New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-20

A. II. PURDY SAYS THAT 5000 1NDICT-
MENTs WERE STOLEN AND BURNED.
MOSES CLARKE. CHIEF CLERK IN THE DIS
TRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE. AN AGENT
OF THE LOTTERY MEN-A CHAP
TER FROM THE INSIDE"

TER FROM TIE INSIDE"
Ambrose II. Purdy formerly an Assistant Dis
trict-Attorney is authority for story about the
stealing and burning Of about 5000 indictments
some fifteen years ago by the agents and pr1nci-
pals Of the lottery ing, which was then In the
height Of its prosperity. Mr.. Purdy was seen al
his office. No. 81 White-st.. yesterday afternoon
by Tribune reporter.
This story" said Mr.. Purdy. "has never been
IN print before but as many as 1000 men must
have known II. The lottery combine owned this
CITY about fifteen years ago. They had agents In
all the city departments They owned Moses
Clarke chief clerk In the Disrict-Attorney's Of
fee and a host OF other men,
"For the most part. they were able to prevent
the arrest Of the lottery men OF all grades Dut
Anthony Comstock and other reformers some
times succeeded in getting indictments Drought
In fact in many cases, II was found to be easier
70 let the Grand Jury act and then nave 'le IN
dictments stolen. Clarke used TO get SooO week
from the lottery combine. He didn't destroy INC
indictments He took them to his home IN Mata-
wan J. and kept them In safe there' j"
ALI no carried away about 5000 Indictments vi
course the persons who were indicted by these
papers got off scot Tree.
"xyeII. Clarke was deriving princely income
..u, .ha lottery people and he lived like
,.tLnn
ror and fast horses and all the Injuries that
money could buy. But he lived 100 iast-ui""N
h,ose,, n death. Toward the last he seldom APP
neared at his Office although he continued 10
draw his salary At last ne fell III. and tho WORD
was passed that he couldn't get well. Ihat inaue
the lottery men anxious. They knew that He
ia tho Indictments in his safe, and were afraid
that the whole scheme would be exposed u t'e
indictments should be found there AFTER MS
death SO four Of them went down 10 MataWdIl
'Eph Simmons and Marcus Cicero StaIlley VIZ" ,he
two OF them won't tell the names OF the
cthers One OF them IL man high up III this
community They nursed Clarke ana tIled 10
bring him around. but IL was no use lneh
they tried to get Clarke to give them the COMB
10 ,ion m the safe but Clarke thought he was
going 10 get well and wouldn't tell them. Finally
Clarke died. ,..,,, ,d
'Then the four men held a consultation ana no
decided that they must get at those papers d, All
hazards So they sent 10 this city Tor n pro,
fesslonal burglar whom they knew, ana Iaa
him blow open the safe. one on the lVur .,
on tho ont side and the others helped the
burglar crack the safe. Clarke'S BODY ley III an
adjoining room. The safe was iound 70 nc
stIIfred full of indictments. Some OF them hau
nothing to do with the lottery cases. pnt 'nelc
vas no time to sort them over. hre was
lighted Immediately and the papers were .pulheu
II takes a long time to burn so many PnPeiS
Tho aches were carefully raked over ana every
i,t,la ecran was burned beyond recognition 1hen
the conspirators hurried back TO this city ana
tant their mouths shut for time. But the story
leaked out and went through .he go, u'p"' '''''''''
amonq the agents OF the lottery men =,
"ClerlSe had a fine funeral and lots or poll
! uc,ans walked behind the hearse
could indictments be stolen ,nae way ,,h "a he
Why, certainly. Inc sn''e '~
NJ purdv lot the cat out OF the bag while
speaking before Judge Cowlng III .ne 10 Gou nsked
! 60 have some indictments against cliehts Oh ms
| dismissed or else that the cases nave speeuy