Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1854-12-27
Astounding Mail Robbery.

The mail robbery at EImira, n. Y. proves TO be
an astounding affair For more than year mail
matter, and, in some instances, whole mai pa9s
Eeve been missing somewhere between N cry
ard the west. 1nnumerable complaints reached
the department at Washington, and several agents
have been sent over the road 10 detect the thief
II was supposed for long time that there was an
ORGANIZED band of robbers that travelled In the
cars especially express trains, where through mails
are in the keeping of baggage men only Some
were detected but not enough 10 account for the
losses continually going Every large post OF
fee the line was in iuiH susPeeteu, out Ho'iiiS
developed. :.
So outraged had the department become that
arrangements were secretly made TO arrest stimuli
taneously every route agent on TIE cars. baggage
men and switch men the n. Y. and Erie road
and see who the robber Every nan had been
spotted and another day or two wo's.d have seen
them all in GavGnce riie-
At last a telegraph dispatch announced that
"sixteen mail bags, rfed mostly OF their contents
had been found in a vault at El'nra, N \ This
was so incredible that at first, 1T was not believed
Such was the fact. however, and the robbers have
been arrested win plenty OF proof as well as plum
der TO convict them
Emira is a very important town on the n. Y
and Erie Railroad where the Buffalo and Niagara
Falls and several other roads meet. OF course, at
times, there wonld be great accumulation of
mails there, and the opportunity OF taking now and
then bag without lis beng noticed. AS mans
due the Eimra Office would not be molested for
fear of being missed by the Postmaster, only thfo
mails were taken
The local mail agent who had the contract for
taking mails TO and from the cars was an old gen
tlemau named Gates lie used to employ his son.
a frolicking, drinking sort OF chap TO drive the
cart and handle the bags 1t appears that he had
an accomp lice by the name of Stone young fellow
employed in a stable where Gates kept his horse.
In the rear of the stable nigh fence,
which was a privy belonging to of the public
schools of the place Ii was in this privy, after
the uight train had passed that these fellows used
10 tai-e their stolen mails, rife them, and throw
the baggage into the vault.
Stone, it appears, thought he had made money
enough in this way, went to New York city, ems
gagged partner and was going into business with
a very fine cash capital He made Gates, his
drinking accomplish, promise when he left to rob
no more mails, but Gates getting short, undertook
"a bag" on his hook night. and either
being drunk inter rupted, left letters scattered
about the privy. which being found by the scholars
next day, reported TO the Postmaster. The
privy searched and from its vaults was fished
up sixteen mail bags ana any quantity of letters
er $1,000 in money overlooked. Gates got but
ST 900 In the bag he robbed and left some | 900
in it. Gates confessed all. Stone denies eyery>
thing, but overheard to say that he did not
care what they did with him, if they would let him
first have one hour with Gaies.-[ Cleveland Plain
dealer