New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-02-23
"YEGGMAN SLAIN
WIFE TELLS OF GANG.
Williamsburg Police Make
Tzoo Arrests an the Case. d.

In the murder OF Ionn IeoIa-u anu the
arrest or Thomas Barnes and Jena Ander-
son charged with the crime. the poiice and
Secret Service detectives assert that they
have run 10 cover gang OF Eegsinen
who have been operating in the South.
blowing open safes in the postofhces ana
committing various other robberies that
have kept the police Of several states in a
Suandary.
Leonard was thirty-one years cid, and
lived with mis- wife at Ne. 266 South 4th
street williamsburg He was shot and IN
stantly killed early yesterday morning IN
his home His wife's cries gave the alarm
10 Patrolman Thomas Barrett. who was on
the plaza OF the Williamsburg Bridge, and,
after a lively experience. Barrett arrested a
man who described himself as Thomas
Rarnes. an electrician. thirty-seNen years
old, % Rhinebeck y. Y
Andersen. the other prisones. was
boarder in the Leonard house. 1t was said
that Barnes had called upon him there sew
eral times and he was believed 3y the po-
lice 10 know more about the killing Of
LEONARD than he was willing 10 tel
WIFE MAKES DISCLOSURES.
The connection Of the murder of Leonard
with ''yeggmen' was disclosed 10 the Will
iannsburg police by the wife of the slain
such d hand and that only recently he had
been released from the federal prison in
Atlanta for Job in Raleigh, y. g. and
she declared that the prisoners Were of the
same liz. further alleging that the grUdge
against Leonard resulting in his murder
followed a belief that he had given infor-
nation 20 Secret Service men which would
lead TO the arrest Of members of the gang
who had come North 10 continue their or
erations here.
Mrs Leonard gave the police II under
stand that in place on the Bowery near
Grand street Manhattan. ''yeggmen'' made
their headquarters, and. acting Upon that
Information. the police have the place under
surveillance.
Mrs. Leonard told Captain Dooley of the
Bedford avenue police station that Barnes
called AT the Leonard home on Monday
night and learning that Leonard was ont
said he would return later. Presently she
heard four shots ring out in rapid success
sion, and going down into the basement
hallway she found her husband with his
hands over his breast and leaning against
the wall.
Rushing to the front door, she saw q man
running away, and Immediately began to
CRY out for help When she saw Patrol
man Barrett reach the scene and grappIe
husband only to find him dead.
The man whom the policeman grabbed
vas Barnes. and as he caught him by the
shoulder, Barnes Is said TO have turned
on him with his revolver. but the gun
failed to explode whereupon Barnes at
tackled the policeman with the butt END
of tbs revolver. laying open the police
mans cheek. With his night stick Bar
rett knocked the revolver from Barnes's
hand. and then soon subdued him and took
him 70 the Bedford avenue station. where.
tie police say, they found a complete lire
- safe burglars tools. several sticks of
dynamite and some nirogiycerine in his
possession.
SCENE IN COURT
Barnes and Anderson were arraigned in
the Bedford avenue police court before
Magistrate OReilly- Both were charged
with murder. 1t was held by the police
that Anderson was witness to the crime.
Mrs. Leonard appeared in court and made
the charge against the two men. She was
greatly excited, and as the magistrate
asked the men what they had to say to the
charge she shouted loudly. Il will fix
YOU for this, Tom Barnes. as sure as my
name Is Leonard" and several times she
had TO be restrained in efforts to reach
the prisoners The men pleaded not guilty.
Secret Service men who were called in
on The case said that the dead man had
been working all through the South with
gang that had long string of ions TO
its credit. They said that Barnes also
belonged TO the gang but had nothing to
say.
CONCERNING ANDERSON.
The prisoners were taken to Brooklyn Po-
lice Headquarters at 10 o'clock IN the morn
ing. and were kept on the grill there
I'll iate in the afternoon. but the detectives
confessed that their labors with them were
ln vain so far as inducing the men 10 make
statements was concerned.
Barnes, the detectives learned from his
criminal record, had posed here and in
other places as John Hayes and Bangor
Billy He was arrested by Manhattan de-
tectives on May "A. 1893 as suspicious
person. in his possession at that time the
police found revolver. bottle of choral,
battery and some niJroglycerine. Judge
Leller, Of the Court Of Special Sessions,
Sent him TO the island for thirty days
Inspector McCaffeTty, who went to Brook
lyn 10 look over Barnes and Anderson. said
that Barnes was a member of notorious
gang Of burglars and postoffice thieves that
had operated in various parts of the coun-
Try, especially in the South The inspector
added that Anderson hailed from Canada
Mrs Leonard said she first met her hus-
band two years ago while she was en-
ploved as q nurse at Good Ground, Long
Island 1t WIS not until several months
after her marriage that she learned that
he was "yeggman-" She said it was
shock to her at first, and she intended TO
inform the police, but fear kept her from
doing so, and at last she got used TO being
z ''yeggemans' wife.
The woman has communicated with the
relative of the dead man, who are said to
ne welI-to-do people of Manhattan, with
ne hopes of giving him a burial
L STEAMERS ROUGH VOYAGE.