The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-10


fully in place. For nearly two weeks
this treasure, amounting to over a
million dollars. lay unsuspeeted in the
Schoolhouse. the eaEhe# walking over
a part of it. the children Working out
their sums on the. blackboard which
concealed another part. 1t was left
there so long because the robbers were
unable to return for it, owing to the
strict watch for strangers that was
kept at the railway station and along
all the roads. Finally Scott bought
a team Of horses for $500 and, with
Jim Bray drove over to Northamp-
ton from Springfield. After securing
the booty, they had serious trouble in
getting away. Brady fell into the mill
race. which they were crossing on the
ice, and this accident s. necessitated
their camping out all night in cabin
in The woods. .--=a-=
After hearing Evans story. the
question foremost in Mr. Pinkertonys
mind was where. the stolen securities
had been concealed. From what
Evans said, and from what he knew
himself about the methods of the
gang, he was satisfied that Dunlap
possessed this secret, anu would in
trust it to no one unless absolutelye
compelled to do So The Gkeliest way
of compelling him was to put him un-
der arrest, which might very we'll be
done now that Evans had consented to
turn states evidence. For weeks
lPinkerton shadows" had never been
off Scott and Dunlap, who spent most
/ of their time in New York, the former
living with his wife at a fashionable
boarding house in Washington square,
Instructions we're accordingly given
+ to the Shadows to close in upon
/ them, and on February II, 1877, both
men We're arrested in Philadelphia
as thew were on the point of taking
| a train for the south.
Despite the large sum of securities
in their possession the men had run
short of ready money, and while
awaiting a compromise, were starting
/ out to commit another robbery. They
! were taken to Northampton and COM
mitted to jail to await trial.
/ 1t happened as Mr.. Pinkerton fore
saw. Brought into confinement, Dun
| lap and Scott were compelled. in the
| conduct of their affairs, to reveal the
hiding place of the booty to some
bother member of the gang. They
chose for their conhdants RED Leary.
fThe Securities, as subsequently trans
/ PRED, were at this time buried in a
/ cellar on Sixth avenue, near Thirty
/ third street, New York. The precise
I spot was indicated to Leary by Mrs
fScott, who, in doing so. reminded
fLeary of an agreement entered into
/ by the members of the gang before
/ the robbery, that any one Of their
number who might get into trouble
could if he saw a necessity call upon
/ securities on whatever terms were pos
sible and use the proceeds in getting
| him and others-if others were in
/ trouble a1sO-free. At the TIME Leary
/ scored at this agreement. but was per-
tfectly willing, even eager, to have 1T
+ enforced a little later, when, by the
/ orders of Inspector Byrnes, he was
| himself arrested on the Charge Of com
! plfcity in the mem orable Manhattan
+ bank robbery, which had occurred
some time before. Having failed in q
! purpose of Swallowing Leary to the
place where the securities were hid
den. Robert PinkeFt0n decided that the
best move to make next would be to
arrest Leary for completely in the
/ Northampton robbery. Steps were
/ taken to have reduisition papers pre-
| pared. and it was pending the arrival
| of these that Leary was held on the
| other charge, for itz]as not thought
/ that he had really taken part IN the
Manhattan bank robbery.
! The criminal annals Of the United
/ States contain no more thrilling chap
ter than that of the adventures OF
! RED LeaTy. II IHaSaaa typical des-
] peFado- in appearance, with his sShock
of red hair, and his 'nristAng red mus
tache, and his ugly d1eeavy-5aWed face
While his huge neck and shoulders, his
big head and powerfully hairy hands
4 impressed one with his enormous ply
steal strength. He weighed nearly 30t
i pounds, and his pals used to pOinf
! with pride to the fact that he wore :
i bigger hat than any statesman II
4 Anne rica-eight and quarter.
While much of Iseary's life hac
been spent in deeds Of violence, he
had shown on occasions such splendid
bravery. and even heroisn, as Amos
atoned for his crimes. There are few
i soldiers who would not be proud Of
Il Iearyts record on the battlefield. H
i was among the first to respond to hi!
ii cOuntryis call in our own civil war
being a volunteer in the First Ken
lucky regiment under Col. Guthrie
and he was a good soldier from tn
time of his enlistment up to the mo
| ment of his honorable discharge.
The abIest lawyers were now Sc
, cured in his defense, and by ever
possible method of legal obstruction
they kept alive a controversy in thu
New York courts until the early day
of May. 1879. Meanwhile Leary re
posed In Ludlow street jail, where h
enjoyed all the privileges ever &C
/, corded to prisoners. In return he pail
the warden the substantial sum Of So
! a week; and it was evident that
; whether he had or had not been con
s cerned in the Northampton robbers
! he had in some way obtained abun
dant money. He was visited con
stantly by his wife.
= On the afternoon of May z, Mrs
I5eary called at about five o'clock witt
Butch Mccarthy, and the three wer
. alone in Leary's room until nearl
, eight o'clock After that Lear
! strolled about in the prison Enclosure
= and at about quarter past ten Keep
I er Wendell, who had charge of tn
first tier in which Leary's room wa
: located. saw him going upstairs fron
the second to the third tier. Althoug
! in this Leary was going directly ava
r from his own room, there was nothin
to excite surprise, for Leary had bee
accustomed to use the bathroom on tn
third tier. A quarter of an hour late
Wendell. started on his rounds, accord
ling to the prison rule, to see that ca
one.of the men in his tier was secure
ly locked up for the night. When h
came to Leary's room ne was a it'll
surprised to find him stiIl absent bu
supposed he would be there shortly
IRnairn- I .eat.tr sin absent the 1.aena