The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-08-02
ROBBERY.
Raid on an Express Safe.
Employees Suspected. of Collision.
ST. LOUIS, July 25.

ST. LOUIS, July 25.
A very bold street robbery was
committed here just before noon to-day,
under the following circumstances:-
One of the delivery wagons of the Uni
ted States Express Company started
out to deliver packages as usual. The
safe was in charge of D.. w. Sanders,
messenger, and the wagon was driven
by W. w. Kendall. One of the first
packages the messenger undertook to
deliver was one perporting to contain
seventy dollars, and addressed to Mrs.
Larkin, living in an alley between
Fourth and Fifth streets, and between
Arriving at the mouth of the alley,
the messenger halted, and taking the
package, started up the alley. But a
few moments elapsed before he discov-
cred no such person lived in the alley,
and returning to the street, he was
astonished at finding his wagon and
safe gone. He her rushed 10 the
office of the company and gave infor-
nation of what occurred Not long
after this, Policeman Biehl saw a
wagon passing down Spruce street,
near Fourth street, some fourteen
squares from the place where San
ders left it, the driver of which was
gagged The officer arrested the dri-
yer, who stated that as soon as the
messenger Sanders went into the alley,
two men jumped into the wagon
They first placed a wooden gag into
his mouth, and threw a quantity of
pepper into his eyes. They then drove
off with him, and after taking several
packages from the safe, threw him
backward into the wagon and leaped
out on Spruce street, between Twelfth
and Thirteenth streets.
Subsequently a man named John
Hartscck and a boy named Charley
Haley came up to the police station
and stated that while standing near an
alley on Spruce street, between Thir-
tenth and Fourteenth streets, they
saw two men jump out of the express
wagon and run up the alley, one car
rying several packages, the other hav-
ing nothing. The driver was just re
Stunning a sitting posture, when they
looked into the wagon. He said he
had been robbed. One of them want
ed to cut the string which bound the
gag, but the driver would not let him.
They then ran to inform a policeman
of what they had seen, and Kendall
drove on until arrested by Officer Biehl,
as above narrated. The total amount
of money taken was $3.50 in money,
and SS5, 900 worth of railroad bonds,
directed to Kansas Pacific Railroad
Company. The robbers left behind a
number Of small packages, containing
nearly 81, 900 in gold, From infor-
nation given by Hartsock and Haley,
it is believed the robbers will be speed
lily arrested. The bogus package was
put in the express office at st. Charles,
and countersigned "John Larkin."
LATER.
Further developments of the express
robbery to-day lead TO the suspicion
that it was a put up job, and that Kin
dali, the driver, and perhaps Sanders,
the messenger, were concerned in it
KendalIs story is regarded as very
weak. When he was taken to the
police station his eyes showed no signs
of having pepper or snuff thrown in
them. The gag in his mouth was so
loosely adjusted that he could have
pushed it gu with his tongue bad he
desired to do so. Beside this, his
hands were at no time bound, and
there was a pistol on the g seat
beside him, which lie did not attempt
to use, nor did he make any demon
eff ra fInr nolnrlatoA f0 off-oaf aftaof,,,
on the street while the safe was being
rifed. In regard to Sanders, it is
stated that when he inquired for Mrs.
Larkin, at a house in the alley, he was
directed to a room occupied 10y Mrs.
Lark, but instead of going he passed
through the yard to a poiEt farthest
from the front Of the house, appar.
emily to be out of the way, while the
robbers were taking care of Kendall
in the wagon, which he had driven in
the alley, instead of standing on the
street, as previously reported. Ken
dali is in the calaboose, and Sanders
is in the custody of the express agent.
The cas- will be thoroughly investiga-
ted.
The murder referred to this morn
ing as having been committed yester-.
day some miles from this city, occurred
in this wise John Atwood, a laborer,
was sitting in the porch of John Gran
shaw, some twelve miles from the city,
Sunday night, singing in a very loud
tone. Jos. Lumsteich told him 10
stop. Atwood replied: ''This is a
free country. and I will sing as much
as I please" Lumsteich then stepped
in front of Atwood and kicked him
in the stomach, killing him instantly.
Lumsteich has not been arrested yet.
The New York agricultural excur-