New-York tribune., 1905-02-16
PLOT TO ESCAPE PRISON.
INNOCENT MN AIMED At.
Discovery Leads Rich Fence" to
Plead Guilty.

Edward NJ. Harlan. one OF the richest pawn
brokers in the city. pleaded guilty yesterday in
the Court OF General Sessions TO an Indictment
charging him with being a receiver of stolen
goods He remanded to the Tombs to
await sentence tomorrow. Later it was an
nounced that the District Attorney had af-
hdavits to show that Harlan had made an Of
fer to pay $1,000 to ex-Assemblyrnan John r.
Maher and $4,000 each to Central Office Detec-
tives Duggan and Kinsler If they would contrive
to have the evidence against him turned against
an innocent man
Harlan was arrested by Duggan and Kinsler
several weeks ago. and he was indicted on the
charge Of receiving goods which he knew had
been stolen Some of the goods were silks which
had been stolen by Frank Burke from his en-
ployers. Stern & Stern. at No. AS Broadway
Burke is in the Tombs. also under indict-
ment Other property traced to Harlam's store
in Hudson-st-, next door to the public school
that was burned on Tuesday afternoon. had
been stolen from the house Of James r. Roose-
welt. and some other property had been stolen
from a Catholic church.
The affidavits in Mr.. Jerome's possession de-
clare that Harlan first made an offer Ia Dug
gan and Kinsler. which the detectives refused.
and then went to make his proposal TO ex-As-
semblyman Maher. Harlam's plans. as dis
closed by his offer. was first to have some OF
the goods stolen by Burke planted in the
rooms Of an Armenian named NIelik. in West
16th-st- and have the detectives go there. find
the goods and arrest Melik In order TO give
color TO the proof manufactured against Melik,
Harlan said keeper in the Tornbs would make
an affidavit that ne had overheard Burke say
the stolen silks were delivered 70 MeIik- Thus
Melik. the ignorant and innocent foreigner.
would be sent to prison. and Harlan would go
free. Harlan declared he would guarantee to-
pay $4,000 to each OF the detectives and 5000
to Mr. Maher if the plan was worked out as hs
suggested
Maher put Harlan of a little and consulted
with his friend. John McCullagh. the former
Chief Of Police BY Mr.. McCulIagh's advics
he went with his story to the Detective Bureau.
and Captain O'Brien related it 70 Mr.. Jerome.
Mr.. Maher later saw Mr.. Jerome and arranged
TO invite Harlan TO a conference where County
Detective Reardon and Detective Sergeant Nc
ConviIle could overhear it. The affidavits de-
clare that Harlan went TO Mr.. Maher's house
on Saturday and repeated his offer. and that
Reardon and McConvile. who were hiding In
a convenient closet. heard every word OF IT,
Harlan was arrested again a bench war
rant on Tuesday. and when he understood that
information OF his plans to manufacture evi-
dence against an innocent man was in Mr..
Jeromes possession he decided TO plead guilty.
The afidavits probably will be submitted to
Judge Foster when Harlan comes up for SEN
tence tomorrow. along with a statement that
Assistant District Attorney Lord recently was
surprised by receiving a package containing a
gold watch and picture and card of Harlan
The package was sent back TO Harlan and
there probably will be no move TO prosecute him
for attempted bribery in view Of the fact that
he has pleaded guilty TO the Indictment