The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-10-15
The Philadelphia Mail Robbery.

From The Phila. North Americar.
| most daring mail robbery perpetrated in
the suburbs of Philadelphia, on Saturday night.
About half past ten O'Clock, the Baltimore train
was on its way from the depot, corner OF Eleventh
and Market streets, TO Gray's Ferry, the mail car
was entered and robbed of three pouches contain
ing valuable southern and western matter. The
| bags from the New York post office, and
were destined one TO Richmond, Va another to
Raleigh, n. c ; and the third to Wheeling, Va.
| The mail was coupled 10 the express car,
which ahead, and the two were drawn by one
team. These were followed by teams with the
passenger and baggage To show the bold
meas OF the robbery at the time it must have taken
| place, the foremost passenger car was scarcely
more than one hundred and fifty feet in the Of
the mail car.
The moon was shining, yet the sky was darkened
by clouds Of dust, created by the high wind that
prevailed, and this may have blinded the eyes of
the driver of the foremost passenger car SO as to
have prevented him from seeing what going
at the hind part of the mail directly ahead Of
him.
At Gray's Ferry, the driver OF the mail car dis-
covered that the back door was open, and the
brakeman of the train entered the with light
tosee whether any one was in there. Discovering
nothing to excite his suspicion, he came out under
Tue III
ocked II seems these two persons then had not
suspected any thing wrong, they doubtless attribu-
ting the circumstances Of the door being open TO ac-
cidcnt or forgetfulness.
The robbery is believed to have been committed
at the curve, corner of Broad and Prime
streets, in the District of Moyamensing tits sup
posed that the mail car entered from behind
by the door with a false key.
The first information OF the robbery received
about breakfast-timc yesterday morning, by Mr.
Robert Huddell, agent of the Philadep ha Will
min gton, and Baltimore Railroad Company A
person came to his house and informed him that
the stolen pouches, rihed of their contents had
bsen accidentally found, at an early hour in the
morning, in the bushes on Remembers farm, about
a square west of Broad street, and two squares
south CT Prime street.
The great southern mail is now put icto canvass
bags, which sealed and put into leather pouches
which are locked. The robbers cut the pouches,
drew out the bags, and opened these by cutting
the strings that tied them. The contents of the
bags were then emptied out and the letters, pack
ages, &c, broken open.
All the money In the letters was taken, but pro-
mis5ory notes, checks payable to order, sight
drafts, &c, were thrown away. There were
| strcwed over the ground about two bushels and a
half of letters, sc. The letters, numbering about
one thousand, were gathered up, and Mr. White,
postmaster OF this city, yesterday had them, with
the checks, drafts, &c, returned TO the post Office
at New York, where they are by this time, and
that city at his leisure to ascertain the
OF the losers and the amount of the loss.
No idea could be formed by the postmaster of
Philade pha of the extent Of the loss. The suppo-
5tion Is that the most valuable matter was in the
Richmond pouch. Mr.. White examined one letter
directed to Richmond that had contained s 750
An empty box, that had been filed with iewelry
picked from among the scattered letters.
There was nothing, though, to indicate how much
was in il, or TO whom it belonged.
The train was delayed at Gray's Ferry from Ii
O'Clock on Saturday night until O'Clock yesterday
morning, in consequence of the burning of a small
trussel bridge over a gullcy, crossing the road
about three miles below that place. This may
have had something to do with the plan of the rob-
bery but the officers Of the road think that the
bridge was set on fire by sparks from the locomo-
tive of train that up about half-past seven
o'clock in the evening.
Mr.. Anderson was the mail agent on the train
when the robbery occurred. No Information in
gard ~ the robbery had been received from the
South up to a late hour last evening. 1t is most
probable that the agent, conductors, and other off
GERS and employees on the train, had intimation
OF the robbery until they got Baltimore, and per-
haps not then. MIR. White, Postmaster, promptly
communicated with the Postmaster General at
Washing ton, for instructions
No trace of the robbers far as we could learn,
had been obtained up to the hour of our going to
press.
The mail bags stolen had arrived by the mail pi-
! lot line, and were put into the mail car, which
/ came down for them on the city railway, at the
! poet office. They were thrown through the side
door into the middle of the car The robbers must
have known their exact position in the car. They
had TO walk over number Of other bagsin order to
reach them. The bags contained the richest trea-
sure Of he whole mail, and Of this the robbers must
/ have been aware.
! Postmaster White, last night, received tele-
/ graphic despatch from the Post Office Department
at the Capital, authorizing him TO offer a reward
OF 900 for the detection of the robbers. Ii will
be by advertisement that he has offered this
| reward.