The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-13
GUARD ROOM TALES.
Chief of Police Dren-
mans First Year
in Office.
HOW THEY CAUGHT CROOKS.
Excellent Work of the De-
tectiye Department
Then.
HOW THEY CAUGHT CROOKS.

When old time members of the Wor
cester police force get together at times,
some startling tales are told of the do
ings in that department when this city
was younger, and if we take their word
for it. rather wicked city.
Yesterday in the guard room of sta
ton l, several officers whose stripes on
their coat sleeves denote many years
of honorable service protecting the
property OF the citizens of Worcester
was one that would instantly command
respect from the younger and less ex-
perienced officers of the department.
From the weather beaten looks on
their eountenances and the shade of
their hair and boards, one could, with
little imagination, place them as be-
ing members of that famous organiza-
ton that in its day was a terror to
evil doors, the Worcester Association
of Mutual Aid in Detecting Thieves .
They did not date as far back as that,
but their terms of service easily went
back to the exciting times of Col
James M Drennan's first regime as
chief Of police, or as it was called in
those days, "city marshal" Some very
notable bits of detective work We're per-
formed then, which reflected credit on
the police force of that day.
In the days of Col Drennan's first
term of office the local department
made name for itself throughout the
country and especially in New York
city. The names of the noted crooks
of that day occupied the attention of
c-tfN eR,.11
ficer rose to remark that he really be-
lieved that the noted bank robber, Sam
Perris was still alive despite reports
to the contrary, and he said that he
honestly believed that one of these
days the people of Worcester would
awake to a great sensation when the
inimitable Samuel from North Grafton
would walk up and deliver himself af-
ter escaping the clutches of the law for
nearly 80 years. He believed that Per-
ris had reformed and joined the church
and that it would be unchristianlike
to punish him at this late day. All
agreed that Perris was a smooth arti-
Gle, and undoubtedly was related IN
some way with the redoubtable bunco
king, John Reed Speaking of John
Reed brought out the statement that
John had never come to this town and
that the police force of this city get
the credit Of letting Reed escape. when
in reality it belonged to somebody else.
One of the officers commended that John
Reed could never have escaped from
prison without the help of some Off
Ger at the jail. But he said that Reed
friends had certainly bought up some
one or two, and the ever smiling John
was supposed to be sent to this city.
IF Jonn Reeds friends paid out any
money for his escape said he, "you
may be sure that they did not have
him brought to this city and then
given a two minutes start to get out
of the way. Reed never came to Wor-
cester the night that he escaped. He
slid out quietly in Boston and a dunn
my came to this city, and was passed
as John. John in the meantime was
enjoying a quiet sail on the boundless
wave at the time that he was supposed
to be riding for his life out of Wor-
cester..
The DEPRESSION to John Reeds esca-
pades did not please the majority of the
officers in the guard room and they
called the offender down for going off
at tangent and daring to talk of later
day events when they should be bound
up in the dim and distant past The
talk then reverted back to Sam Perris
and the celebrated Grafton bank rob-
berry which occurred during the first
term of Col. Drennan's career as city
marshal. The robbery occurred in 1870,
and the robbers escaped with their
booty. They were subsequently captured
| in New York and taken to this city
Slm Perris escaped, however and des-
| plte the rewards offered for his capture
| he has never been apprehended.
| The cold blooded murder of Joseph c.
Clark by the James boys was we'll re-
mambered by the officers and they were
| unanimous in saying that it was the
| most brutal murder committed in this
city and it rivalled the atrocious crime
of Paul Mueller, who murdered the en-
| tire Newton family in cold blood The
| crime was committed on the 28th OF
| February, 1863 in the murdered mans
room in the old Union block on Mair
street. The murderers escaped from this
city, but were captured, one of then
being caught in the depot at Providence
while his brother was caught in Olney.
| vile. They were both tried for the
crime and hung.
One of the smoothest pieces of de.
tective work done by the police force
of this city was done during Drennan's
| first term in office when by the efforts
of the local police New York store
discovered that the firm was beine
robbed by one of its employees and The
| goods were being sold at ridiculousl!
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