Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-08-07
General News.
Great Express Robberies.

OUTLAWS OF THE wEsr-RoBBERIEs or
RAILROAD TRAINS AND EXPRESS CoMPAN-
IEs-AN EXTENSIVE RECORD oF-CRIME.
Prom the New York Times.
Looking back for few years, one is
fairely astounded at the immense sums
lost by the great express companies of the
country through highway robberies of
this character. The amount would reach
several millions, though the greater por-
ton of II has been recovered, aud the rob
bers have almost invariably been amply
punished. In June. 1871. the Southern
express car on the Mobile and Ohio rail-
road was robbed ofits safe and its con-
tents. amounting to upward OF 1900. by
gang of negro desperadoes, some Of
whom afterward confessed their guilt and
returned part of the plumber. On that oc-
casou the car was entered while the ines
senger was asleep and the safe thrown ont
while the train was in motion. During
the month of August of the same year. sew
eral attacks we're made on the stage
routes of California, and some passengers
were killed and others wounded, while
Thousands of dollars were carried off. In
November, 1870. the Central Pacific eN-
press car was taken possession Of by mask
ed bandits at Verdi, n small station near
Reno. Nevada. The band numbered about
a dozen. They detached the express car
from the main train, locked up the fireman,
express and mail messengers in the mail |
room. and robbed the safes OF upward of
$4,000. One of the outlo~s, named a.
w. Newly, was captured about a month |
aftcr and made confession. He had !
been concerned in others robberies, too,
and he coolly told how he and others had, |
on one occasion. purchased quartz mill !
which was to he run on the proceeds of |
their robberies- One OF the gang. who l
was little involved, hled his petition in !
bankruptcy before engaging IN this enter |
prise so that his creditors should not share
in his prospective profits. In August, Is
GO. the Pacific express car. on the New
York Central railroad. was seized by three
highwaymen, who got on board at Fonda.
and bound and gagged the messenger and
baggage agent. and robbed the safes, car
ryiug away large sum. But these were
! only a few of the principal ones. Yet
they almost all show that the thieves sue
ceeded in surprising the express officials,
or caught them mapping, and so stole
| march on them. Though the thieves were
generally detected and punished, and
most OF the plundcred property recovered.
the express companies still appear 10 have
permitted the lessons thus learned 10 pass
| by without taking special care to provide
| against a repetition Of such occurrences.
! Ia the summer of ISIS was enacted
| tragedy in connection with express rob
| berries not soon To be forgotten. The car
of Adams Express Company was robbed,
on the night OF MAY ~ of three safes. on
! the Jacksonville railroad. near seymour.
! Ind. While the train was'wooding up"
twenty miles below seymour, the gang OF
robbers seized the engine. disconnected
the express ear from the train. and started
on towards Seymour. They disabled the
| M f1f.s lin mi
completing their designs, abandoned the
car little way from seymour. escaping
/ Undecided. On the morning Of the lRh
of July following, similar attempt was
made TO rob another ear OF the Adams
company in the same vicinity; but the
robbers were driven Off leaving Val. Elliott,
one Of their number behind. badly wound
ed. Elliott had been n brakeman on the
Ohio and Mississippi road formerly. Two
Others. named Phil. Clifton aud Charles
Ro-ebcrry. were arrested soon aflcr. They
towi jaaiiiTt, BUT the train on which were the
prisoners, was stopped by a mob from Sey-
nour and the vicinity, the guard was over
powered and the robbers were hanged.
The notorious Reno family were connect
Ell with both OF these robberics. and The
amount carried OH on the first one VA,
Ss6UO. In April. ls6s. a man named J.
| T. Engley of Providence plotted with ex-
traordinary care for the commission of n
robbery OF the Merchants Union Express.
bogus package was TO be forwarded and
distracted by himself and friends. The
amount was TO have been represented as
s5oo'vo, and the company was TO De made
to pay that little sum. But Engley and
All associate named Dean were discovered.
and sent to the peui;entary for their pains.
When Ensley mad hi confession a, n.
did alter HIDING that no chance Of escape
remained to him, he said h. had studied
books telling Of robberies. and had taken
months 10 complete his arrangements. but
after all he failed
\ heavy robbery was committed OH the
New Haven railroad on the 9th of January.
1850. Adams Express Company lost on
mat occasion over halfa million dollars.
ine hl?h"aymeh were supposed TO have
enected an entrance TO the car containing
the treasure, IN New York This was an
iron car and the only one of the kind on
the road II contained on this night three
small safes. one Of which belonged 10 the
harnden Express Company Thi, was
not touched, while the contents al the |
others were scattered all over the ear.
aud. strangely enough, $4,000 In bills |
anu ponds escaped the notice OF his rob |
oers. On this trip the messenger neglect
ed 10 make the proper examination OF the |
Iristram and Thomas Clarke were arrest
ed Tor participation in the robbery soon
after. Iristram pleaded guilty, aud was
Sent Tor short term to the Connection,
state Prison. and Clarke was convicted
after long trial
During the last years of the war. urea,
complaints were made by the soldiers of
DELAYS and losses on the various exnress
routes. But the companies were not 10
o'a'ne Tor more than placing too much
trust In their employees. 4 number nj
their servants were then detected in an.
propriating valuable packages entrusted
10 thein Tor delivery. But at that lime
money was plentiful and little valued and
Cquai Importance was not attached to such
.heiis rs al the present time. Many found
IL easy 10 reason their consciepces IN
silence IN those exciting times; of,en bya
curious course or argument. they assumed.
W pegih with, that money was not of much
"oiu, any wnere, and ii the soldier at the
front had it he would not find If NJ anv
service. and at last they concluded that he
could not need it at all, Is in short time
ne was pretty certain to die. 1t naturally
ioiiowed That they might as well have il
as me person Tor whom it was intended il |
Ny lts possession they could the better en-
tertain themselves for time Some fund ,
tune ior revision and correction of this
, oeSo,ins ia prison cells, and il is to be
noped thew altered their rules of life !
''e
Toward the end of the year 1871. most
dangerous gang Of thieves and cut throats.
among the worst that ever infested the L
country, was captured and d
sn broken up. after heavy rob-
oefy OF the Southern express, rhrce men
ID eisguise invaded the train of the Mobile
md Ohio railroad at Moscow. Ky.. on the
list OF July. 1871. After overpowerino :,
ne messengers. the rufiians forced the :,
'afes. took all the money and escaped. In IL
Up train on the same road was AGAIN o. A
cred At Union Station, Tenn. Two of the
'9tlaws stood guard over the engineer.
while their confederates detached the
reasure-car from the train and ran OF
nun mn IL determined search WAS made
nem were tracked to their cover. il was
'und necessary to fire the house In which Al