The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-30
THE ADAMS EXPREss ROBBERY.

OOmpanys treasure-box attracted a great crowd
OF people 70 the intensely quiet but enterprisng
city OF bridgeport, Conn, yesterday morning.
With the main features Of this most extraord-
nary case the public is passably familiar. Ii 1t
knew all about the details, it would be wiser
than the Company, its counsel and It's deteo-
ttves, all of whom are rs yet literally IN the dark
as to the men who took the money from the car
the place where 1t was taken, and the time at
which the crime was committed.
Americans are known the world around as
cute smart, and careful of their own, but for all
that they are the most reckless, inconsderate,
and trusting people on the face OF the earth.
moments glance at the history of the past
year will convince us that the men "Who
went 1t blind" in oil, copper, gold, and
timber stocks are much more confding than
cute, but to no more perfect illustration or ex-
empfdcation of the national lnconsiderateness
can we point than TO the absolutely reckless
patronage of expresses expressmen, and ex-
pTess-wagons in this and every great city.
Let man call himself an expressman, let
trust him with gold and silver, with apparel
and goods, indifferent to his name, character,
or responsibility Who of the thousands that
daily patronize the dozen or more expresses
that run between this and the adjacent cities
Brooklyn, Newark, jersey City, Hoboken, and
so on-kLows or cares about the integrity or
responsibility of those he trusts? And yet
trunks filed with valuable dresses boxes with
presents, packages with the result of days
shoppingn-all manner of truck--are given into
the hands of these parties with the most i'm
plCit faith, simply because they have on their
caps the magic word Express
To more notable extent this has been fostered
by the patronage of expresses going to and fro
between this and cities far remote. Nearly
every company originated its enterprise with a
carpetbag and trunk. None of them had capi-
tai to any extent, and loss such as this borne
by the Adams Express Company, would not only
have crippled the majority of them in days gone
by, but to-day they would find IL difficult with
assets and credit to meet the eight months notes
trU n riV
patrons. u.
1t is only, then, when some tremendous shock
like this comes upon the community like a clap
OF thunder from a clear sky that the public is
brought 10 a standpoint oil observation and re-
fvction; and u Is to be hoped and indeed pre-
sumed that for awhile at least we will take care
that the parries to whom we tntrlst our goods,
greenbacks, and gold will be those who can
make good its possible loss rather than those
who, like ourselves, would be utterly upset ana
carried down the river OF destruction by the
calamity. /"
With the capital accumulations, wealth. and
credit of the Adams EXoress Company we have
nothing TO do, beyond chronicling the fact that
it is, as it has been for many years, ever able,
prompt and ready to meet its obligations, never
yet deeming it policy or finding it necessary to
put off o settlement until more convenient
season. On the night OF the Och of January,
1866, the Boston mail train from this city took
out the regular Adams Express car, under charge
of Messenger Moore,
Besides the ordinary amount of freight, the
iron safe contained O large amount of money
several hundreds OF thousands OF dollaTs-the
exact amount of which it is not deemed desira-
bic, for police reasons, to place before the pub
lie. On the arrival OF the train at New Haven
it was found that the car had been opened, the
sale rlhed, the money and government bonds
taken, and that the thief or thieves were gone.
The Company had two duties to perform
one to the public and one to ITSELF 1t discharged
them-frst at sight paying every dollar Of the
loss without moments hesitation or a mo-
ment's delay; the other, the discovery, capture,
and punishment OF the criminals, was at once
begun, and yesterday, at Bridgeport, one of the
final scenes in the melodrama was enacted.
The story OF the suspicion, arrest and cones-
| sion of one OF the parties will be detailed at
length on the trial of the other, though it is
very doubtful If the actual facts of tie robbery
| itself are disclosed for many months to come
| The two unhappy men who were caught at the
time, and who are now il the clutches of the law,
| were by no means the actual handiworkers OF
| the crime, nor do they participate in the plum
der, though it would look "a il they alone are to
bear the consequences before the courts of
| Justice.
The two men charged with the robbery are
Augustus TTstram and Thomas Clark, both resi-
dents and possibly natives OF this city. TrisEram,
| who has confessed his participation in the
| affair, and thrown himself upon the clemency
| OF the court, has lovely young wife, who
| stands nobly by him with true womanly devo-
| tion in his hour ofneed, and two very interest
ing children. He is young man, not over
city employ. HIS family reside in Horatlo
street.
The other man, Thomas Clark, probably an
alias, is about the same age single, and of dit-
| ferent mould. Tristram is apparently penitent,
appreciates the fearful gravity OF his position,
and begs plteously for mercy. Clarke Is bound
| to fight il out, and the company propose to
| afford hIm the opportunity.
are the counsel for the Express, and Judge
! Stewart, whose name seems to be a household
word in all homes OF crime and trouble, appears
| for the accused. The A. NJ. train to Bridge
| port Yesterday was crowded. of course, the cars
| were hot and close, the passengers annoyed aud
| uncomfortable.
The witnesses on the part of the prosecution
| were numerous, and came from Washington,
| Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York includ
ing bankers, clerks, detectives, and employees oi
| the company; the witnesses for the defense were
| 7il and the only partisan OF either defendant
was the fearful wife OF the confessed criminal
| Tristram.
The defendants admit, because they could not
| avoid it, that they had the money, and account
| tor it by saying that after the robbery was com
| mitted by others whose names as yet are undls
closed, they were in the place of deposit, dug ul
| the money, took it to old man Tristram's in Nor
| walk, and sent it by him to the rendezvous IN
this city. To Mr. Spooner, the Superintendent
| of the New ENGLAND Division, is due much OF the
credit attaching to the prompt discovery and
| arrest of the robbers.
When the New Haven agent, Mr.. Webb
entered the car he found two money packages
on the floor, one containing Sl30,O00 the other
SS0,000. He at once procured a policeman, who
went by the down train to Bridgeport, where the
cars were detained three-quarters of an hour tol
Mr. Spooner, who searched the cars there, anc
carefully watched the passengers who got on al
the other stations.
One was mufTed up in most extraordinary
manner, and attracted the attention OF Mr.
Spooner, who caused him to be 'shadowed, a.
indeed were many others, the result being the
discovery Of Tristram's house and leading to tho