New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-28
OLD CLAIM REOPENED.
AN ARREST OF TwENTY-FoUR YEARS
AGO RECALLED.

John ROBERTS. OF ASTORIA. ASKS NEARLY
$3.50 600 FROM THE STATE AS DAMAGEs-Phh-
vrovs AWARD OF $500 REJECTED.
John Roberts OF Astoria Queens Borough, mas
reopened his claim for damages against t"e %
Of New York and bill of damages mas pe." ~, ~
nv Joseph Donough. OF Astoria his counsel "
claim has been pending for more ina" '"'
years. - ,..
- ~ NJ poberts kent a saloon at No 50 James
G, New-york. and a restaurant at No. IS Blocker
Of Both were profitable and he did good DUST
nose He was then n resident OF Astoria and was
8n the night Of December u. iS75 four masked
hn Uu ,r worked in Astoria and Ravenswoosd.
Their s Teen appe n BrSedway Astoria the
four with their faces concealed helu UP ine ~ "a
!, From there they went to the house Of man
named Hitler I'm Ravenswood. There they routed "a
he members OF the family out of bed took mem TO
q ronn, and hound them. There came near being a
tragedy in the house at the time In the fanny
hound one Of the men made proposal which the
other who remained on guard WINE ,h re-, on
two searched the house refused to listen 10 ne V
who made the proposal narrowly escaped pe''s
shot by his companion. ,. aoys
Three OF the burglars were arrested rev uaa s
later Four men were arrested. one Of whom was
Mr. Roberts. He was idcnthed as Delne on VI i,.,
i UG him me We're positive he was the man. and he
was committed with the other three 10 ''ie o'''
The four we're tried in the January following SnI,
nd found guilty Their terms varied. MI: fNout
was sentenced 10 twenty years. and the tntee WIZ
we're convicted at the same time received , ed
fences varying from ten to thirly-HNe Sc"' - '
ing to their records. . ,,., rocerce
Although unable TO prove Mr. Roberts lnho a. il.
al the trial his friends kept at WORK ann maj az
esta hlished his entire innocence An alDi WI
nroved and later one OF the three men cohlcsseu
his own part OF the affair and also those Oh tne
tue others convicted and declared that ne ntNc'
saw Mr. Roberts until he was arraiSneu WIN ~, "a
and that the authorities had never really co'eo o
the fourth of the gang with the afair re bo
fused to tell who the fourth man was because Nv
was still at liberty. 5000 NJ poherts
In 1878 Governor Robinson pardoned Mi. hu ~ 60
and the Legislature passed act allowing MIN y.
nresent his claims for damages TO the Our. a. y,
Claims This was done. The court ala not, ~
damages and adjusted the claim by orderlng una d
MIR Roberts be paid $500. This MI h0De 49,, ~
fused as being too little. He was Wholly o,on Hor
down by the long strain and worry anu o,,
pressed the claim against the state ul I'LL NV
Hwben his counsel has reopened it, the court oI
Anneals is asked now 10 adjust the claims ana pass
upon them. -, -. ora. Ioss NJ
income from his establishment AT NO; " James,.
FOR SS DAYS at s23 70 day. $562I 5O loss OF lncoit
from place at No sc Beecker-st for same Pc 20 5o
at Sic q day tlOS0 "a; loss on properly, 5S 10
coursel fees Il 700; interest on losses, $Sso ~
damage 10 personal reputation. T5oW; TOTAL Si"o
976 a. - -, hu.iress Il
calculated upon extended period taken as a.
average OF the business done In each place ah t
rot taxing into account the natural increase lht
hUsinesses should have shown. II Is also ciaifnec
tho damages asked for injury TO personal repu
tation nv the arrest and imprisonment are not eA
| cessive.