Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1850-09-12
n...n. al Gen. EEInIsn.


Oath, contains the particulars reia'
tive to the plot laid for Gen. linton
and his arrest and escape OIL Wed
nssdav He was arrested on a
charOe of robbing the mail OF seven
teen thousand dollars.
Several large packages OF money
have been distracted from the maiis
within a few months past, and Dep
uty Post Master Haskell and Gov
ernment Constable McKinstry have
been at work to ferret ont the rogue;
Hinton has been in the habit oI
travelling to and fro in the stages
protesting always to be on business
for the company, and consequently
a privileged character among the
mail bags. He was suspected some
time since, as several robberies took
pIace when he was known to be
abroad. With an eye on him, the
word was "passed along the line"
and decoy packages with money
marked, were put into the mail on
nurpose TO be stolen out. Whenev-
er II was known that the General
was about to travel, he was sure to
be accompanied with one OF these
packages in the mail. If it passed
on TO its destination unmoIested, its
wrapper was changed and sent in
another direction.
At last the bait took. The old fel-
low after smelling around the hook
awhile swallowed it and was caught
He was arrested, and large quanti-
ties OF the marked money contained
in these packages found on his per-
son. He was examined and bound
over under a ten thousand dollar
bond. He applied to several citize-s
for bail without effect. The old Jail
yawned to receive him, but the Gen.
eral didn't like the county accommo-
dations. He had been used TO STOP
ping al the best hotels and living on
the best they afforded. The compa-
ny, although select, was not precise
ly to his taste. They were thieves
and robbers OF too small scale TO be
respectable. He preferred the We'd
dell House, and importuning the
Post Master, was permitted 10 take
up quarters there for the night, and
remain in company with his keepers,
a privileged guest.
Thus, in a well lighted, beautiful
ly furnished room at the Weddel,
do we find this genteel villain at IL
O'Clock last night, his kind and obi.
ging Government walters keeping
vigils DER him. But where is he
this morningi Ah, hal Where now
is this royal guest, Gen. o. Hinton?
1t appears the General in
"The wee' sma' hours of night"
committed breach of generous con.
fdence', as he had often done be.
fore. He took his guard, while off their
guard, and vamosed through the
door which was left ajar, quickly tur.
ming the key upon them, locking them
in. Here was pickle and such rum,
pus followed as made night hideous.
Stamping, hallooing, and kicking
against the door, brought up the sIee-
pers ofthe Weddell from pit to dome,
and in dishabille, such as ghosts are
said 10 wear. What is the matterl
cried an outsider. open the door, re-
sponded the enraged. General
Hinton has escaped Bar the doorsI'
'Firer Rouse the cityr But the
General had taken good care of him.
self. He had either gone down into
the underground passages of the
WeddelI, or vanished in the moon
light. At all events, he was no.
where to be found, and no trace OF
his whereabouts has been discover
ed.
ltis supposed, however, the Gene
raj has quit staging and gone to
steamboating, or perhaps yawl-bo
ing. The Lake is hard by, and the
land Of rogues lies just beyond. The
General is no doubt after that Mis-
tress the Poet sings about,
"Rule Britannia, mistress ofthe seas!"