The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-10-22

RICHMOND Cusrox HOUSE, RoBsKnY.-Our
telegraph dispatches have given an account
of the arrest Of the robbers Of the Custom
House at Richmond. The following are the |
particulars of the robbery, which was dig
covered by the porter, who, on going to open
the house in the morning, found that some
person had anticipated him. The collector,
VIM. NJ. Harrison, esq.,, lost no time in max
ing an examination of the premises and safe,
and discovered that the depredators had car
ried off $4,000 in $50 gold pieces, and s5,-
sss in IS gold pieces, making in all $50 ,ess
successfully carried off. The cheraliers din
dustrie failed to take about s47 900 which
was also in the safe, and which they remov-
ed from its place of deposit and arranged on
the floor to carry off. The difficulty of trans
porting so large an amount ofcoin will read
lily suggest itself to the reader, when he is
informed that the amount taken away weigh
ed over 100 pounds. The robbery was q bold
one. The artistic manner in which the work
was performed, says the Richmond Despatch,
bespeaks the p acticed hand Of some noted
craftsman, whose laurels were gathered on
other fields than this.
A mallet and cold chisel were the only i'm
plements left behind by the operators in this
singular bold, daring, and successful effort to
relieve Uncle Sam ola portion of his surplus
revenue. One side of the safe, which was of
the make ofSilas C. Herring, and oflarge size,
that containing the bolts, was blown to pieces
by the force Of the powder, rendering the
substitution ola new one necessary. The en-
trance to the safe was not effected through the
lock. it being powder-proof but by cutting
with cold chisels below the lock, and pour
ing in powder sufficient to produce an cxplo-
sion, and thereby open the doors of the safe.
In this safe it has been usual to keep large
amounts of treasure, jewels, &c.
1t seems to be conceded that the burglars
effected their entrance through the front door.
THE STEAMER TRoPIc, whose loss we men,
toned yesterday was wrecked by high
wind which drove her on to pile Of snags
as she was attempting to round out from
Waverly, on the Missouri River. She had on
board $50 passengers, and when she was
found to be rapidly sinking the whole crowd
became panic stricken, and in the madness
of the moment many rushed down to the
lower deck, from which they were swept of
by the current with the wood and freight
and the river was literally covered with men
women and children. mingling with wood
mattresses. barrels, &c. The others sough,
safety on the hurricane deck from which they
got to the shore near which the boat sunk
though the water was thirty feet deep and
the banks above it fifteen feet high and per.
pendicular. Only twelve or fifteen persons
were lost; the others were saved though with
many hair-breadth escapes and interesting
incidents. One old man of seventy years
struck out boldly for the shore, and reached
it after swimming three hundred yards.
The mate, noble specimen of humanity
plunged in and rescued two ladies, taking the
clothes Of one in his teeth and holding the
other in one arm, while with the other arm
he made his way to the shore after which
ne plunged in again and brought out LITTLE
boy.
The cook seeing lady with two children
hanging in the ropes to the spar, threw of
his coat and jumped in from the upper decl
and swan to her relief, rescuing the two lit
tie girls, one of ten and one of seven year
old, He told the oldest to hold round hi
neck and he would swim out with her, ant
then come back for her sister (; but like lit
tie heroine, she said, " If you please, cal
hold on little longer to the rope, take m,
little sister first 70 The mother was relieve,
by the boat.
A gallant young officer, on his return from
New Mexico, found himself in the water wit
a beautiful young female, who chung to hin
with the energy Of despair. Although sew
5 eral times carried beneath the muddy stream
: he at last emerged with his fair charge, ami
the plaudits of the witnesses Of his nobl
struggle.