The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-23
MARION STORY NABS A THIEF,
AND MRS. STORY AND HER HOUSE,
KEEPER MAKE 4 MISTAKE.
The Women Had Already Identified Another
Man IS the Burglar. and He Was
Then in jail on Their say.so-Mr.
story Gives Wr0nged Person $500.

Iue0 III Sab vi C0y ecO-.UTs
story Gives wronged Person $500.
PORT CHESTER. June 22.-Marion Story.
society man, artist and horse exhibitor,
oaptured burglar in his home here this
morning. and through this fortuitous cir
cumstance released 4 reputable young
man from duranoe and from the odious
suspicion Of being . thief
Only yesterday Mr., Story had had the
innocent man arrested, and on the sworn
Identification OF two women, Mrs Story
and a housekeeper. the innocent man had
been committed without bail. after having
been locked up In the police station over
night, Magistrate Crane. 1t will he re-
membered. has recently declared twice
that women may not be trusted to make
identihcations.
After having retained q lawyer to de-
fend him from the unjust charge. the young
man found himself this morning e1one-
rated by the real and self-confessed rob-
Der. who had been taken at the point OF a
revolver
Mr.. Story then apoogized to the victim
OF excessive zeal. and made an appointment
with the Chief of Police to 60 tomorrow
and look for some of his stolen property.
pawntickets for which the culprit surren-
dered
MIR Story has suffered from thieves for a
couple Of months. From time to time.
apparently whenever Il suited their con-
ven!ence, the robbers would enter his house
at night and take away whatever pleased
their fancy. Sometimes 1t was things Of
considerable value. sometimes only kntck-
knacks that we're taken. The thieves
entered the basement Of the house and took
away sverware. umbrellas with elaborate
and costly handles, curios, and even heavy
clocks
Mr. Story's house. which replaces the old
mansion OF William Brooks. the former
New York clothier. il outside the corporate
limits of Port Chester, and occupies hill,
much in the position OF a castle site Of old,
commanding the valleys which surround it,
ard Is hundreds OF yards distant from
the nearest neighbor.
Mr.. Story employed n representative OF
famous New York detective agency, who
remained in his house on watch for period
but 80 long as the detective was on duty
the burglars failed to appear. Mr.. Story
then secured another Waterman, but with
the same result; so long as the Waterman
was kept, the peace Of Blind Brook Farm,
as Mr.. Story's place Is named, was not dis
turbed.
Mr.. Story appealed to the local police,
who. after listening to all the circum-
stantial recitals OF what had gone on at the
farm, expressed the opinion that somebody
with an intimate knowledge Of the doings
Of the family was the perpetrator OF the
robberies, or was at least primary accom-
ptoe In them.
VS. visited again By the burglars. the
nssseG iAte II TIE night members Of
ths housshod were aroused BY sounds
for which al had been listening more or
NJ. Story did not get look at the man,
whom Mrs. Story and the housekeeper,
Sophie Clark, cav escaping through base
nent window. The two women were sure
that thy saw two neeing burglars, accord
ing TO the story told to the police, but they
The thief made the mistake Of losing his
hat, IN his hurry to elude the commotion
occasioned by his overturning Of some
furniture. which had awakened the house
hold shd the hat led to the arrest Of guilt
less man. because Of the initials that were
The Initials were w H. s., and when
it was recalled by the housekeeper, who
Ia: ben ssn, W With Nj s, Story for for
used 10 be employed at Blind Brook Farm
Mr.. Story made a Sunday call on Justice
Wakefield and swore out . warrant for
Searks's arrest.
1t fell to the lot OF sergt. Bell. who used
10 be business man here, to serve the
warrant. and as he had known young
Searles from boyhood and known him to
b. q reputable young man he did not hesi-
tate to toll Mr.. Story and everybody else
whose business 1t was to know that he did
40 bal HNN ANA &kAS Ca
why. knew where he was myself up
to ten minutes OF that night, said the
sergeant, -and l knew just where 70 find
him WHEN the warrant WAS issued
Searles has been working "a q motor
man in Port Chester lately.
s;eu took him before Justice Wakefield.
and there Mrs. Story and Sophie Clark
identified him positively as the man they
had seen fleeing from Blind Brook Farm.
they recognized him from his Aze and
build and his expressive back As the
Identification was made by two persons
the Justice refused even to admit the young
man to bail:
Apparently in superb confidence that as
further danger to be apprehended, the
hat-loser Of Sunday morning returned at
o'clock this morning and reentered the
basement through his favorite window.
j Wo tlu1o MI. oUOIy WaS on BuATO ana
heard the fellow moving In tho dining room
downstairs. Taking his revolver and &C.
companied by the butler. Mr. Story went
to the dining room. The intruder heard
them coming and then they reached the
room he was hiding behind a screen.
Come out Of there with your hands up
or III shoot through said Mr.. Story, and
William Stevens, . German. % years old,
formerly Mr. Story's butler stepped out
into view. Mr.. Story and his servants
seized the man. who was not armed, and
bound his hands behind him Mr. Story
ordered his carriage, and they drove with
Stevens four miles 10 the Port Chester
lookup and delivered him there at
10 Chief Of Police Donovan, who was
summoned early. Stevens confessed his
guilt. He had learned when employed a.
butler At Blind Rock Farm. ne said. that
there was one basement window which
could be opened from tho outside by jam
mtg II down q little and then raising It,
and he had since entered tho house by that
means several times and stolen various
things. The total value OF his stealings,
The police say, u about "a 900, the most 4
vslued articles being some miniatures.
Stevens told the chief that he had lost
his savings OF about q son on Sthe ponies
and that he had to get come money. The
police believe that 70 had an aocomplice