The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-01-12
THE GREAT EXPRESS ROBBERY
THE BOLDEST AND MOST SUCCESSES
FULL ON RECORD.
How il was Effected.
From the New Haven Journal, Jan. s.

ODe OF the most daring and successful robber-
les We have ever been called upon to chronicle
occurred on Saturday evening, on the express
train from New York to Boston. which leaves
the former city at and arrives here at IL
o clock. The facts, 50 far have been able
to learn them, are these In this train there was
an iron car belonging to the express company-
the only one on the road--n which was placed
all the express bundles, and this occasion
three small iron safes, weighing about $50
pounds each, one of which belonged to th, Harm
den Express company, and the other two to the
Adams Express company, all containing a lar q
amount of treasure. The car has two doors one
on each side, which, after the property was
placed in it, were locked with padocks The
car was then run out from the depot, where it
remained about % 80 minutes, when it was
started on its passage to Boston. On its arrival
this city, Conductor Patterson observed one
of the doors Of this car little opened and in an
instant knew that something wrong as il j.
the RUE of of the company not to open the car
at all until its arrival at Hartford where il i
opened and money pac ages put aboard and
taken off. The car is also opened at Spring6eId
and Worcester, andat no other places on its routa
from New York TO Boston. Seeing. then that
the door was open, an examination of the car and
its contents was immediately made, when il was
found that the door had been pred open by an
iron bar, the paddock broken of and that the
robbers had entered the car, and by means of an
i
b. longing to the Adams Express company and
taken out oil their contents. They had torn
open all the packages, appropriating to them
selves al! the contents, except those of two pack
ages, leaving he envelopes and way-bills streyu
ABOUT on the floor. There were about loo envc-
topes thus opened, but OF the amount they con-
tanned have not yet learned. OF the two
packages, the contents of which they did not
take, one contained eighty bills of 81 900 each,
the same being greenoacks; the otner was a roll
about two inches in diameter, containing $4,000
III 5 30 bonds making in all 1880, 900 which they
left behind There only two packages out
of about ] 90 that were overloaded. The green |
backs were evidently lost among the pagers on |
the floor, the package was small, but the
bonds it would seem did not suit the fancy of
the robbers, being property not as readily dis |
nosed OF as bank bills. The greenbacks were in |
A little drawer in the safe, which was quite tull. /
fine package vas found on the floor with one |
corner torn off. 1t is thought from Its jammed |
apnearancc that in opening the drawer this |
,ackare got caught so as to tear of the paper |
.overiug and fell unobserved to the floor. The |
roll of bonds had the outside paper torn down
suffc ient disclose the contents of the package
That too, was found on the floor. The safe be
ong ing to the Harnden company. was undistur-
bed When and where the robbers got into the
.ar is unknown, but 1t seems impossible that il
should have been entered at any other place than
New York. as the train stops but few moments
any station alter leaving that city till its ar
'ival here. 1t is through probable that they got
nto the ear while 1t WAS waiting the track to
re hitehed ON and taken down to the tunnel
The car is of the same size an ordinary box
reight car. 1t is built with an iron framework
heathed over with thick sheet-iron plates riveted
ogether, and is SO closely made that a light
placed inside would not be seen if the doors were
osed. messenger always accompanies the
ar, but usually stays in the baggage car. 1t is
lis business to keep watch over the car, and to
ock and unlock it at the stations where the car
5 opened. The robbers probably got aboard
Iuetly ut New York, provided with dark Ian
ems and all the necessary tools, and knowing
he rules in regard to this train, leisurely helped
themselves to good sized fortune, and then
Watched their opportunity and as quietly effect
d landing. The telegraph lines between New
,ork and Boston were kept busy yesterday by
he company, and large number of messages
transmitted, indicating that strenuous efforts
Gere being made to recover the property and Sc
ure the robbers.
The scene in the car when opened at this city,
lust have been quite singular. The floor was
trewn with valu bles which the thieves had re-
acted or overlooked. United States bonds in | ,
number lay around loose; bag of
ennies was picked up; quantity of silver foil ,
'as strewed upon the floor aud the envelopes ,
nd wrappers IF the valuable packages stolen ,
'ere scattered about. Seeing something ap- !
arently more substantial than the other empty
gentleman asked, Isn't that
honey =" and picked up $780, 900 in one handful
ne thieves lett a dark lantern, and they took l
ne article which may assist in their detection !
nall white valse or bag, which contained q few v
othes belonging to an express messenger, and o
hich they opened, emptied and carried off with i