New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-17
WILD CHASE AFTER A THIEF.
CROWDS FOLLOW HIM IN THE BowERY.
A rIARY GIVES THE cLEw TO THE EoBBER OF

MR.. TOWNSHIPS HOUSE IN PELHAM MANOR
As experts In slverware the burglars who in the
dark hours OF Thursday morning broke Into the home
OF James NJ Townsend. jr at Pelham Manor. are en-
titled to the highest emnence In their professOn.'
In the hurry OF hasty entrance and still hasier
departure they able TO Discriminate with nccy
between the fork who's" silver solid and the fork
that was plated. Mr. Townsend. wel-knOwn
lawyer with Offices at No. III Broadway, has silver
ware valued at several thousand dollars stored away
in his home at Pelham Manor Wesciester County.
Possibly for the benefit OF occasional nocturnal
visitors he has also collected large quantity OF
electro plate. Although they frightened by an
unexpected interruption, william Hahn and his gang
not to be deceived Even the massive candelabra
set tcmptlngly within their reach failed to decoy
them. and Mr. Townsend is just about 5000
pOorcr. At about 10 80 on Wednesday night Mr..
Townsend and his family went to bed. When the
mischief had been done, Mr. Townsend remembered
that he had omitted his usual practice OF carefully
examining every door and window. The last thing
he noticed he left the dining TO 60 upstairs
was Mrs. TOwnscnd's black poodle curlcd up. fast
asleep. I'm n corner next the sideboard. When Mr..
Townsend entered the rooms next morning and found
every article in the room turned upside down. the
sldeboard door wide open, and the sideboard empty,
the fat poodle lay In the place, still In Smber.
He apparently had slept peacefully through IT all.
Just after o'clock Mr.. Townsend awakened
by slight scratching sound at his bedside. and saw
that a strange cat wandering around the room.
lie could for the Of the stranger,
and IN his night clothes wandered for time around
the upper floors In search OF the cause and not find
Ing ii. wandered back to bed again. perfectly ignorant
Of the presence Of the yOnng men who at that mo-
ment werc extremely busy with his plate In the din
ing room below. Int Just after : o'clock Thurs
day morning chorus Of startled feminine voices in
the downstairs caused Mr. Townsend to get
out Of bed in hurry There at the door Of the dining
room stood the frightened servants gazing on the
confusion before them. Mr.. Townsend saw the win
dow looking on to the portico, and ohlgingly LEFT
open all night: he saw the marks OF footprints out
side and dirty finger marks on the window sill hc
the grease stains that had fallen from lighted
candle carried around the room. and he the open
sdcboad door with the electro plate scattered about
the noor.
Then he made investigations and found that the
unlnved guests knew their business. Every piece
Of silvcrwarc, carefully mixed with the electro
plate had been sorted out with Judgment, packed up
and carried away. but the clectrowarr still
there. The candeabra standing on the sldeboard
top. apparently had not even been handled.
glance had satisfied the burglars. Mr.. rownSends
rnbe through the upper floors evidently had DIS
turbcd the thieves. To this circumstance he owes
tho saving OF plate valued at $4,000, stored In
the Kitchens ana pan'res. But the burglars, smart
they were. had lost their heads sufficiently to
walk. while at Il little distance lay n small. opened
diary. 1t this diary which led to the detection
and capture OF william Hahn, who had carefully set
down. day by day, the thoughts and impressions and
sentiments On III, and humanity la general and the
police IL particular.
Detective sergeant Mulvcy and Detective Doran.
who started ont OH the Just after Inspector
McIaughlin's talk with Mr.. Townsend Friday
found Mr. Hahn. an inmate OF sing Sins Prison.
within twcniy-fou hours. il was inst after =
o'clock yesterday when they crept upstairs TO his
room the top floor Of No. l25 Chrystlcst and
without previously Stopping 10 send in thelr names
walked into the place. Hahn was seated b. the
window. and DoTn. leading. opened the door
The thief v.ult'd lightly over the wind w,ill and
climbed down the lire escape. Tut quick rs h.
wa. the detectives were quicker. and from tha,
moment never lost sight Of him. once the pave
mcni. Hahn Ike a deer up IA" street. the de-
teciives following him. aud the crown following the
detectives. Tho CRIES Of stop thief" brou-ht old
and young from every DOORWAY. Through Chry 't.c-
ST.. ani up Grand IT, ian The hi'f with th" pur,urrN
yelling AT his he, J.. \ hundred nnnls put ont
Ia stop him. but he eud,d them all and racn.i the
fowcN. Herr the crowd gr'w Gr"at"r. Every
policeman In sight Joined I'm The hunt down the
Eowcry into Hester 81 and down Eli1ahcth>t. Bui
there the strength of tn" fugitive was almost spent
lie ga,p,d hr ran. al, steps f'rbls aud
short and tn" pIrsncrS gained ~ mn rSi,v 4.
40. Twas before him. He turned mtp the
nou,c. and. almost before the pur-lcS could le1gc
his plans had Jumped over the fence In the back
var, and entered irstcrSl. again. ut the detectives
were near him. ami "A moment later Doran had his
hand his collar.
handkerchief and two umbrellas. found ia his room.
easily id' nth,h by Mr.. Towns, nd Inspector
y, McaE M IL now ann IA ot as, %, % Go%nc
seen In Mulberry-s The Inspector now believes that |
nS ra% find Mr IGwr"@G, ,n r" Fc co aad & also la
he formally reuanded.