The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-26 00:00:00

Miscellaneous American News.

THE GREAT BOND ROBBERY--.ARREST OF TIIE
THIEF AND RECOVERY OF THE WHOLE PROPERTY.
—The New York papers contain full accounts of
the arrest of the daring perpetrator of the New
York bond robbery, for the detection of whom a
large reward was offered. It appears that the City
Marshal, J. V. L. Westcott, of Newburyport, being
at New York at the time of the robbery of Mr. Lord,
of United States securities and other property oc-
curred, got on the trail of one of the prin-
cipal robbers, and, aided by two deputy mar-
shals of New York, arrested John Jones
on the train between New York and New Haven
on the 19tkinstant. Jones was taken to Newbury-
port. Some of the stolen property was found in
his possession. After considerable hard work the
whole thing has been thoroughly sifted, and the
result is the recovery of all the stolen property.
Jones was taken to New York this evening. Mar-
shal Westcott has attained a high position by
this act, and earned a reward which places him
among the rich men of Newburyport. Another
account says that Mr. Westcott, after hearing
of the robbery, devoted his attention to the
subject, and sending to Charlestown obtained
information that led him to seek an interview
with Mr. Lord, during which he informed
him of his suspicions. Mr. Lord was incredulous,
and a second interview took place, at which two de-
tectives were present. Mr. Lord declined taking
any steps in the matter, and told Mr. Westcott that
any further action must be taken through the de-
tective police. United States Marshal Murray, of
New York, at Mr. Westcott's request, furnished
him with two of his deputies to assist him. On the
evening of March 19 Mr. Westcott saw the man
whom he suspected enter the cars at the New Haven
railroad station in New York. Mr. Westcott and
the two deputies took passage on the same train,
and soon after starting went to the baggage car and
found a trunk with the initials of the suspected
man's name upon it. He secured its deten-
tion, and going to where Jones was seated,
informed him that he was his prisoner. Jones
yielded without resistance, and was ironed.
Westcott arrived here safely with his prisoner on
Tuesday of last week, and Jones has been closely
guarded at aihotel since. In Jones's trunk was found
eight bonds of $l,OOO each, payable to Rufus L.
Lord, thus proving that Westcott had fastened upon
the right man. Detective Heath, of Boston, after a
consultation with Mr. Westcott, went to New York
and, in company with a detective of that city, com-
menced following up the trail. The details of the
robbery show it to have been an exceedingly bold
affair. Jones engaged the attention of Mr. Lord
while three accomplices robbed the safe. After the
robbery the four persons engaged in it went to
Central Park, and upon opening the two tin boxes
and the pocket-book were astonished at the large
amount of the haul they had made. Detectives
Young, of New York, and Jones and Heath, of
Boston, left with the prisoner (John Jones) this
evening for New York. The property will be de-
livered up to Mr. Lord on Monday.—Boston
Advertiser.

SAM. HOUSTON'S DEATII.—An interesting article
on Sam. llouston in the April number of _Harper's
Magazine thus speaks of his death :—" But if
Houston's death where ended while adversity im-
pended over his country and his house he was not
without hope in the great future, where the only
war was punished by the expulsion of the Great
Enemy of mankind, and of Peace. He died, as he
had lived a number of years, a Calvinistic Baptist,
in full faith and fellowship with his church. His
last days were given to prayers for his distressed
family and country, and in spiritual preparation,
while yet on the narrew strip of land which sepa-
rates man from eternity.' These were his own
words. In the absence of a minister of his own de-
nomination, for several weeks before his dissolution,
he had the consolation of a Presbyterian divine,
with whom he had lately reconciled previous differ-
ences. In the same manner he forgave all his ene-
mies, and he died as none but a Christian can die.
He left a widow and seven children, no one of whom
had obtained years of majority. He had owned a
few slaves. He no longer looked to them as a de-
pendence after the first gun was fired. His lands
are not available to his family. So that Houston
died, as Benton said, a public man ought to die—
poor. He had married late. His widow is a ster-
ling woman, who had greatly influenced and im-
proved his later years. In his darkest hours she
had been his best adviser."
GENERAL GRANT AND THE PRESIDENCY. The
business of President making has begun in the
West. Already two influential Union papers in
Chicago have raised General Grant's name at the
head of their editorial columns for President in
1868, and we copy below a somewhat significant
article from the Galena Gazette—an old neighbour
and friend of the General's—indicating that he
would not be averse to the arrangement proposed :
—" From our knowledge of General Grant we feel
authorised in. saying, that in the future, as in the
past, his position, and his opinions on all the great
questions which are convulsing the country, will be
made known as far as they can be through his
official acts. He will want no other platform to
stand upon before the American people than that
which he makes by such official acts and by his
military orders. They will be such as will show,
when the time comes, that the great masses of the
loyal people of this country can repose implicit
confidence in him. We know all his hopes and
sympathies are with the great and patriotic Union
party of this country. In feeling and sentiment
he is thoroughly identified with the millions of
loyal people who, in the long years of war, and
carnage, and blood, gave their heart, their blood,
and their treasure to their country. He has
neither sympathy nor toleration for any party,
nor any set of men who were against the country
in its terrible time of trial and peril through which
it has safely passed. With no ambition but to
serve the interests of his country, guided by the
loftiest patriotism, looking to a regenerated nation,
now resting upon the basis of universal liberty,
all loyal and good men can now turn to him as their
reliance and hope. If the good of the nation de-
mand it, there can be no doubt that he will, at the
proper time, respond to the unanimous voice of
his loyal countrymen, and permit them to rally
under his banner, which will prove no less
victorious in peace than it was in the storm-cloud
of war."

HIGH RATE OF MORTALITY AMONG LIQUOR
SELLERS.—The National Provident Institution, an
English life insurance company, has discontinued
issuing policies to publicans, owing to the high rate
of mortality among that class of citizens. The
statistics of its own actuary led to this action, which
is still further justified by the annual report" of the
Manchester and Salford Licensed Victuallers' Asso-
ciation. This body numbers 481 members, and the
loss by death last year was 39, being a death-rate of
of about 80 in 1,000, while the death-rate for the
whole population of the country is 18, and for
trades considered unhealthy, such as shoemakers,
tailors, &c., only 15 in 1,000. These figures speak
for themselves, and show that the liquor traffic,
like Saturn, swallows its own children. This state
of things has been noticed before. The evidence
before a Parliamentary committee in 1853 brought
out the great mortality of liquor sellers, and up-
ward of ten years ago one of the Registrar-General's
annual reports contained statistical data, showing
that at every decennial period, reckoning from 25
years, the mortality among drink sellers was half
as much again as the average of all classes collec-
tively of men above twenty years of age.
CONCERNING JEFF. DAVIS.—A Fortress Monroe
correspondent of the .New York herald says that
Jeff. Davis's health continues good, and he keeps
up the same- habits to which he has been accustomed
for soma time past, including his daily outdoor
exercise. He reads much, and keeps well posted
on passing events. An officer who recently under-
took to draw out the rebel ex-chieftain on Fenian-
ism met with a complete failure, as Jeff. had a very
mean opinion of the Fenian prospects. Jeff.,
through a great portion of his time disposed to be
social and conversational, is frequently seized with
fits of sourness and reticence. lie seldom alludes
to his trial.