Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-08-23
THE EXPRESS ROBBERY.
Latest Developments Concerning It
Capture of the Supposed Thieves--A
Desperate Encounter.

Latest Developments Concerning It
Capture of the Supposed Thieves--A
Desperate Encounter.
From the St. Louis Republican.
i The express robbery which occurred
In open day two weeks ago in this city,
and the peculiar circumstances con-
nected with it, Will still be fresh in the
/ recollection of our readers, and in stat
/ ing new developments it would not
seem necessary to give detailed reca-
pitulation of the incidents of the rob-
berry. But, in order that the connec-
tion between those and subsequent
events may be judged, it will not be
out of place to refer to them briefly. A
delivery wagon of the United States
Express Company, with W. W. Ken
dali as driver, and David W. Souder as
messenger, left the office of the COM
pany On the 25th of July, With num-
Der of packages to be delivered,
/ the most important of which was
one containing $4,000 in Kansas
Pacific land grant bonds, and two con-
tanning So, 329.95 in money. These
were in the safe in the vehicle, while
there was also bogus money package
addressed to Mrs. Larkin, in the alley
in the rear Of the st. Nicholas Hotel,
and purporting to be of the value of
$75. Kendall and Souder drove to this
place, and while the latter was en-
deavoring to find the mythical Mrs L.,
driven off and the safe robbed. 1t ap-
peared that either the keys had been
left in the safe, or that the door was
left unlocked, either of which would
have been as convenient as the other
for the robbers. Both Souder and
Kendall were placed under arrest, and
Souder released the same afternoon,
while the driver, whose actions had
been ridiculous, was detained until the
following day. No clue was then OBJ
tained to the robbers, and the matter
appeared to drop; but the Police De
partment, with Sergeant Harrigan and
the detective force under him, bestirred
themselves in endeayoring to arrest the
culprits and recover the property.
Yesterday evening Sergeant Ell. OBJ
tanned information which made him de-
termine to re-arrest Souder, and three
other men, Jerry d. Scannon, Peter
Sheridan and Thomas Grady. He de-
tailed Detectives Lawler and Boyd to
arrest Souder, while he and Detectives
Duckworth and Flanagan went in
search Of the other men.
The first party found Souder at his
residence on Tenth street near Cass
avenue, and informed him that Ser
geant FL. wished to see him. He ac-
companied the officers cheerfully to the
station, not exhibiting any suspicion
that he was under arrest. Arriving at
the station, he was locked up.
The arrest of the other parties was
not such an easy matter. Duckworth
arrested Scannon on the street, and
Harrigan found Sheridan and Grady on
Fourth and Myrtle street, near where
Seannon had been. Sheridan was walk
ing leisurely along as If waiting for an
other party, and on the approach of
Searge8nt Harrigan he started to run.
a cal upon him to stop was unheeded,
and he ran on at rapid rate, pursued
by Harrigan and Flanagan. Finding
that they we're gaining upen him, he
dashed into toy store, with the Off
GERS after him, to the no small sur
prise OF the proprietor-a sort of Sec
ond Rip Van Winkle.
The pursued was in the rear of the
store about escaping by back door,
when Ha1rigan's pistol went off and a
bullet plowed small furrow in Sheri-
dams scalp. The man, although re-
ceiving such a warming, yet entertained
hopes of escape and fought desper
ately. His strength was almost a
match for the agility of the officer, and
Harrigan had to use the butt end of
his pisGo! and Try the force of the gar
roting process. While doing the lat
ter the desperate essayed to make
rnince-meat OF the man encircling his
neck by the exercise of his powerful
jaws, but a further pounding soon had
the effect of rendering hum docile.
/ That part of Fourth street as usual at
/ that hour, was crowded, and large
number gathered around the prisoner
and officers. One man remarked that
the prisoner must be treated more ten
derly, but the appeal only elected a
suggestion about the safety of his own
head, and, taking it in earnest he dis
appeared. Sheridan, with the blood
flowing from the wound, was taken to
/ the Central Police Station, where he
/ had visit from DIR. Barrett, who pro-
nounced his injury not serious.
While this had been going ON, Grady
got away. Sheridan in custody, Ser
geant 81. went to the Spruce street
ferry, where Grady was found, about
crossing the river. Steps were then
taken to recover the stolen property.
The theory of the police is that the
robbery was committed with the con-
aivance of the messenger at any rate 1t
/ is stated that in conversation with GER
tain parties, Souder made remarks
! which are now stored up against him,
and which were the principal reasons
for his arrest. He stoutly AYERS his in
nocence. He was visited last night by
Captain Ford, agent of the express
company, in the employ of which he
had been retained Captain Ford sai6
he had always considered him honest
and reliable.
Narrow Escape from Disaster
New York passengers upon the Erie
Railroad eastern-bound lightning ex-
press from Dayton and Cleveland,
y Ohio, Sunday morning, narrowly es-
capped fearful disaster. When the
train had reached point few rods
east of Shoholia, Pa, and was proceed
ing at a rate of fifteen miles an hour, q
switchman at the intersection of the
single and double track apparently de-
liberately displaced the switch, throw
ing from the track, the engine, bag
gage cars, both day cars and two new
sleeping coaches, the "Jay Gould,
and g Fisk, Jr." None of the wrecked