The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-01-13
THE GREAT EXPRESS ROB
Berry.
Particulars of the Daring Deed-Loss
Over Half a Million.

OhtE hAalAA u AAAiAOAs
From tha NeE Haven J0uruol. Jan. s.
One ofthe most daring and successful
robberies we have ever been called up
on TO chronicle occurred on Saturday
evening, on the express train from New
York to Boston, which leaves the form
er city at S and arrives here at II
O'Clock. The facts, SO far as we have
been able to learn them, are these In
this train there was an iron car be
longing to the Express Company, the
only one on the road in which was
placed all the express bundles, and on
this occasion three small iron safes,
weighing about $50 pounds each, one
of which belonged TO the HaFnden Ex-
press Company, and the others to the
Adams Express Company, all contain
ing q large amount OF treasure.
The car has two doors, one on each
side, which, after the property had been
placed in il. were locked with padlocks
The car was then run out from the de-
pot, where it remained about p or 80
minutes, when it was started on its
passage to Boston On its arrival at
this city, conductor Patterson observed
one Of the doors Of the car little open
ed, and in an instant knew that some
thing was wrong, IS il is the rule OF the
company not TO open the car at all until
its arrival at Hartford, where it is
opened and the money packages put
aboard and taken of The car is also
opened at Springfield and Worcester,
and at no other places On its route from
New York to Boston.
Seeing then that the door was open,
an examination Of the car and its con-
tents was Immediately made, when it
was found that the door had been pTied
open by an iron bar the paddock bro
Ken off and that the robbers had en-
tered the car, and by means Of an iron
bar forced open the doors Of the two
safes belonging TO the Adams Express
Company, and taken out all their con-
tents. They had torn open all the
packages, leaving the envelopes and
way~bills strewn about on the floor
There were about a hundred envelopes
thus opened, but of the amount they
contained we have not yet learned OF
the two packages, the contents of which
they did not take, one contained eigh-
ty bills Of 1000 each, the same being
greenbacks; the other was a roll about
two inches in diameter, containing
$4,000 in go bonds, making in sll
$4,000 which they left behind These
we're the only two packages out Of loo
that we're not oveThauled. The green
backs were evidently lost among the
papers on the floor, and the package
was small, but the bonds, ii would seem,
did not suit the fancy OF the robbers,
being property not as readily disposed
of as bank biliz
The greenbaoks were in a little draw
er in the safe, which was quite full The
package was found on the floor, with
one corner torn off 1t is thought, from
its iammed appearance, that in open
ing the drawer this package got caught
so as to tear OF the corner Of the paper
covering, and fell unobserved to the
iloor The roll OF bonds had the outside
paper torn down sufficient TO disclose
the contents. That too, was found on
the floor. The safe belonging 10 the
Harnden Company was undisturbsd.
When and where the robbers got into
the ear is unknown, but It seems i'm
possible that il should have been en-
tered at any other place but New York,
as the train stops but a few moments
at any station, after leaving that oitY,
till its arrival here 1t is thought
probable that they got into the car
while it was waiting on the track to be
hitched on and taken down 10 the
tunnel.
The car is OF the same Size IS an or.
dinary box freight car. lis built with
an iron frame work, sheathed over with
thick sheet iron plates riVeted tOgeth
er, and is so closely made that q light
placed inside would not be seen if the
doors were closed a messenger al
ways accompanies the car, but usually
stays in the baggage car It's bis bust
ness 70 keep watch over the car, and
10 lock and unlock il At the stations
where the car is opened. The robbers
probably got aboard quietly al New
York. provided with dark lanterns and
all the necessary tools, and knowing
the rules in regard to this tain, leisure
ly helped themselves 70 q. good sized
fortune, andithen watched their opp0r
tunity snd IS quietly effected a landing
The telegraph lines between New York
and Boston we're kept busy yesterday
by the company, and a large number OF
messrges were transmitted, indicating
that strenuous efforts were being made
to recover the property and secure the
robbers
The scene Ia the car, when opened
at this city, must have been quite sin
gular The door was streWn with vain
6bles which the thieves rad rejected ol
overlooked. United States bonds II
considerable number lay around loose
a bag Of pennies was picked up, and a
quantity Of silver foil was strewd upor
the floor and the envelopes and wrap
pers Of the valuable packages sioleI
were scattered about Seeing some
thlng apparently more substantial thar
the other empty wrappers, q gentleman
asked, isn't thai money and picked
up $4,000 in one handful II is re
ported that SjS000 Of the treasure
taken was In gold
IN the amount taken, ss veil As il
the boldness aud success OF the opers
ton, this is one Of the most remarkable
rObberies on record. last evening Su
peEintsndent Sanford and Aasisiant Su
! perintendent SpOoner, Of Bridgeport
came here with some detectives, ant