Bainbridge Burglar Jailed - 1888

 

 The Bainbridge Burglar Jailed

  Otsego Journal, May 16, 1888

 

On May 9, while the employees at the Delaware and Hudson depot at Bainbridge [Chenango Co., NY] were at dinner, Daniel Kelleir, Jr., entered the freight house in the rear, and from there to the ticket office, where he took a bar of iron and pried open the money drawer and stole $96 in money and $100 in checks, and ran to the woods.  He was seen by several people. A warrant was issued and placed in the hands of Officer W.M. Hastings of Bainbridge, and the railroad company's detective was telegraphed for.  He arrived on the morning train May 11, and together the officers began a diligent search for the fugitive, and all the train men were notified to keep watch for him.   He was discovered at Otego about 5 p.m. jumping a freight train for Unadilla, where he got off and went to the hotel near the Unadilla depot, and began drinking.  Officer Charles Curtis was sent for.  He came and arrested Kelleir, and brought him to Sidney [Delaware Co., NY], where he was met by Officers Hastings and Andros, who took him to Bainbridge, where he was held for the grand jury, and taken to Norwich jail, Saturday.  He had $78.00 of the money in his pocket when arrested. He had torn up the checks, but went with the officers to the spot where the pieces were found and put together.  He made a full confession.  He is the same fellow who shot at a brakeman on a train some time ago and was convicted of it.  He is a hard fellow for one of his age, being only 19 years old.  The burglary was one never equaled in this vicinity in daring and boldness.  He watched the telegraph operator leave the office.  He sat across the street, and immediately went there when plenty of people were all around and passing all the time.  His family are all respectable, and honest, hard working people, and why he should be such a bad fellow is a mystery, unless it is the associates he has been with.  He says the robbery was planned some time ago, and he was waiting for a favorable opportunity to put it into execution.  The agent was away in Binghamton.  He said he thought that was his best chance, so he "went and done it all alone," and then one of his chums wanted him to divide the spoils.  But he said no, he did the job alone and he would keep all he got for himself.  He first went to the woods on Pine hill, then over west of Bainbridge, where he was joined by one of them that night, and then he went east to Quaker Street, and back to where he was caught, riding in box cars and keeping out of sight until he got drunk.  He in company with some others, have been hanging around here for some time, frequenting a house of ill fame in this village, and it is a relief to know Detective Andrus has captured him and brought him to justice--The Herald's Sidney Correspondent.