The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-12-26
ASTOUNDING MAIL RoBBERIEs.

The Mall robbery at Eimira, N. 4 :, proven
10 be an astounding affair. For more than
year, mail matter, and in somb instances hole
mail bags, have been missing somewhere be-
tween New York city and the West. lnnu'
merable complaints reached tho department at
Washington. and several agents have been sent
over tho road to detect the thief 1t was cup
posed for time :here was an organized band
of robbers that travelled in the cars, especially
express trains; where through mails arc in the
keeping of baggage men only Some were
detectod, but not enough 10 account TOR 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 arrest
simultaneously every route agent on tho cars,
baggagemen and switchmen in tho New York
and Erie Roud, aud see who the robber was
Every man had been spotted. and another day
or two would have seen them all i'll durance
| Uile.
At last telegraphic dispatch announced
that "sxteen mail bags, rHed mostly of their
contents, had been found in vault at Elmira,
N " This was so incredible that ot first II
was not believed Such was the fact, however,
and tho robbers have been arrested with plenty
| of proof as well as plundor to convict them.
Elmira is a worry important town on the New
York and Drie Railroad, where the Buffalo and
| Niagara Falls and several othea roads meet
| Of course at times there would be great ac-
cumu alton of mails ther', and tho opportunity
of taking now and then a bag without its be-
ing noticed. As mails due the Elmira Office,
would not be moies,ed for fear OF being missed
by the Postmaster, only tho through mails were
taKen.
The Local M Ill Agent who had the contract
e. IL. ~. tl,a xyaa on
old gentleman by the name of Gates. He used
to employ his son, rolicking, drinking sort OF
a chap, to drive tic cart and handle tho bags.
| 1t appears he had an accomplicc by the name
OF Stone, q young fellow employed in a stable
where Gates kept his horse. In tho roar OF
| this stable was a high fonce, over which was a
privy belonging to one of the public schools OF
| the place 1t was in this privy, after tho night
train had passed., that these fellows used to
take their stolen mails, rifle thom, and throw
| the bags into tho vault. Stone, it appears
thought he had made money enough in this
way, went to Fow York city, engaged partner
and was going into business with very fine
cash capital. lie made gates, his drinking ac-
compce promise when he loft, to rob no more
mails. but Goles getiug short, undertook O
"bag' on his own hook one night, and either
being drunk or interrupted, left letters scattered
| dUOut luc pihl, pSihS io"hA " ''N
scholars next day, wero reported to the Post
master Tho privy was searched, and from
it's vault was ished up sixteen mail bags and
any quantity ofleters. In one bag was found
a $685. draft; in another $4,000 in money
overlooked Gates got but S4oO In tho bag
he bbod, and left some $1,000 in it. Gates
confessed all. Stone denies everything, but
was overheard to say that he did not caro- what
they did with him, if they would first lot him
have one hour with Gates!
In these unprecedented hard times, whcr
rogucs seem to thcken and grow desperate, il
behoycs overy one in the employ of the Post
Office Department., or of tho Railroads, all mail
carriers and agents of every description, as
well as all good citizons, 10 keep special look
out for this branch of tho bubble service, which
is from necessity peculiarly exposed to public
depreda,ors All have direct interest in this
service, and should lend u helping hand to
make it safe and efficient. The railroads, now
tho principal carriers of The mails, should be
as careful in the selection of their employers
as tho Department endeavors to be, and should
SEQ that every baggage man, who has the hand
lind of the mails, should be sworn the same as
any officer of the Department.