Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1855-12-26
From the Buffalo Republic.
How the Express Robbers wero Caught.

The telegraph announces that Oliver King and
Warren c. Ayres were arrested at Lawrence,
Mass, OH Friday night charged with robbing the
American Express Co., at the west of $4,000
in geld, the particulars of which familiar to
our readers. Ayres was formerly broker in
Boston, and King hotel keeper in Lowell. W.
c. White the Express Messenger, who had
charge of the money between Chicago and De-
troit where it was stolen, is also under arrest and
circumstances strongly implicate him with the
others. \ fourth person is also i'll custody.
White short time after the robbery left the
employ of the American Express Company, and
his subsequent conduct was such as to bring up
on him the lynx ewes of Mr.. r. II. Best of this
city, who, following up with indetatigahle perse-
verance and industry. the slight clue thus afford
ed, became convinced that his suspicious were
well founded we have for some time past been
advised that measures were in progress which
would lead to the discovery of the perpetrators
of this daring robbery, and it was hoped to
recovery of ut least a portion of the money.
1t is not generally known that Mr.. Best has
been for a year more in the regular employ
of the American Express Company, but such is
the fact Mr. w. G. Fargo, to whom perhaps
more than any other man. that company is in
debted for its extended business and complete
success early saw the necessity which existed
look after the interest of the Company and
guard against the temptations to which its en-
ployees are so often exposed. The amount of
money which passes through the hands of the
company is about S2,Qoo,0OO per day, mostly in
packa gcs from $50 to 81 900, and the opportuni-
ty thus afforded for peculation is immense, and
requires a man of the keeneSt perception and of
the highest order of detective skill to circumvent.
Mr. Fargo's sagacity at once pointed out Mr..
Best for this responsible and arduous post, and
the manner in which he has discharged the du-
ties of his position has been entirely satisfactory
to the company, highly crcditabie to himself,
and Of the utmost importance to the community.
a full history OF the present arrest OF the per-
sons connected with the $4,000 robbery will
convince every intelligent person that more
ingeniously planned and admirably executed
transaction has not occurred in the criminal re-
cords OF our country for q number OF years. if
ever. Immediately on the announcement of the
robbery, Mr.. Best accompanied by Mr. Fargo,
visited Dubuque where they remained for some
time Investigating, with the aid of some Of the
oldest and most expert detective police officers
of New York, but without elciting particle Of
evidence tending to implicate the guilty parties.
Subsequently,. however, Mr.. Best had his suspi-
cions aroused by a very minute circumstance,
and taking his own time and going TO work in
his own way, the result has been the arrest 81
simultaneously, OF four persons, which will I'M
doubleday lead to the conviction of the guilty
ones and to the recovery OF portion, if not
all the money. There are many curious and in
teresting incidents connected with this arrest,
some OF which we shall enieavor to lay before
our readers in Il future issue.