Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-08-03

The Iowa Express RObbery--Re.
markabIe Case Of Mistaken Iden.
tity.
From the Dubuque Herald.l
On Tuesday we gave in brief the par
ticulars of the robbery of the Merchants
Express Company of $4,000, at Pacific
City, in Mills county in this State, by an.
sbsconding agent. 1t appears that the
agent absconded with the package on
Friday the 18th inst. An effort was made
to trace him, and at Council Bluffs it was
supposed his trail had been found. A
man answering the description of the
agent, H. BrsytoD, had taken the train
on Sunday for the East. Dispatches
were sent along the line of the road, but
too late, at Cedar Rapids, where the sup
left the Northwestern road on Monday
morning, and, it was supposed, had taken
the cars on the Southwestern road for
Dubuque, thence to cross into Wisconsin.
The fact was dispatched to Council Bluffs,
and thence the dispatch was sent which
was placed ia Marshal Hardy's hands
here few moments before the arrival of
the train on Monday afternoon. The
dispatch gave q description of the man
who had changed care ct Cedar Rapids,
but not so particular as to render identi-
fcation an easy task. Marshal Hardy
hastily looked through the large number
of passengers, and finally fixed upon his
man as he was proceeding to the levee
to take an up-river steamer. There
could be no doubt that he had captured the
man described in the dispatch, but, sin
gular enough, the Marshal was soon satis-
fed that he was not the sbsconding Ex-
press agent He explained the matter TO
the gentleman, and requested that he
would visit the Express office without an
arrest, and there relieve him from the
responsibility of releasing the person
whom be had so particularly been in-
structed to arrest. The gentleman, who
gave his name as Irving Gray, readily
assented to this, expressing his ability to
convince the express authorities that
mistake had been made. Mr.. Gray,
therefore, accompanied the Marshal to
the Express office, but his remarkable re-
semblance to the abscondiDg agent caused
the gentlemen of the Office to demand
his detention until the following day,
when the Superintendent of the division
in which Pacific City is located would
arrive and definitely settle the question
of identity. Mr.. Gray was accordingly
bound over in the sum of $4,000 until
Tuesday. Not having habit of carrying
that sum in his pocket when travelling,
and being stranger in the city, he was
compelled to accept the hospitslities of
Sheriff Buckman. 1t should be remarked,
however, that the police officers were
already convinced that Mr.. Irving Gray
was not the fugitive Ii. Brayton.
On Thursday the Express superintend-
ent arrived, bearing with him photo
graph of Brsyton. 1t was very fair
likeness of Mr.. Gray, with some change
of whiskers and bleaching of the hair.
The superintendent visited Mr.. Gray,
aud, although well acquainted with Bray
ton, could scarcely believe, at first, that
be was not before him. He became con-
vinced speedily, and Mr.. Gray was hon
orably discharged, his only ofense being
that he wonderfully resembled, in form
and feature, q very honest and genteel
appearing, yet dishonest Express agent.
Mr.. Gray took the affair philosophically,
and, notwithstanding the unpleasant cir
cumstanees attending his introduction to
the police officers of Dubuque, expressed
his qualification in being made sc.-
uuainted with officials gentlemanly and
courteous, and at the same time so faith
ful in the discharge of their duties. He
has been engaged in the construction OF
the Pacific railway for some time past,
and is now returning from the Pacific
coast to his former home in Minnesota,
taking the boat last evening for Reed s
Landing. The mistake of his arrest was
caused by the parties at Cedar Rapids,
who were deceived by his resemblance to
the man Brayton, and the credit of hav-
lug identified him by the description
received by telegraph is no less due to
our police officers than it would have
been had he turned out to be the veritable
L..