The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-12-04
The Arrest for Mail Robbery In n eyy
Haven.

The Arrest for Mail Robbery In New
Haven.
| But few months has elapsed since the public
read an account of defalcation by VIM. J. Tuck
| ermsn, Treasurer of the Eastern Railroad of Bos-
| ton. He had been living in ''grand STYLE" but
| the Company could not lay their hands on enough
| of his effects to begin to indemnify themselves
with. and the defaxlter escaped, having been gull
ty of "mere breach of trust" For some weeks
past, heavy mail robberies have been committed
| on the railroad between New York and Boston
These robberies embraced the entire letter mail on
several occasions, made up at Philadelphia, New
Orleans and other points, for Boston; at least one
mail from Boston for New York. and several 9TH
ers Of less Importance. The officers of the Post
ONCE Department, it seems, have been secretly on
the alert to ascertain where and by whom these
alarming deprcdations were cominitted-the ma
nagement of the case having been placed in the
hands of Mr.. Holbrosk, one of the most experience
Cd special agents. The New Haven Regirter, of
the lst inst, says:
1t soon appeared that the missing mails were
chiefly those which would 20 by the railroad route
between New York and Boston. on the Sunday
night trains. After . good deal of watching and
careful investigation, IL was believed that Spring
field WAS one Of the points selected by the robber
for his bold operations but 1t was not until Sun
day night, the 22d ult, that any discoveries were
made at that locality The trains from New York
and Boston meet there, and it was observed that
| the mail car from New York was sometimes left
for few moments without lights or fastenings
On the night in question Mr. IIolbrook aud Mr.
Clark of the New York Post Office, were on the
train, in disguise, on its arrival at Springfield;
and just as the lights were withdrawn from the
baggage or mail car took up their position therein
near the mails, and ready for any emergency ma
turally supposing that the robber his deeds. being
evil, preferred darkness rather than light. A mo-
| ment's suspense, and footsteps heard near
the car and upon the platform In an instant the
door opened and the expected visitor entered ans
instantly struck match, ostensibiy with which
TO light sefsr, already ''in position" but really
no doubt to see if all was right. During the me
mentary light from the aforesaid match it is DIFF
| ficuIt to determine which had the advantage
| Uucle Sans men or the lucifer match adventure;
but believing that the latter would have the best
| of it, unless something was d01e speedily, Hol-
| brook Intending to pass himself and companion
off bona fds passengerssj just stepping into the
baggage car for "smoke,' coolly Gays to his
sistant Tom, where's that good segar you offered
me," To which sTom" immediately responded by
handing out the segar. Before even this ac-
conplished, the match had done its worst on both
| sides the watchers and watched. "Gve a light
| if you please" says Holbrook to the supposed
mail robber, whereupon the favor WAS instantly
granted, and both were smoking away thus far
equally in the darkl Presently the train began to
move, and the stranger moved too, jumping OF
while it was in motion. To carry out the idea of
| being ordinary passengers. the rest Of the COM
| pany Joined by Mr.. Chaplin. Postmaster of Spring
field had to continue the train, believing that
| the object of the robber had been thwarted for
that night, at least if indeed, he had not been
permanently alarmed. Not so, however, for the
New York letter pouch from Boston was abstract
ed that night, while the yigilant officers were
going East, towards Boston.
Fully satisfied from the discovery that the
ployees of the railroad companies were in way
implicated, more rapid progress could now be
l nf,,trx
could be- when on comparing notes, the description
| answered well TO that of person who had fire.
quently passed over the route, endeavoring, with
too much success, to secure the confidence and IA
v0r of the conductor and baggage men. particularly
those on the Sunday night trains. No suspicion
had arisen, however, as of course the loss of the
mails were unknown to them, and yet 1t now ap-
pears his frequent passage and unusual familiarity
had been made the subject Of some conversation
Further exertions resulted in ascertaining the
and locality Of this agreeable traveller, aud close
watch was set upon all his movements and every
preparation made for bis detection if he repeated
the robb.ries.
Just before the train left New York on last Sun
day evening he arrived at the depot in Twenty
seventh street but the special agent had arrived
before him. and taken position in the baggage or
mail car where he could both hear and without
being seen heard. On this occasion, as had often
happened before, the baggage OF the suspected
party consisted of large trunk, which he decln-
ed to have marked for any particular point, saying
that IT he met q gentleman al springfield, Wnefe
the trains meet he should return to New York that
night. "AH right" says the baggage master, and
the aforesaid trunk placed by itself, where il
conld readily be controlled BY the final decision Of
its owner.
Before reaching Stamford, he again appeared in
the baggage car where he was purposely left alone
for a few moments while "wooding up and the
opportunity was imp, owed by transferring the N.
Orleans mail pouch from its proper place to the
trunk of uncertain destination. Becoming subse-
euently alarmed at an unguarded yet trivial move
ment OF the conductor. and being left alone for q
moment while the hands were breaking up" he
s dexterousiy removed the deposits from the trunk
back to their former position.
The rest Of the story can be told fn few words
At the depot In this city Mr. II. came ont from his
close quarters- and st once arrested William ).
Tuckerman as the author Of all these bold mail
robberies. Upon his person and in his valise we're
found the most overwhelming evidences that no
mistake had been made in the man, and he was
soon after committed to JAIL
The trunk referred to aud Its fixtures bear the
strongest proofs Of having been prepared for the
illegal purposes to which il was put on this ccca
sion, having peculiar lock to admit OF its being
opened without the slightest Inconvenience or
noise Of key, and the valise which was found In
side containing heavy iron weights. lest the light
ness of the trunk NJ one point. and heayiness at
another after receiving the mails, shouid attract
attention and lead 70 suspicion.
\ Ills uniform and gentiemaniy department, and
very respectable eppearnnce, had prevented any
saisislous among tue hands - 70 the object Of his
unusual eivilIties and familiarity his ion6psal
far smokinr and nbaPal dlntrilntion 81 the bG1t