The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-29
Post Office Robbery.

tRREsT, DETECTION AND IMPRISONMENT OF THE
ALLEGED RoBBER-L LETTERS AND MONEY RE.
COvERkD-ToUCHlHG SCENE, ETC.
Photographic Cone ponGence Of the Philadelphia Bulletin
BALTIMORE, june ~, 1857
1t is known to mary Of citlzeus that for several
mcn'h past letters and packages containing money d
cted to persons in this city elsewhere from the
eion of Snow Hill Maryland and other post offices in
that vicinity well in diff, rent parts of Deawate,
have many of them been greatly delayed whilst others
came to hand. The annoyance was great that
became n matter com plant and was alluded to
in The pubic prints The ate non Of the Post Office De-
partn,nt was finally directed towards the matter with
a view If possible to remedy and detect the evil
The matter was given in charge Of James G. Mcguire
Esq of the special agents Of the department and
we ale happy to ay he has. by good
managemt mt, been enabled to discover and the
cause OF complaint.
Ar Mcguire, having bs suspicious wrote several dccoy
Letters addiesstd 10 parties III Baltimore, in Of
Which he enclosed money, carefully marked These
were dropped In the mail at points where they would be
requ REQ to through the post Office at Mill borough
oLe 4 the decoy letters was dropped at Snow H
Tct.d to M-er. Metcaite. Spicer Co. exchange bank
ers OF baltimore; 1t contain d small amount of
Dey c,sigi ated by peculiar marks. This traced
the ONCE ut Mlsborough but could not be found beyond
that
Asimiar letter was also written to Mr. W. Mearis lot
tory oeac, In this city, which likewise traced to tho
same point This was so folded to give the ap
p.nInIce of containing money These with other facts
directing su pcion rrestiby to Postmaster aasnys
induced MIR Siagurc TO visit his Office and inst tut, tmr-
ther examination He found that The entire Baltimore
package from snow Hill Of the date containing the dccoy
litter 10 Dssrs Metcalfc Spicer 4 Co ha. been broken
open and detained, and the money tsen from said
have gene far as Mills borough. but further The
evidence had now become strong that Mr. Mcguire
My charged Hastings with perpetrating the robbery
Finding 1t impossible TO conceal his guilt he acknos-
LEGGED the offence and restored MIR Magure the let
tIs which hau been written decoys to the gc1men
in this city, with their contents, which Mr. easily
Identified. He had broken them open and taken tho
ncy ont.
III. services Of deputy Marshal Eegood called in
and Hastings arrested Friday evening last Upon
further examination number Of packages, containing
letters, were found and the letters broken open
a of
this city to Washington and other poin.s South which
bad pass through tho Mil borough Post Oice for six
seven months past have been entirely missing and
Others detained several days beyond thsh regular time
thur causing numerous complaints and much dssatisac-
ten wi b the mail arrangement "a in that quarter
Hastngs II about thirty eight years of age has
wife ana four interesting children lie profcssed
long to the Method u church aud claimed be great
ao,ocate Of temperance but confessed to SIR Mcguire
that the Of hs misfortune secret drinking
excess OF dent sprts The his arrest il dos
crbtd az almost heart rendng His wife and children
we're batbo in tears ana neatly frantic unex peced
a reverse in their fortunes.
The prson conveyed to Georgetown (nel Jail.
where, in default of $4,000 bail he committed pr
fer lral.
He had previously borne good reputation in the COM
muniy and the ooly thing unfavorlble him hid
carsoo remark unusual and seemingly foolish ex
uayagance He gave dinners and entertained with un-
usual Literally.