Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-09-06
The Adams Express Robbery.

huutitNhh iaAPANSo behouAyl wv Va 1
Thursday, Thomas Kinyon, alas Clark,
who had been tried and convicted at
Bridgeport, Nut in whose case new |
trial was obtained, was put upon the
stand as States evidence, and gave the
following history OF the robbery
"Clark says that Grady, a brakeman
on the train, originated plan OF the al.
fair, and communicated 1t TO his brother
ln.law, McGlory, who, In turn, suggested
II to Welles, Martin Allen and Mcclure,
These Ave held conference, and agreed
TO breach the matter To Clark. He I'M
mediately became one of the gang, and
his great boldness, and GOODNESS, and
natural tact, soon made him their leader
in the conspiracy.
The six held several meetings at La
fayette Hall TO canvass the project ana
finally hit upon and developed plot to
break into the car when the train was
stopped at the tunnel at Forty. second
street, get the safe out in the dark be-
tween two trains and carry it away in a
wagon. They were on hand four or ave
times, but something always happened
10 deter them from the attempt, and the
scheme was finally abandoned.
Another series of meetings developed
the bold scheme that finally succeeded.
1t was arranged that four of the cOnted-
crates, Wells, Allen, McGlory and Hud-
son (the last not yet arrested), should go
as passengers upon the train and leave
at convenient point to carry of the
booty. Clark, Grady and Mcclure, to
whom the more difficult part was COM
mitted, entered the express car at Forty
second street. 1t was raining and the
night was very dark, which assisted the
preparation Of the robbery. The three
burglars effected admittanCe into the
iron car by breaking off the lock with a
steel punch. Another lock, tac Slmae
of the fractured one, was substituted, so
as to escape the attention of the agent
or others.
According to the original programme,
the four passengers were to get off at
Harlem Bridge; the carpet bags Of
money were to be thrown off just be-
yOnd and the burglars were to pull the
bell and stop the train half mile fur
ther up, and make their escape. The
passengers left at Harlem as per arrange
ment The burglars found it impossible
| to smash the safes with their sledge
| hammer as they intended, each one try
| ing and being bathed in turn. At last
they were broken open at the locks with
the steel punch and the money gold
and bills) piled into the bags. They
now discovered that the bell rope would
not pull accordingly they rode on
throwing out the bags at Cos Cob Bridge,
and they got off somewhere little fur
Their up. They left 100000 worth OF
gold, bills and drafts on the floor OF the
car, besides the 100000 which they
managed to cram into the carpet-bags
Getting off near Stamford they re.
turned to Cos Cob, found and secreteC
their plumber; the bag Of bills under
some lumber, and the gold and a pisto
in stone wall, about mile from the
Cos Cob bridge, toward Stamford. The
three then proceeded to the house o
Grady, in Stamford, where they lunched
and then took the freight train to Nor
walk, where, doubling on their track
they took the owl train to New York
and arrived there on Sunday morning
They went Immediately to the house o
Augustus Tristan, taken into the con
spiracy on condition Of making hi
house a rendezvous, and here they me
the other four, who had followed up tn
train for some distance beyond Harlem
and concluding that the attempt was
failure, had returned to New York t,
await developments. The whole part,
stayed at Tristam's until Monday after
noon, when it was agreed that Clark
Tristan and Mrs, Tristan should NEE
at the depot and go to Stamford afte
the money. Mrs. 7. did not appear il
t time, and Clark and Tristan went alone
From Stamford they returned to Co
, Cob and took the bag of bank notes from
the pile of rails, and proceeded to tn
f residence Of Josiah Tristan, relativ
Of Augustus Tristan, who was entirel
innocent of any knowledge of the rob
r berry. Here they counted and assorte
the money at night, and without diff
l Guilty prevailed upon Josiah to carry tn
carpet bag to Barmore's, NO, 100 Divis
ion street New York, where it wa
ultimately recovered by Pinkerman's de
teCtives.
Augustus Tristan and Thomas Clarl
were arrested next day in the vicinit.
Of Norwalk. The hiding places Of mos
of the others were discovered, but i
being known that Mcclure and Hudson
had fed to Canada, they were allowed
to run at large, unsuspecting their fate
but watched by the police and detective
night and day. The ruse was success
full, and Mcclure returned, when the pal
ties were all arrested excepting Hudson
who is still at large.
| A bag containing $4,000 in gold wal
found near Cos Cob bridge, soon after
the robbery. About $4,000 more was
found in the WE'LL the bag Of 100000
in bills at Barmore's, and other sums re.
covered here and there make up the en-.
tire amount missed, excepting about
$4,000.