Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-10-28
The Custom House Robbery--RecOvery of
$1,000.

Officers Allen and Bass, of the Washington
police, arrived in Richmond on Wednesday last
accompanied by Pulling, alias Wheeler, one o
the parties arrested for robbing the Custom
House. Pulling was arraigned before the May
or. Officer Allen testified that proposition
was made to him by the prisoner while he wa
in the Washington Jail, to the effect that b.
would give up $4,000 of the plumber, if he wa
permitted to retain the balance, and go scot free
Witness had an interview with the Secretary o
the Treasury, (Hon H. Cobb who instructed
him to accept the terms. Witness came to Rich
mond Wednesday morning, and was conducted
by the accused to an old house near the Contra
depot. pointed out by Pulling, under which, ant
in different places near by, the missing money
was found and recovered. The prisoner wa
permitted to fill his pockets. ..''a :
Officer Bass stated that the arrangement made
was that Mr.. Allen was to let Pulling go, aftel
the money was found, and that he was to rear
rest him. lPulling's action was governed by the
promise to let him go. The Secretary OF The
Treasury, who gave the instructions, though'
that the ends justified the means. Witness ar
rested Pulling at the Petersburg depot, and tolt
him that he had been arrested as much for
witness as anything else. The prisoner ther
pulled out the money which he had been permit
ted to take (about $4,000 and delivered it te
witness. a
The Court took recess till the afternoon, and
Mr.. Bass then stated that in the morning, after
the Court adjourned, he met with Somervile il
custody of officer Morris, who had just brought
him from Jail, and was reconduoting him thith.
er. After shaking hands with Somervile, he
informed him of the discovery of the gold.-
Somerville seemed overcome with deep feeling
and commenced crying, saying, as they walked
along, that he had been mslead by Pulling; that
he had met with him in New Orleans, and was
induced to 90 with him. They arrived here to.
eetber last Friday week, and Pulling made q
proposition to rob the Custom House. He de-
INJURED, and they had quarrel about it. Final
" he consented, and the robbery was commit
ted. They proceeded to the spot in the guise OF
watchmen, and opened the front door by lifting
up the bolt. He stood on tile outside to watch
while Pulling put the powder in the safe: AT
ter the safe was opened, Pulling handed him
some of the money, and they carried it to the
place where it was concealed. ,i'' 80 ~"
AT the close of the examination, the Mayor
announced that he would remand the prisoners
to Jail to await their trial on charge Of felony,
before the Hastings Court, on the second Mon
day of November next. -
Messrs. Gilmer and Crump appeared as coun-
sci for the prisoners and the former severely de-
nounced the means used to entrap the prisoner
Pulling. He said, as the facts now presented
themselves, he would far rather occupy the posi-
ton of the prisoner than that of Secretary Cobb.
Without going to that extreme, it seems to us
that the course of the Secretary and the two
police officers was highly censurable. The Gov
eminent and officers of the law should never set
an example of falsehood and treachery. What
is the recovery of paltry sum of money to the
Government, compared with the evil example
and the violation of those great moral principles
upon which society is based
WHAT IS TO BE THE "IssUE?"-The Washing
ton correspondent of the New York CONNER
cial Advertiser says: 25r-a ~
ga party is raising in favor of national bank
of some sort, of q protective tariff, and of o
bankrupt law. So the state of things that ex-
listed twenty years ago is coming round to US a.
gain. The Kansas issue is gone by {; and this
fact favors tho rise of other issues of general
and practical nature" etr
PILLow's LETTER IN MExIoo-Recent advces
fro,n Mav;cn cow. SgTha rodioo1 Dopare 90