New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-22
HEAVY ROBBERY FOUND OUT
The Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chienge
Affair." Arrest Of the Operator - his
Modus Opernpdi-- Restiiution Of Funds
From The Pittsburgh Gazette, Ma


Modns Operasdi- Restiiusien Of Funds.
From The Pittsburgh Gazette March 10
On the 18th of last September, an extensive
and apparently Ingenious robbery was committed IN
this city at the Office of the Pittsburgh. Fort Wayne
and Chicago Railroad Company. On that day the pay
masters safe was opened by some person at the time
unknown and money and drafts were distracted to the
total amount Of $4,000 The theft was accomplished
adroity that definite suspicion could be attached
10 any Que and tho chances of detecting the criminal
seemed 10 be very slight indeed. As a measure OF
safety one OF the persons employed by the com
pany were discharged. though circumstances now lndi'
cate that IN their case The innocent nuEcleu ioI 'c
guilty. -,
The affair occurred In this way. Arrangements had
been nearly completed by the paymaster oil The com
pany and bis assistant for Disturbing TIRE amount re
sntod 10 meet the current account of wages They had
counted tie money and placed tho sum cue TO each ~
diydual In separate envelopes These envelopes we're
:, en- pu, In i'm boa about ~ inches long and SIX In
width ard the box locked up Ia the safe NO more
thorough PRE- cautions could have been taken 10 insure
security The paymaser and his assistant went. about
y o'clock 10 their customary evening meal, and the
Office was closed by the ianitor They returned IN less
han an hour and going tn get out tho tinboS for
The purpose 81 competing the details Of tie pay system
found that In heir absence. the safe had been opened
and the box with all its contents distracted.
Tie Treasurer Of the Company was immediately no
tilted OF what had happened, and searching inVesti-
gntion Was Instituted bat The slightest cline % the
porpoirAtor OF the robbery could be- discovered Con
sultation was Ind with Messrs. Hampton and horelnnd
the solicitors FOR the Company. and they undcrtook the
the services Of Pinkerons private detective police and
tho ahlest msmbors Of that force were detailed Tor
working up the They got the idea into their
heaIs after q while that a young man named w IN. NJ
guire "a messenger attached 10 .he Office Of the Com
pany or less implicated. and TO him and his
movements their sIccih attention Was thencei0Tward
turned Him they watched and hung around, and fol.
lowed generally in manner that must have been very
unpleasant his feelings hnd be known TO what an er'
tent he was the object Of their regard and scrutiny.
Magpre resigned his situation in the employ OF the
COMPANY few weeks after this occurred and has siuoe
been travelling around spending money pretty freely
He has spcn. bis time sonoiimc' here then IN Chicago
Cincinnati Cleveland. back again TO Pittsburgh, bit
never staying long IN one place Only last sunday
fortnight be went o. Harrisburg to BE- present during
the political excitement attending the nomination for
Governor, AMI respectable men accepted his company
who reyer entertained the ntest idea Of his guilt and
who little imagined that be never stirred without being
follow ed-s II they were his shadow-by the officers Of
the law Mcguire went about enjoying himself, living
fact and freely and earning. ON the strength Of his
liberal expenditures, good deal OF ephemera popular
Meanwhile the sleuth. hounds OF justice eyerlon
bis trail doggng his footsteps and taking note ofeyery
action. While one or more OF them stuck To him With
rsmorschss Iertinacity others we're seeking Tor any
point Of evidence here that could ascn the crime upon
him. About week ago one OF the officers came across
q man who, they ascertained, had made safe " bit
or KEY upon instructions FROM Mcguire. This man was
arrested all the particulars that he could give were
carefully noted aud simultaneously orders were tele'
graphtd TO Philadelphia vhiiher Mcguire and the de-
tecve specially attached 20 his person had gone-for
his immediate capture He was taken into custody last
Wednesday night and Sunday was brought on here.
Yesterday lie wss taksn before Alderman Butler aud
fully committed In default Of $1,000 bail.
Mcguire Was considerably deporslze dwhen he found
himself detected and in custody. Upon very small
solicitation he volunteered q confession, which was
taken down In writing from ms deiipera'e alctauon.
aid from or consultation with accompllces. lie had
taken advantage Of the facilities which bis position in
the Office Of the company had afforded hun and had
pcrseyerelngly worked until he bad obtained model Of
the KEY With which the safe was opened and locked
From this model be had duplicate made, and then he
had only to watch his opportunity until sqncient sun
put his project into effect When be stole the box be
10 the house Of his mother on the corner OF
Wyliest. and Unionalley, in the sixth ward and ou
ned it there about two feet under ground In the cellar
first taxing out ten thousand dollars and leaving
In II the balance OF the cash aud the drafts.
SO far the particulars Of his confession have been
found 10 be correct The box wss found where he said
il was hidden and The money and documents he bad
eft In it safely recovered He also made restitu.
tion of an expensive gold watch and cham. diamond
pin and miscellaneous articles OF ewclry valued 10 al
at over o. 500 He admitted that he had squaDdered
nearly g. 0OO Of bis igoen booty VI the rest OF u
some 5000 or a. Ooo-he has not YET given US any
account Mcguire is very young man. not more than
q years Of age and among his associate had the repu
talon Of being than ordinary smart and self
reliant.
supposed to be shrowd and experienced in the business
of fsrrettng ont crime should have taken six entire
months TO fasten oense like this upon the perpe.
traitor Of It, Here was Q young man. with no visible
means Of support spending money In the most eIrava
CANT manner dressing eIpcnsively wearing costly jew
elry travelling about the country as pleasure not by any
means cautious In his words action and yet for half
year they have tracked and watched him, without
bringing any evidence OF guilt 70 bear upon him. Dur
ing that time Mcguire has made away with nearly half
the money he appropriated, aud the volunteer police
have been having very nice time at the expense Of tue
railroad company. We do not say they have not acted
with all the vigilance and shrewdncss in their power.
va only state facts and leave people to draw their own
CONCLUSIONS. We may mention here that IL has been
rursored Mcguire notwithstanding hs own protesta'
ons was the ony person concerned in the robbery
aud further remarkable revelations connected with
are likely 70 transpre