The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-23
DEFECTIVE PHIL REILLY TO RETIRE.
Has Been n Policeman Since 1904 sleuth
of the Byrnes school.

Detective Sergeant Phil" Reilly made ap-
plication to the Police Board yesterday to be
retired. He is 81 years old and has been
policeman since 1863 In his first years as a
patroman no did duty in the East Thrtynfth
street station, which precinct at tho time
was one OF the toughest In the city. In tho
riots that frequently occurred there Reilly was
often badly beaten. and he bears still some OF
the scars that tell OF his experiences. lie was
sent to Police Headquarters as detective in
1871 and served there successfully under
Erving. Waing. Kelley. Byrnes. Steers, Nc
Laughlin, O'Brien. and McClusky. For many
years he has been detailed at the District At
torneys Office. In this capacity II was his duty
to serve bench warrants in the big cases. and
this work took him all over tho country and
abroad He was one Of those who served tho
warrants on che doodle Aldermen. He was one
of the first to be made a Detective Sergeant
when that rank was established by Byrncs
In 1892.
Reilly was n detective OF the old Byrnes
school. and there have been few police cases Of
any magnitude in the past twenty years in tho
Investigation OF which he did not have hand.
One of the most interesting was the Bushnell
robbery. which occurred In 1879 The victims
were Butler Stlm4n 4 Hubbard; LAWYERS at
III Broadway. William \. Bushnell was a
day with S75. 900 worth q. securities, which he
afterward hypOthCcated for about half their
face value The law firm bought them hack
nfterward. raying what their Ascending clerk
had received for them.
Nothing was heard OF Bushnell until March.
1879. when Byrnes received word from SAN
tiaRo Chilli. Of a man there who gave the name
& G rid Tor sssns ps pG IN s hal EsSS hs
West Coast Telegraph Company. Hanson was
acquitted. and F. W. Jones. the Vice President
Of the company, who reported the case to
ltyrncs, eaid that 1t was impossible to convict
Hanson there on account OF his great popular
ty. To had been living in the country for
entail citizens OF Chill, and no jury would con
wet him. Mr.. Jones said that he believed that
Hanson was not the mans real name.
After reading the description OF Hanson
Byrnes sent Reilly to Chilli. Reilly met Han
son. recognized him as bushnell and arreste
him. There was no eXtradition treaty be-
tween this country and Chill at the time. but
the prisoner was given up by courtesy and
Reilly started for home with him on steam
Bushnell's honor when the vessel sailed. and
this was repeated az the various towns whore
the steamship touched. At lqulque, the last
stopping place. Bushnelrs reception was
greater than at any other port. He had the
freedom Of the vessel and the officers OF the
city aske him to leave. hut he said that he
would not break his parole. The steamship
weighed anchor and was getting underway
when Bushnell excused himself for moment.
prisoner had passed. Bushnell went to the
stern Of the vessel and slipped through port
hole to q gig that was awaiting him. When
Reilly discovered that he was gone the vessel
was far out to sea. The police Of New York
never heard Of Bushnell again.