The Portland daily press., 1871-11-06


the Maine General Hospital will be held In the
Mayors Room, City Hall, at half past sever
O'Clock this evening.
The Late FOryerics-- r ursuit, Arrest and
Return Of aC binson.
On Sunday, Oct. 9TH, 1t was generally known
in the city that O'Neil w. Robinson, clothin ne
dealer on Congress street, had left town, leav
ing behind some $4,000 worth Of forged paper
the forgery being the Endorsement of lady's
name well known as possessing considerable
property, aud which paper, in different
amounts, and upon various terms, WAS about
maturing. Bnt although the general fact O.
forgery and the abscondng was known, only
few interested parties knew the extent OF the
transactions, and these, it now seecls, though
working very quietly, took prompt and SHARP
means to compass Robinson's arrest. Robin
son left Portland Saturday afternoon October
9th, on the half-past three train and taking the
midnight train from Boston to New York, ar
irving there Sunday morning. o. Monday
morning he presented letter from a promi-
nent merchant of our city TO leading COM
mercal house of New York, asking their assis
tance for him to leave New York. This letter
was passed to one OF onr leading merchant,
who was in New York, and by the way cores
pendent in Portland Of the New York firm.
This gentleman left New York Monday even
ing the 8'h, arriving az Portland Tuesday
evening. On Tuesday this gentleman was So
licted by one Of the Victims Of r. to write to
the New York house rather than tele-
graph, asking if Robinson had left New York
and if so, when. and where and by what vessel
Thursday forenoon this dispatch came:
"O'Neil W. Robinson sailed for Key West
yesterday, in schooner Naonta."
On receint OF this, the authorities here tele-
graphed Gov. Perham, asking a requisition
upon the Governor OF Florida for the return OF
the fugitive, and saying that a messenger
would proceed to Augusta by next train, with
the proper papers, to receive the requistion.
Accordingly Deputy Marshal Sterling and an
other gentleman did proceed to Augusta on
Friday. the 18Th, got the needed authority and
returned bere Saturday morning. Providing
himself wish all needed appliances, Mr.. Ster-
ling took the afternoon train for New York, ar
irving there Sunday morning. He there
learned that Robinson had shipped on We'd
nesday, and that the schooner which had
hauled out into the stream bad sailed on
Thursday. The officer tbereupon started Sun.
day night for Tallahassee, where he arrived
Thursday night, the l9tt. He was fortunate
enough to procure state warrant in answer
TO the requisition that very night having in.
tne mean GiDe tel6ST3pn60 10 SDer)H Jones at
Key West she whole facts 10 the case, with a
full description of the man he was afser, and
asking his arrest and detention.
But here the officer was beset with almost
unheard of difficulties. The yellow fever was
raging in all points around, and for two or
three months the usual steamer routes had
been broken up He was told that he could
not get through by the route from st. Marks
and it was doubtful il he could find convey
auce at all. But he persevered and finally had
had the good fortune to find steamer about to
sail on special mission to Cedar Keys,
thence 10 Tampa and Key West. Getting on
board OF her down the bay, by means of a small
boat which took him some miles, he ulti-
matey arrived at Key West at noon Wed aes-
day, the 25tb. and conferred with Sheriff
Jones and the Quarantine officers. The next
day, Thursday, the Naonta was sighted, and at
ten o'clock at night came into the harbor when
Robinson was apprebended and lodged in Jail.
He was greatly surprised and distressed at the
event, at times nearly breaking down under it,
but he soon grew more composed, and on the
following Sunday, at 10 O'clock at night, upon
the arrival of the steamer from Galveston, be
was quietly placed on board and formally deiv-
cred up tc officer Sterling represe nting the au-
thority of she State of Name. The steamer ar
rived in New York Friday, al 4 p. m and the
night train taken for home, the officer and the
prisoner arriving here Saturday, when the lat
ter was lodged in jail to await the issue OF
events He has been visited by only two or
three persons since arriving, and is sadly worn
out with his wakeful journeyings He offers
and allows little conversation concerning the
alleged forgeries and seems considerably over
borne by the whole affair. Mr.. Sterling, who
has certainly shown wonderful tenacity of pur.
pose as well as peculiarly sharp foresight was
well nigh beaten out with working, waiting