The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-10-14
Strange Developments of Crime.

We condense from the Adrian EIposdor OF
the I'd instant its detailed account of the de-
lection, arrest, and conviction at q late term
of the Circuit Court in that city, of person
calling himself Augustus Stuart Byron Nc
Donald, on an indictment for attempting to
murder I. T. Parker, an engincman on the
Michigan Southern r. r.
On the 2lst of March last, Instructions were
placed upon the track of the Road, near Hud-
son; but no serious damage was done. On
the 9th, at o'clock in the morning, the loco
motive of the morning mail train west, was
thrown from the track about mile cast of the
city of Adrian. One end of an iron Il rail had
been placed under the tie, so that the other end
was struck by the engine. No person was par
ticularly suspected, but tracks made by a par
tcular boot, were found around the spot, and
an impression of the same was taken for future
reference. On the same day, Mr.. Moore, Su-
perintendent of the Road, received letter
from "A. Stewart" offering, for a reward, to
reveal sufficient information for the conviction
of the ringleaders of the gang of villains en-
gagged in this and other similar cold bl0oded
rascalities.
To this Mr.. Moore replied, requesting an in
teryiew. An answer was returned, that he
had written to one of the leaders of the gang
in New York, and as soon as he received an
answer, which might give him further inform
alton, he would call on Mr.. Moore.
About four days after, Byron presented him.
self and gave some further Details and soon
after, he met him in company with Messrs. H.
H. Emmons and A. NJ. Baker, Attorneys for
the Railroad Company. He repeated his sto-
ry, and proposed, for q suitable remuneration,
to give his aid in bringing the scoundrels to
justice.
Though they could but look upon him with
suspicion from the mysterious and singular
manner in which he approached them, the Off
GERS of the Road determined, whatever their
suspicious might be, to act in good faith with
him as long as he appeared to do the same,
and the descendant Of the poet was engaged to
draw on the leaders for the purpose OF their
detection.
Mcdonald, alias Byron, went to work in the
Office of the Michigan (Adrian) Erpositor J;
was unsteady in his habits, being much out of
nights, and comforting from time to time with
Baker, Attorney of the NJ. S. r. r. Compa-
ny, as to what he had not found out, rather
than what he had showing letters he pretend
cd to have received, threatening his life unless
he left the country. In the course of his visits
to Mr.. Bakers Office, he had obtained an i'm
preston of his boots, by placing fresh sand on
the walk and found it to correspond with the
tracks above mentioned.
In the evening of April 18th, Byron came
in breathless haste 10 Gen. Sinclair, Assistant
Supt. of the Road, saying he had been applied
to by one -- to 60 with him little west
of the city, (Adrian) and put obstructions on
the track, to catch the 9 O'Clock train vest
He had got away from him and FASTENED to
give the information. Gen. 5. and others went
up the Road about two miles, where they
found the instructions as Byron had said. As
the train passed, some men were seen to run
into the woods by the light of the lamp on the
engine. - rJ-
The Great Mail for the North West goes
over the Southern Road. 1t is also q great
route for the Express bu:iness. And it has
been ascertained that there were very large
amounts of money in the mail ON each Occ:l-
sion Of the instructions, March 2lst, 9th and
April 18th.
Thus Byron had notified the Company in
advance, of actual Obstructions-givcn the
names Of some. perhaps all Of the parties, and
yet they seemed no nearer detection than be-
fore.
The attention Of the P. o. Department wBs
called to the subject, and a wise choice was
made in the appointment of Allen Pinkerton,
Esq, Of this city as special mail agent for the
investigation Of the affair. After watching
Byron carefully Mr.. PinkertOn, as it was very
evident his boots made the tracks above men,
toned, and acting as he was. for the Govern
.senfs took OCCASION on visit to ChicllagO
to arrest him and without his knowledge, to
obtain ,sossessi0n of his boots, whcrcat he