The Sun.
London, England, 1857-12-25 00:00:00

TITS AMERICAN MAIL ROBBER.

-The Newhaven Register gives full particulars of
the detection and arrears of William S. Tucker-
mau

A most important arrest took place in this city on
Sunday evening, for extensive mail robberies committed
within a few weeks past. These robberies embraced the
entire letter mad on several occasions made up at Phila-
delphia, New Orleans, and other points, for Boston, at
least one mail from Boston for New York, and several
others of less importance. The officers of the Post-office
department, it seems, have been secretly on the alert
to ascertain where and by whom the alarming depreda-
tions were committed, the management of the case
having been placed in the hands of Mr. Holbrook,
ono of the most experienced special agents. It soon
appeared that the missing mails were chiefly those
which would go by the railroad rout. between New
York and Boston in the Sunday night trains. After
a good deal of watching and careful investigation it
was believed that Springfield was one of the points
selected by the robber for his bold operations,
but it was not known until Sunday night, the 22d ult.,
that any discoveries were made at that locality. The
trains from New York and Boston meet there, and it
was observed that the mail car from New York was
sometimes left for a few moments without lights or fas•
tenings. On the night in question Mr. Holbrook and
Mr. Clark, of the New York Post-offiee, were on the
train, in disguise, on its arrival at Springfield, and just
as the lights were withdrawn from the baggage or mail
car, took up their position therein near the mails, and
ready fur an emergency, naturally supposing that the
robber, his deeds being evil, preferred darkness rather
than light. A moment's suspense, and footsteps were
heard near the car and upon the platform. In an in-
stant the door opened, and the expected visitor entered
and instantly struck a match, ostensibly with which to
light a cigar, already "ia position," but really, no
doubt, to see if all was right. During the momentary
light from the aforesaid match, it is difficult to deter-
mine which had the advantage, Uncle Sam's men or
the lucifer match adventurer ; but, believing that
the latter would have the best of it unless something
was done speedily (Holbrook intending to pass himself
and companion off as bona fide passengers just stepped
into the baggage car for a "smoke"), coolly says to his
assistant, "Tow, where's that good cigar you offered
me ?" To which Tom immediately responded by hand•
ing out the cigar. Before even this was accomplished the
match had done its worst on both sides, the watchers
and the watched. " Give me a light, if you please," says
Holbrook t) the supposed mail robber, whereupon the
favour was insiantly granted, and both were smoking
away, thus far equally in the dark. Presently the train
began to move, and the stranger moved too, jumping off
while it was in motion. To carry out the ioea of being
ordinary passengers, the company, joined by Mr. Chapin,
postmaster of Springfield, had to continue in the train,
believing that the object of the robber had been thwarted
for that night, at least, if indeed he had not been per-
ruariently alarmed. Not so, however ; for the New York
later-pouch from Boston was abstracted that night
while the vigilant officers were going east towards Boa
ton. Fully satisfied from this discovery that the em-
ployes of the railroad companies were in no way impli-
cated, more rapid progress could now be safely made in
ascertaining who the stranger could be, when on com-
paring notes the description answered well to that of
a person who had frequently passed over the route,
endeavouring, with too much emcees., to secure the
confidence and favour of the conductor and baggage.
men, particularly those on the Sunday night trains. No
suspicion has arisen, however, as of course the loss of
the mails was unknown to them, and yet it now appears
his frequent passage and unusual familiarity had been
made the subject of sours conversation. Further exer-
tions resulted in ascertaining the name and locality of
this agreeable traveller, and a close watch was set
upon all his movements, and every preparation made
for his detection if he repeated the robberies. Just
before the train left New York on last Sunday even•
ing he arrived at the depot, in Twenty-seventh-street,
but the special agent had arrived before hint and taken
is position in the baggage or mail car, where he could
both hear and see without being seen or heard. On this
occasion, as had if ten happened before, the baggage of
the suspected party consisted of a large trunk, which he
declined to have marked for any particular point, saying
that if he met a gentleman at Springfield, where the
trains meet, he should return to New York that night.
" All right," says the baggage-master, and the atore-
eai:l trunk was hissed by itself, where it could be rea•
dily controlled by the final decision of its owner. Before
reaching Stamford he again appeared in the baggage-
car, where he was purposely left alone fora few moments
while ",vending-up," and the opportunity was improved
by transferring the New Orleans mail pouch from its
proper place to the trunk of uncertain destination. Be-
coming subsequently alarmed at an unguarded yet trivial
movement of the conductor, a-id being left alone for a
moment while the hands were " breaking up," he as
'dexterously removed the deposits from the trunk back to
their former position. The rest of the story can be told
in a few words. At the depot in this city, Mr. Hol-
brook came out from his olose quarters, and at once
arrested Wm. S. Tuckerrnan as the author of all these
bold mail robberies. Upon his pee:son and in his valise
were found the most overwhelming evidences that no
mistake had been made in the man, and he was soon
after committed to gaol. The trunk referred to and
its fixtures bear the strongest proofs of having been
prepared for the illegal purposes to which it was put
on this occasion, having a peculiar lock to admit of its
being opened without the slightest inconvenience or
noise of a key, and the valise which was found
inside cantaiuing heavy iron weights, lest the
lightness of the trunk at one point and the heaviness
at another, after receiving the mail., should attract
attention and lead to suspicion. His uniform and gen•
tlemarily deportment and very respectable appearance
had prevented any suspicion among the hands as to the
object of his unusual civilities and familiarity, and fond-
ness for sinoeing and liberal distribution of the best
quality of cigars had furnished the pretext and paved
the way for often riding in the baggage-car. It is hoped
that the lesson taught of the risk and impropriety of al-
lowing outsiders in the cars provided for mails and bag-
gage, will not be lost upon the managers and employes
of New England and other railroads.
The prisoner was formally brought before the United
States' Commissioner, C. R. Ingersoll, yesterday, and his
bail fixed at 20,000 dole. His examination has not yet
taken place.
Tuckerrnan is about 35 years of age, and he was for-
merly treasurer of the Boston and Maine Railroad
Company. He has an estimable wife residing in New
York.—Nero York Times, Dec. 3.