Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-11-14
lie $sOO,OOo RoReERY.


| Our readers will recollees, says thG
Troy IN. W Times, the particulars o
of the great express robbery which
was committed upon the Central Rail
road last summer. The Il "~-' -
tered the car at Fonda, ana shortly
afterwards passed into the baggage
car, and gagging the express messen.
ger and baggage master, proee eded tC
! open the express safe and rifle il of il
! contents, yAriously estimated at from
! S20G, 600 10 $500, 900. Soon after the
\ robbery the company caused the arrest
/ of Charles Conklin, the baggage-snas
! ter, but upon the representation of the
detectives he was shortly afterwards
! reinstated in his position on the road,
| though of course he was suspected
| of having been one OF the leading
spirits in the transaction. The detect
/ ives shadoWed him constantly. His
every movement WAS watched. Other
\ suspected parties were watched, and
finally ray of light penetrated the
darkness which surrounded the trans
action and showed the way TO the ar
rest of the thieves and recovery of a
/ good portion of the money. That ray
/ Of light showed the detectives that
one man alone, In addition to those
! they already suspected, was wanted
/ to complete the number of those en-
/ gagged in the transaction, and to dis
| cover him was the object Of their con-
I stant and sleepless vigilance. At last
| the clue was found, and the man dis
/ covered. But caution and prudence
were necessary-the stakes were not
alone the men, but the money
as well. Tie man the Detectives
had spotted WAS so closely
watched that he was scarcely ever out
of sight of the men who We're waiting
! for the moment to arrive when they
should pounce upon him. His whole
story was soon known to the officers.
He had always been poor, and so had
his parents. His father worked at day
! labor, saving wood, etc. He had
been employed on the railroad, but
left it for some reason not known.
Although not a resident of Troy, he
was here much of his time, and fire.
quented the notorious dens of this
city. Suddenly he became rich man,
at least this lavish expenditure of
money led to the belief that he had
met with extraordinary good luck. He
bought team of horses Tor his father,
and refurnished the humble dwelling
of his parents in Massachusetts in fine
style. He was most liberal In his
gifts to his pals and female associates
of doubtful character. In fact, he was
as free with money as though he were
a millionaire. Wednesday last he
was arrested in Troy, in the most
quiet manner, and taken to Albany,
since which time he has kept compa-
ny with an officer, who never permit
ted him to be out of sight. When ac-
gused Of being implicated in the rob
berry he stoGtly denied itj bat, after
being assured by the officers that
they possessed full knowledge of the
transaction and of the guilty parties,
he admitted his participation in the
robbery and made clear and unTe-
served statement of the whole trans
action. The truth of the confession
was soon attested. The next step of
the officers was to arrest his associates
in crime. Two Of the parties, broth
ers, reside in Green Island, and on
Saturday they were arrested in so
quiet a manner that the members Of
their families had no knowledge OF
the fact until Sunday afternoon.
They. too, were taken to Albany, and
placed in Separate rooms in a hotel in
charge of Vigilant officers. The
brothers, FfteF9 their arrest, made
an unTeseFVed confession, en-
bracing full particulars of the
whole transaction, and stating to the
officers where q considerable PARTON
of the money was concealed. Hester-
day morning the officers visited Green
Island and found the statement made
by them to be correct, as they Fee0v-
cred a considerable portion of the
stolen money. The statements of all
three of the parties, neither having
knowledge of what the Others had di-
vuiged, implicated COnkling in the
robbery, and, in fact, pointed to him
~ the principal. On the arrival OF
the train at Albany from New
York Saturday afternoon. C0nkiing
was, therefore, arrested nn d
warrant issued by Justice of
Fonda, Montgomery county, some
time since, and was taken to that
place and lodged in Jail, where the
other prisoners will be removed to
await trial. The Albany Express OF
yesterday gives the following particu-
lars additional to the above. All the
money has not yet been recovered, but
it is probable the balance over and
above what was expended by the
three parties first arrested-it does
not appear that COnkling had
ever expended any OF twill be
secured to-day. There are very
many facts and circumstances con
neeted with the aAaiF thai must be
withheld for the present. but in due
time the whole history of the transac-
tion will be made public. When the
robbers left the ears near West Alba
ny they made their escape to the
woods, their plumber being packed in
hayersacks. They directed their steps
toward West Troy, and had most
labOriOus journey. They, however,
arrived there before dayhreak, and
buried the money back of the village,
where 1t remained concealed for some
time. 1t was subsequently removed
and divided up, and then again con-
portion of it in the very
places where it was found by the oai-
GERS yesterday.