The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-22
From the Philadelphia Record.

Pool, and Clothes Enough to Stock a
store.
From the Philadelphia Record.
Remarkable discoveries were made in
the old stone house of Henry S. Cochran.
at Darby, yesterday afternoon. There
were many secret hiding places between
walls concealed by trick panels, but the
most surprising discovery was the last.
In the cellar of the pretty home of the
man who robbed the gold vault at the
mint was found tunnel leading from the
southwest corner of the cellar to the end
of the grassy lawn overlooking Woodland
avenue, and it was intended to serve as a
means of escape for the dishonest bullion
guardian should he be surprised while at
his crucibles melting the stolen gold. The
search of the strange house was made
by Chief Drummond and his men after
old Cochran's hearing before United
States Commissioner Bell had been post
poned at noon until II O'Clock tomorrow
morning.
Cochran had confessed Judgment for
SOS. 00O in favor OF the United States, the
amount of the shortage still remaining of
the Sl34, 900 of stolen bullion. James M.
Beck was retained to defend Cochran,
but owing to Mr.. Beck's previous engage
ment at Harrisburg, the hearing was
postponed, and in view of the confession
of Judgment the old mans bail was
reduced to $17 800. Commissioner Bell
afterwards was willing to accept $4,000
bail, but the dishonest clerk was unable
to furnish even that amount, and he was
taken back to prison.
While the grizzled gold thief was on his
way to Moyamensing, Chief Drummond
and his party were carried out to Darby.
Superintendent osbyshell, Special Treas
ury Agent William +. Morgan, Secret
Service Detectives Lindner and Wood
and Harry F. Singles, a laborer in the
mint, made up the party. Singles was
formerly employed on the country place
of Cochran. Mrs. Drummond had come
over from New York to meet her husband,
and she accompanied him to see the mys-
teries Of the house on the bill.
MANY SURPRISING DISCOVERIES.
The property was found in charge of
Deputy Marshal Myers. He was busy
making an inventory Of the contents of
the II rooms of the old-fashioned two
ne-half-story house. The chief of
the secret service and Special Agent
Morgan took of their hats and coats and
went to work Mr. Drummond had only
when he went there with Cochran. He
was convinced that there We're more mys-
teries to be unearthed and many strange
things to see.
This looks all right" said the chief
as he tapped the framework of the door
way between the dining room and parlOr.
Then he and Mr. Morgan pushed open an
innOcent-lo0king panel. MIR. Drummond
pulled on the upper part of the panel, and
with snap the lower part few back. 1t
was an ingenious combination, and in the
space behind the panel We're found six
CrucibleS and a mould, such as is used in
the mint for casting bars of alloyed gold
There was also a pair of shelters nit
tens and pair of pliers that had ev-
identity been stolen from the mint
Who arranged these panels3" asked
the chief.
Il did, said a tall, thin man with a
black and gray mixed beard and shaggy
eyebrows who had been a silent observer
of the proceedings He proved to be
Sam Shaw, the carpenter, who had been
employed about the place He said he
made the sliding panels about eight years
ago Cochran having told him at the
time that he wanted to hide his silver
ware. In this secret hole 81 300 of the
stolen gold was found on the chiefs first
visit. In the sleeping room that had been
occupied by the old bullion weigher a
most remarkably constructed panel con-
cealing a safe of novel design was found.
Chief Drummond took everything from a
shelf in the closet and all in the party
examined it, but saw nothing strange
about the shelf. Mr. Drummond then
pushed against board at the end of the
shelf, forcing it back. Behind it and
deeply imbedded in the wall was a tiny
fre-proof safe. 1t was of the latest pat
tern and had evidently only recently been
placed in its secure position. From this
safe the chief had on his first visit taken
$500 worth of the stolen bullion.
CLEVER HIDING PLACE.
When Cochran had been brought to the
house after his confession he led the de-
tectives to his sleeping room on the sec
Ond floor. He went into big closet,
pushed up board, took out a fiat skele-
ton key, opened up the other closet in the
room, pushed back the panel and pointed
to the safe.
No other living man could have found
1t, said Chief Drummond. cit is the
most cleverly constructed hiding place l
ever found during my career
On the top floor Of the cottage Cochran
mad his smelling room. There was found
stove on which he had heated his cruel
pies, and in case against the wall were
big pair of brass scales which he had
tendency of the late Daniel NJ Fox.
Along the opposite side of the wall was
placed work bench completely equipped
with turning lathe and a full set of fine
Tools. There were shelves filled with
books, and IN the middle of the floor were
heaped 200 iron match safes of peculiar
design which he had invented and from
which he expected to make fortune. In
the cellar another mould, a forge and
Dag of charcoal, which Cochran had used
IN smelling the stolen bullion, were
found
TUNNEL FROM THE CELLAR.
The inspecting party were about re-
turning upstairs when a screen in the
southwest corner of the cellar was
noticed. Chief Drummond sent for Sam
shaw and had him take out the screws
winch held the screen. When it was re
moved the detective saw the opening of
tunnel. 1t was feet wide and ~ feet
hiigh, the earth being supported by crib
VI heaVy timber Shaw, when ques-
Lioned, said that the passageway ran
IDeheath the lawn to the sidewalk or
woodland avenue, but he couldn't tell ex-
aSetIy where the Woodland avenue open
Ing was located.
he claimed that Cochran had con-
SSLructed the tunnel for the purpose of
having drain pipe laid through it. but
ne ne couldn't explain why it had been en-
Iatged and lined with heavy supporting