New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-05-03
ASHES HID RICH JEWELS
GEMS WORTH $4,000 STOLEN
FROM II. STEERS FOUND.
WERE CARTED TO SALOON IN HEAP OF
REFUSE-POLICE SAY BUTLER
CONFESSED THEFT

L.
Jewery worth $4,000 consisting of thirteen
pieces. set with hundred diamonds.
more than four hundred pearls besides
thysts and emeralds stolen from Mr. and
Mrs. Henry Steers. who live at No. 10 East
ThiTty-eighth-st. April II and recovered last
night. They were kept in the house until last
evening. when they taken out in ash
can. Mr.. Steers, who is president of the Elev-
enth Ward Bank was surprised by the arrest of
his butler Patrick Branagan, who has worked
for him for eleven years. Captain Delaney, OF
the East Thirty-hfth-st. station says Branagan
confessed to him that he had seen the jewels
and could not resist stealing them Joseph
Walker truckman, Of No. 80 East Thirty
ninth-st. was also arrested.
Branagan has been trusted in the
Steers family. He ran into the East Thirty
hfth-st. station early on the morning OF April
Il. breathless and hatless, and said the jewelry
had been stolen. Captain Delaney and De-
tectiyes quinn and Meehan went TO the house.
In Mr. Steers s room. on the second floor, there
marks open window of Jimmy or
other instrument, but Captain Delaney thought
It did look like professionals work and
believed it inside job. Mr.. Steers said he did
not suspect any one in the house. as he trusted
all his servants implicitly. and Bran
much II not more. than all
THE BUTLER WATCHED
Nevertheless Captain Delaney determined to
watch the butler. and every move he made day
after day shadowed by the two detectives.
He made suspicious move. however. until
Tuesday. when they thought his talk with
Walker. a truckman, worth investigating, and
a watch set on Walker.
A trlckmarl r3ye- up to zthp> Steers f9rre yea
terday afternoon with ashcart. He went into
the basement and came out with old handbox
full OF excelsior. He threw it into the ash
cart. but the detectives who were watching
him. observed that 1t was put into a corner near
the seat. The man then drove off, followed by
the detectives. The truck stopped at a saloon in
Thirty -ninth-st.. near Frst-ave. The driver took
the box from under the ashes which covered IT.
He carried 1t into the saloon and the detectives
went in. too
The excelsior was taken out OF the bandbox
and small pasteboard box about six inches
long and four inches deep disclosed IT
was opened and just then Quinlan and Meehan
pounced the man and arrested him, taking
possession of the box. They took Walker and
the box to the station. and Captain Delaney
opened the small box In it he found the fol-
lowing jewels;
Two enameed bracelets set with twenty-five
diamonds, with a string of 327 pearls. held to-
gether by a large diamond clasp.
A large pearl pendant surrounded by twenty
diamonds.
A large pearl scarfpin set in gold.
A small pearl scarfpn
A diamond and sapphire bar pin.
\ cluster diamond ring with large emerald
in the centre surrounded by thirteen diamonds.
A black enamelled pansy pin. with large da-
mond in centre.
A whip pin set with diamonds.
a black enamelled pin with open fligree work
and large pearl in the centre
III Ghna mir wit Tha naii iG Cnf Hfth
diamonds.
A gold horseshoe pin set in diamonds.
An amethyst ring
JEWELS WERE HIDDEN UNDER COAL.
Captain Delaney sent Walker a cell, put
the diamonds in his safe, and fairly ran around
to Mr.. Steers's house. He saw Branagan.
Come around to the station minute, will
you. Branagan?" he said to the butler.
The butler accompanied him. Delaney took
the .asteboard box out Of the safe and dumped
the contents out en- his table
I've had a talk with Walker. What do you
know about this, Branagan?" said he.
Captain Delaney said Branagan denied at
first that he knew anything of the jewels. but
that he then broke down and confessed he had
stolen them.
He told me he happened to be in Mrs. Steers's
on the afternoon of April H." said Captain
Delaney, and he saw the jewels on the chif-
fonier. He said he could not resist the tempta-
ton of taking them, and he put them in box
and says he hid them in the cellar under the
coal. Coal would have been worth more than 81
"A ton in that cellar just then He said he did
not get chance to take them away until to-
day He said he got Walker to come after them.
promising him half the proceeds if he got rid
of them for him"
Mr.. and Mrs. Steers were told of the recovery
of the Jewels and they overtoyed. They
were immensely surprised to learn the gems
had been under their coal in the cellar until
only yesterday, but expressed much more
tonishment when Captain Delaney informed
them Branagan under arrest and had con-
fesscd Mr. Steers was not at first inclined TO
believe his trusted butler had gone wrong.