Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-10-28
..yILLAINous MAIL~RoBBERIEs.

sNlLLAlNOUS MAlLryRUbbEkl
BY the politeness of Mr.. BIncH, Marshal
of the State, we are pot in possession of
the facts and circumstances connected with
the late robberies Of the mail at Carrollton,
from whence he has just returned. The
name of the robber is Thornton II. Free
man, who was appointed Post Master in
March or April last, upon petition from
a majority of the citizens Of the neighbor-
hood, and who held the additional offices Of
Magistrate, Public Administrator, Commits
sioner in Bankruptcy, and an honorable po-
sition in the Masonic Lodge, having just
returned from ST. Louis as delegate to
the Grand Lodge of Missouri. He was ar
rested in his Office, on Friday week, and
escaped on Saturday evening, for which
the officer is not censurable, as will appear
by the proceedings of public meeting Of
the citizens of Carrollton, in another
column.
We have seen most of the papers con-
nected with his arrest and escape and heard
the particulars of his known robberies and
forgeries, and do not hesitate in setting him
down as the great scoundrel Of Is43-pla-
cling in the same category J. w. Freeman,
his brother, attorney at law at Carrollton,
and one Payn,er, his brother-in-law, who
were publicly charged as suspected accom-.
plices, by the Marshal of the State, in the
public meeting alluded to, and as certainly
having furnished the robber with means of
escape. 110 ....n e ...f.,
| He commenced his career soon after ia.
king charge of the office, and has certainly
secured four thousand dollars, with good
chance for two thousand dollars not yet
fully investigated, and how much more no
one knows. OF the known losses, Messrs.
Woods, Christy Il Co., of St. Louis, lose
$500; mercantile firm in Weston, $3.50;
DR.. Mitchell, Receiver of Public Monies at
this place, $500; Mr.. Richie, of the Rich
mond Enquirer, $460; and an old lady in
Kentucky, cher ally $500; and various citi-
rens of the upper country the remainder.
These robberies were generally connect.
ed with forgeres, and as the one upon
Woods, Christy, & Co., led to his detec-
tion, and presents an interesting and afro
cious scene of crime, we have ventured to
procure copies of portion of the docu-
ments, and connected with the circumstan-
ces, place them before our readers. -.
A gentleman by the name of Todd, in or
near Nashville, Tennessee, was indebted to
James Holman, of Ray county, some 5000,
and RENTED it to him in check upon
Woods, Christy, & Co., drawn by the
Merchants Insurance Company of Nash
vile. This check was stolen from the mail
by Freeman, before reaching its destina.
ton, and the following correspondence,
which was all forged by Freeman, except
the reply of Woods, Christy, & Co., will
show the care and caution of those mer.
chants, and his villiany, which would have
succeeded in imposing on any man on
earth: .... ....7 ........r ...'. ....
"RIcHMosD. Mo-, June 20, 1S43.
Gents Enclosed please find q check for six
hundred dollars, for which please send me the
money by return mail. would prefer Nilsson.
ri paper, but if you have not got it Kentucky
will answer. Yours respectfully.
JAMES HOLMAN"
On this letter the Richmond post mark
was forged, as we'll as the way.bill and
name of the Richmond post master, and tc
which the following reply was sent, anc
stolen by Freeman:
"Sr. LOUIS, Mo-, July 1, 1s43.
Mr.. James Holman, Richmond, Mo.
Dear Sir:-Your esteemed favor OF June Goth
is duly TO hand, inclosng check Of Nashville In
surance and Trust Company, in favor OF Samue
Todd, and endorsed by said Todd to James Hol
man. Having no acquaintance with your sigma
: tafe, We must ask OF you to get some person il
, your county, with whom we are acquainted, L
certify to your signature, which will fully author
ize US 10 make you the remittance at once. w
would remark that our friend Joseph Lapsley'
signature is we'll known to us, and certifcat
Fl from him will be satisfactory, on the receipt O
which we will remit you the amount with grea
= pleasure. We hope you will understand VIII
this course is adopted; 1T is done to protect yo
2 and ourselves from any thing wrong in the pre-
6 misses. All we wish to know is that we are ma
king payment to the proper person, Il. e.) t
James HOLMAN, but were we to make paymen
= without this, we could not be certain OF havn
/ done right. You will please write US by retur
mail, with the certificate, Tor give the orde
yourself to some person here) and We will wit
great pleasure send the funds to you. Hopin