The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-12-23
Astounding Mail RObbcrics.

The mail robbery at Elmira, New-York
proves to be an astounding affair. For more
than year mail matter, and in some instances
whole mail bags, have been missing somewhere
between Newly ork city and the West. In
Vulnerable complaints reached the Department
at Washington, and several agents have been
sent over the road to detect the thief 1t was
supposed for time that there was an organ
lied band of robbers that Travelled in the cars,
especially express trains, where through mails
are in the care of baggage men only. Some
were detected, but not enough to account for
the losses continually going on. Every large
post Office on the line was in turn suspected
but nothing developed.
! So outraged had the Department become
that arrangements were secretly made to ar
rest simultaneously every route agent on the
cars, baggage men and switchmen on the NY
IL E. Road, and see who the robber was. Ev-
cry man had been spotted, and another day or
two would have seen them all in durancc VILE
AT last telegraphic despatch announced
that sixteen mail bags, rined mostly of all
their contents had been found in vault at
Elnira. n. Y" This was so incredible that
at first it was not believed. Such was the fact
however, and the robbers have been arrested
with plenty Of proof as well as plumber to con-
Wet them.
Elmira is very important town OH the New
York and Erie Railroad, where the Buffalo and
Niagara Falls and several other roads meets.
Of course, at times there would be great &C.
cumulation of mails there, and the opportunity
Of taking now and then a bag without its be-
ing noticed. AS mails due the Elmira Office
would not be molested for fear of being missed
by the Postmaster, only the through mails
were taken.
The local mail agent who had the contract
for taking mails to and from the cars, was an
old gentleman by the name of Gates. He
used to employ his son, froiicking, drinking
sort of a fellow, to drive the cart and handle
the bags. 1t appears that he had an accom-
plice by the name OF Stone, a young fellow en-
ployed in 4 stable where Gates kept his horse
In the rear of this stable was high fence over
which was privy belonging to one of the
public schools Of the place. 1t was in this
privy, after the night train had passed, that
these fellows used to take their stolen mails,
rifle them and throw the bags into the vault
Stone, it appears, thought he had made mon
ey enough in this way, went to New York
city, engaged partner, and was going into
made Gates, his drinking accomplice, promise
when he left to rob no more mails, but Gates
getting short, undertook bag on his own
hook one night, and either being drunk or in
terrupted, left letters scattered about the privy
which being found by some scholars next day,
were reported to the Postmaster. The privy
was searched, and from its vault was fished up
1G mail bags, and any quantity of letters.-In
one bag was found a $4,000 draft In an
other, $4,000 in money overlooked. Gates got
but $4,000 in the bag he robbed, and left some
81 900 in it. Gates confessed ALL Stone de-
MES everything but was overheard to say that
he did not care what they they did with him,
if they would let him first have one hour with
Gates Gle. Pioindeaier.