Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-21

THE P, Fl. W. d G. RAILROAD RoBBERY-
ARREST OF THE Ro8BER, WHo HAS BEEN A
CLEVELAND DUoK.-From a very interesting
account of the robbery of the safe of the P,
Fit W. d C. Railroad Company in Pittsburg,
found in the Dispatch of that city, we con-
dense the following statement, which shows
that the arrested robber has been a gay
youth in this city;
On the fifteenth of last September an ex-
tensive and apparently Ingenious robbery
was committed in this eltv at the office of
the Pittsburg, R. WAYNE & Chicago Rail-
road Company. On that day the Paymas-
ter's safe was opened by some person. at the
time unknown, and money and drafts were
distracted TO the total amount of thirty
thousand dollars. Arrangements had been
nearly completed by the Paymaster of the
company and his assistant for discussing
the amount required to meet the current
account of wages. They had counted the
money, and placed the sum due to each IN
dividual in separate envelopes. These en-
velopes were then put in q tin box, about
twelve inches in length and six in width,
and the box was locked up in the safe. No
more thorough precautions could lave been
taken to insure security. The Paymaster
and his assistant went, about half pastfve,
to their customary evening meal, and the
Office was closed by the %janitor. They re-
turned in less than an hour, and, on going
to get out the tin box, for the purpose Of
completing the details of the pay system,
.ound that, in their absence, the safe had
been opened, and the box with all its con-
tents distracted.
The treasurer of the company was imme-
Il AiatalU nrtfEad- of uyhnf haA hapnanad
and a searching investigation was insti-
tuted, but not the slightest clue to the per-
petrator of the robbery could be discovered.
| Consultation was had with Messrs. Hamp-
ton and Moreland, the solicitors for the
company, and they undertook the task OF
probing the case thoroughly. They pro-
cured the services of Pinkerton's private
detective police, and the ablest members of
hat force were detailed for working up the
case. They got the idea into their heads,
after a while, that a young man named
William Mcguire, q messenger attached to
the Office OF the company, was more or less
implicated; and TO him and his movements
heir special attention was therceforwsrd
turned. Him they watched and hung
around, and followed and analyzed gener-
rally, in g manner that must have been
very unpleasant to his feelings had ne
known to what an extent he was the object
Of their regard and scrutiny.
About a week go, an accompliee of
Maguire's was caught, and from information
got from him, Mcguire was arrested at
Philadelphia.
He stated that he had planned and exc
cuted the robbery without any aid from or
consultation with aecomplices. He had
taken advantage of the facilities which his
position in the Office of the company had
afforded him, and had perseveringly work
ed until he had obtained a model of the
key with which the safe was opened and
locked. From this model he had a dupli-
cate made, and then he had only to watch
his opportunity until a sufficient sum of
money was deposited to make it worth his
while to put his project into effect. When
ne stole the box he conveyed it to the house
of his mother, on the corner of Wylie street
and Union alley, in the sixth ward, Pitts
burgh, and buried it there, about two feet
underground, in the cellar, first taking out
some ten thousand dollars, and leaving in
it the balance of the cash and the drafts.
Mcguire had lived a gay life at Cleveland
and other points, since the robbery, during
which time he had squandered about 81, 900
Of the booty. The particulars of his con-
fession have been found to be correct. The
box was found where he said it was hidden,
and the money and documents he had left
in it were safely recovered. He also made
restitution Of an expensive gold watch and
chain, a diamond pin, and miscellaneous
articles of iewelry, valued in all at over
fifteen hundred dollars. He is q young man
twenty-five years of age.