Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-26
ST. LOUIS.
Extraordinary Express Robbery
An Express Driver Gagged and
His Wagon Rihed.

Il
His Wagon Ri1ed.
$4,000 Stolen in Money and
Bonds.
Robbery on q Railway Train.
ST. LOUIS, July 25.-A very bold street
robbery was committed here just before
noon to-day, under the following circum-
stances: One of the delivery wagons of
the United States Express Company
started out to deliver packages, as usual.
The cafe was in charge of d. w. Sander,
Messenger, and the wagon was driven by
w. w. Kendall. One of the first packa-
| ges the messenger undertook to deliver,
was one purporting to contain seventy
dollars, and addressed to Mrs. Lsrkin,
| living in an alley between Fourth and
Fifth streets, and between Franklin ave
nue. and Morgan street. Arriving at the
mouth OF the alley the messenger halted,
and taking the package, started up the
alley. But few moments elapsed before
he discovered that no such person lived
in the alley; and finding his wagon and
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the company and gave information of
what had occurred.
Not long after this policeman Biehl saw
wagon passing down Spruce street,
near Fourth street, some fourteen squares
from the place Sanders left it, the driver
of which was gagged. The officer ar
rested the driver, who stated that as soon
as messenger Sanders went into the alley
two men jumped into the wagon. They
first placed wooden gag in his mouth
and threw quantity of pepper into his |
eyes. They then drove off with him,
and after taking several packages from
the safe threw him backwards into the |
wagon and leaped out on Spruce street.
between Twelfth and Thirteenth streets.
Subsequently man named John Hort |
sock, and boy named Charley Haley,
came TO the police station, stating that, |
while standing near an alley on Spruce |
street, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth |
streets, they saw two men jump out of |
the express wagon and rua up the alley, |
one carrying several packages, and the |
other having nothing. The driver was /
just assuming a sitting posture when they
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been robbed. One of them wanted to
cut the string which bound him, and the
gag, but the driver would not let him.
They then ran to inform the police of /
what they had seen, and Kendall drove
On until arrested by officer Biehl, as
above narrated.
The total amount taken was IS, $50 in
money and $50, 900 worth of Railroad |
bonds, directed to the Kansas Pacific
Railroad Company. The robbers left be-
hind number of small packages con-
tanning nearly one thousand dollars in
gold. From the information given by /
Hortsock and Haley, it is believed the
robbers will be speedily arrested. The
bogus package was put in the express
office at st. Charles. Missouri, and coun-
tersigned John Larkin.
Later-A Put-up Job.
Further developments of theExrress rob
berry to day lead to suspicion that it was
put-up job, and that Kendall, the dri-
Yer, and perhaps Sander, the messenger,
were concerned in it. Kendall's story is
regarded as very weak. When he was
taken to the police station his eyes
showed no signs of having had pepper or
snuff thrown in them. The gag in his
mouth was SO loosely adjusted, he could
have pushed il out with his tongue had he
desired to do SO. Besides this, his hands |
were at no time bound, and there was a
pistol on the wagon seat, beside him,
which he did not attempt to use, nor did /
he make any demonstration calculated to
attract attention on the street, when the
safe was being robbed.
In regard to Sander, it is stated that
when he inquired for Mrs. L3rkin at
house in the alley he was directed to a
room occupied by Mrs. Lsrk, but in
stead of going he passed through the
yard to point farthest from the front of
the house, apparently to be out of the
way while the robbers were taken care of
Kendall in the wagon, which had been
driven in the alley instead of standing on
the street, as previously reported. Ken
dali is in the calaboOse and Sander is in
the custody of the express agent. The |
case will be thoroughly investigated.
Express Robbery ON the Mobile and
Ohio.
The Times this morning learns from /
passengers by the Mobile and Oaio Rail
road, that a daring Express robbery oc-
Cured on that road in Hickman county,
KY, Saturday night last. It appears
three men who purchased tickets a:
Union City, Tennessee, for Clinton,
Kentucky, got on the train-when the |
train halted at Moscow two of the rob
beIs got off and their confederate re-
manned on the platform of the car. Oh |
serving no one but the Messenger in the |
express car, as the train moved out from |
the depot the two jumped into it and pre-
scented revolvers to the head of the Mess
senger. They forced him to hand over
the key of the safe, which one of them
while the other stood guard |
yer the expr, ssman. After taking out |
all the money, supposed to be about |
Q Renty thousand dollars, one of the |
hleves placed it and the key in his pocket.
The robbers then pulled the bell cord,
and when the train slackened up jumped |
out and took to the woods, where they |
escaped under cover of the darkness.
The train backed down to Moscow where
the description of the robbers was sent |
by Telegraph. The citizens of the place |
armed themselves, and TO the number of |
twenty-five turned out to hunt in the |
woods for them, but when the train re-
neWed its course the thieves had not been
secured. As they took the key of the
safe with them, it could not be opened |
so as to ascertain the exact loss.
Kicked TO Death for Singing too |
Loud.
John Atwood, laborer, was sittingon
the porch of John Cranshaw, some miles |
from the city, Sunday night, singing in
q very loud tone, when James Sumsteich
told him to stop. Atwood replied, 'gThis
is a free country, and l will sing as much
as please" Sumsteich then stepped in
front of Atwood and kicked him in the |
stomach, killing him instantly. Sum-
steich has not been arrested yet.