American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-12-14
A Great Mail 18obbery.


About the Grstof NoyembeL, athroua h
mail from GalesbWg, Illinois, was dis
/ patched for Chicago on the regular night
train from the former to the latter place.
on the Chicago Burlington and Quincy
/ Railroad. This through mail, compris-
/ ing about 60 letters, aud the usual va
riety of newspapers, circulars, &c, IN q
single bag failed 10 reach the city, and
/ the makers Of drafts contained therein,
failing to receive nything in the shape
/ Of acknowledgements, began to address
letters Of inquiry to the postmasters at
/ Chicago ana GaIesburg. The postmaster
at the latter place conferred with Post
master scripps, OF Chicago, the result OF
which was very unsatisfactory 10 both par
ties. The Galesburg official had traced
up the matter. and was certain that the
bag had duly left his Office and been put
on board OF the baggage car, and he was
convinced that it must have been lost,
either between the depot in this city
and the Chicago PostOihce, OF mt the lat
ter place itself. The Government ma
cheuely failed to discover any clue what
ever 20 the missing mail, and The matter
gwen up for lost. when accident started
a train hat IN skilliul hands, soon un-
up the valuable portion Of the mail and
the daring rObOer.
On Saturday afternoon Bowen Broth
ers. OF this city, informed Superintendent
Of Police Tuuie that man had pesen-
ted q 500 draft to them which they were
suspicious was not all right Supern-
tendcnt TuttIo had heard Of the missing
mail affair. and lgaring that the draft was
drawn in Gaiesburg, at once decided up
on his course. lie procured the arrest of
the man who had offered the draft, and
upon searching him found seventeen let
ters, containing as many drafts, upon his
person, and memoranda Of considerable
value to the detectives Following the
trail his room at The Hatch House was
entered, aud an examination Of his trunk
reyealed twenty -twoothcr letters, each con
tanning draft, making in all thirty
drafts, representing $4,000.
Superintendent yuttle then sent for
Postmaster Scripps and the latter was as
tonished at the revelations which were
then made to him The Postmaster at
Galesburg was notified and he arrived
yesterday The joy OF the latter knew no
bounds, as he had been greatly annoyed
by the complaints and unjust reflections
that had been directed against him. He was
profuse ia his compliments to the skill
and success which had marked Superin-
tendent Tuttlcs action.
The name Of the robber is John B.
Zimmerman, young man Of twenty-five
or thereabouts, Of respectable appearance
and considerable intelligence. He iswell
known about Galesburg. Finding him
self lost beyond hope, he yielded to the
advice of his captors aud made clean
breast of it," lie got upon the train at
Galesburg and stepped into the baggage
car. Seeing the mail bag not very far
from the side door, he continued to pHsh
it nearer and nearer the door, unperceiv-
ed by the baggage master, who was stow
/ ing away the baggage. Watching his
opportunity, the thief kicked the bag ont
OF the car and jumped after it. BY this
! NliiAS iIit tidll lllh itdttlCH d SHUT Nls-
tance this side Of Galesburg, and was un-
der such rapid headway that he was cen
siderably bruised by his daring leap. lie
secured the bag and concealed it. A
week afterwards he broke it open, took
all the letters and left it, together with
the newspapers, etc, in place Of con
cealment, from which detective officer
Webb viii shortly return with it. Com
ing to this city, and hiring a room in the
Hatch muse, lie robber selected the
/ valuable letters and burned the Others.
The public viii be surprised to learn
that these through mails are sent in the
care Of Irresponsible baggagcmen, instead
/ Of route agents, with approved bonds e
the Government, as they should be. Suel
matters cali for Congressional investiga
ton,