The Iowa transcript. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1858-1866, 1865-11-15
Daring llObbery-lh he Money
Recovered

Daring Robbery III he Money
About nine o'clock Thursday morning, the
9th inst, one of the most extensive and dar.
ing robberies sever committed in Chicago was
perpetrated on Clark street, on the corner
Of Lake street, the particulars Of which are
substantially as follows:
Attic usual hour in the forenoon the wag-
ons of the American Express Company re-
ccived their loads Of valuables at the Office OF
the company, on the corner Of Lake and
Dearborn streets, and then proceeded as
usual to deliver them to their proper own
ers in diffent parts Of the city. One Of the
wagons was light, covered vehicle, open at
both ends, drawn by single horse, and
freightcd with numerous packages for vari-
GUS banking institutions and Individuals
among these packages were four canvas car
pet bags. containing grccnbacks and two
small boxes filled with specie--the entire
money contents Of the wagon amounting to
between two hundred rnd fifty and three
hundred thousand dollars. The wagon was
in charge Of driver and deliverer, IL. r.
Prout and George Matthews) the special
duty Of the former being to drive the wagon
and Of the latter to deliver and look after
the packages consigned to his hands for dis
posa.
After delivering number Of packages, the
wagon drove to the Traders Bank, No. "A
Clark street, where Mr.. Matthews alighted
and entered the institution for the pur, ose
of delivering package leaving the driver
on the seat, in charge Of the wagon and its
contents. The First National Bank, situat-
ed on the corner, being the next place of
delivery, MIR. Prout drove the wagon up in
front Of it, and awaited there the return of
Matthews. He had not been there many
minutes before Mr.. Castle. one of the Com
pany's messengers, came across from the
opposite corner, and asked him how many
delivercrs there were with that wagon.
Prout answered that Matthews and himself
were the only persons in charge of the wag-
or. Castle then asked him if the packages
were all right Turning, Prout glanced
over the contents of the wagon, and exclaim-
ed to his companion, "My God one of the
bags is gone.'
The alarm was at once given, and while
Mr.. Matthews remained in the wagon. Prout
looked high and low for the valuable parcel,
but it was nowhere to be seen. Mr. Castle,
upon being questioned. stated that in passing
along Clark street he had seen tall man
walk up behind the wagon and take there
from carpet bag, but supposing him to be
one Of the deliverers, did not pay particular
attention to his appearance, or the quality
or description Of his dress. He saw the man
passing along Clark street, until he came to
the Sherman House, when he lost sight of
him in the crowd
The most insane and exaggerated reports
as to the amount Of the loss were circulated
through the streets. These reports were
false of course as will be seen by the fol-
lowing note from Mr.. Fargo, Superintend-
ent Of the American Express Company:
OFFICE or THE AMERICAN EApREss Co,
CuIcAGo Nov. 8, 1865.
EDITOR TRIBUNE: The amount Of money
not exceed $4,000, y \ y and consign-
ees have been requested to present their
claims for payment.
Yours, &C., &c. FARGO
Immediately after the robbery was COM
mitted, the matter was given into the hands
of Superintendent Turtle, who forthwith set
the whole detective machinery at work, and
to officers Kenny Webb was given a share
in the work Suspecting the driver (Prout)
to be implicated in The matter. they attempts
ed to bring him to confession, but nothing
could be got out Of him. I, was soon dis
covered that he had a brother by the name
Of William, living in tho West Division,
and officers Webb and Kenny next turned
their attention to him. Shortly after dark
they hid themselves near the house (situated
on Brown stree, lone door South of Taylor, J
and for two hours waited in the utmost sus-
pensc. About o'clock light appeared in
the front room, and on the officers STEALTH
ly creeping up 10 the window and peering
in through the blinds, they perceived
VIM. Prout and young woman actively
engaged in counting huge piles Of gre en-
backs laid out before them on a table.
This, to the officers, was positive assurance
that the right birds were Gagged, and they
bided their time. About half an hour late- a
man drove up to the house in a hack, entered
and soon emerged again in company with
the one previously seen counting the money.
They entered the hack and were about to
drive off when the detectives pounced upon
them.
Having secured their prisoners, attention
was directed to the house itself. The build
ing from the outside presents very unin-
viting appearance, being in dipgy and
dilapidated condition; but on entering, a
scene Of almost oriental magnifcence met
their astonished gaze. The walls were hung
with large mirrors and costly pictures, the
furniture was of the best quality, and q
magnificent carpet covered the floor. The
only inmate was the female before mentioned
"a beautiful girl, about seventeen years of
age. by the name Of Rosa lie Craig-who
had been acting as g Moll" for the men in
their expeditions. The officers, seeing q
large trunk in the room, demanded the key,
but she pretended to know nothing about it.
The men then began TO tear up the carpet
and on coming to the spot where she stood
when first accosted. the key was found i'm
bedded in the carpet. The officers now
opened the trunk, and at the bottom, under
lot of old dresses, they found lady's
travelling bag, which on opening was found
to contain part Of the missing money. The
rest was discovered tied up in an old hand
kerchief. On searching the bed, the iden-
teal carpet bag which contained the money
nj the time it was stolen. was found slowed
away between two mattresses. A rigid in
vestigation of the premises disclosed secret
closet behind the front door. and in this
recess were found several full sets of burg
lars tools, also lot Of powder, fuses and
other paraphernalia resorted to in destroying
safes. After the investigation of the premi-
ses had been completed, the parties were
placed in the hack and taken to then Central
Station.
4 PLAY UroN NAMEs.-A Southern paper
remarks chat "the following General invita-
tion from Confederate country maiden TO a
friend in the city was penned before the Con-
tederacy went up
Come leave tho noisy Losgstrert
And come to the Fields with me: