They went through
every part of the steamer from stem to
stern, but found 40 trace of the fugitive.
a DESCRIPTION OF O'Brien has been sent
to every town in England.
O'Brien was taken at Havre while leav-
ing the steamer Marsellie, which left New
Orleans on May l for Havre and Antwerp.
The fugitive tried to leave the steamer
with the cargo, when he was detected
and captured.
The French police appear to have been
on the lookout for him, and one of their
best detectives was Watching at the
wharf.
O'Brien appeared to have waited on
board until all was quiet before attempt
ing to 90 ashore. He tried to leave in
the confusion attending the removal of
the cargo, and would nave escaped, but
for the fact that a watch had been left at
the steamer with instructions to keep a
close lookout for him.
1t is said that on the way over some of
O'Brien's actions led the crew to suspect
that they had an escaped criminal
of some Importance on board, and
it is also stated that a hint was given to
the police authorities at Havre upon the
arrival of the vessel.
O'Brien was greatly taken aback by
his capture, and inquired if the new ex-
tradition treaty between France and the
United States, of which it appears he
knew something, had yet gone into eff
feet.
AS the French officers were able to
speak some EngllSn Jney informed
O'Brien that the treaty had not been
approved, according to their informa-
ton.
O'BTien seemed to be very much re-
lieved.
Upon being taken TO the headquarters
of the police in Havre he was at once sub
jected to the anthropometrical system
of measurement, in order that, if he es-
capped again, he might be readily recog-
nized, at least in France.
O'Brien submitted in good grace after
first protesting that an American
citizen should not be subjected to the
indignity of having mis- toe nails meas
ured and calves inspected by inquisitive
foreigners.
The French police were surprised at
his gentlemanly appearance and fine
physique, and said that he was far
superior in every way to the ordinary
English criminals who occasionally fell
into the hands of the Havre authorities.
Apart from taking the prisoners
measurement and keeping him in the
most vigilant charge, they treated him
with every consideration.