The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1874-01-23
cOLrAx's BROTHER IN.LAw.
davenport Democrat

One OF the most astounding systems Of
mail robberies ever known in this state
has lately beon uneartbed BY special
agents Of the post office department, and
he whole matter Was madc public yestsr-
dny by the arrest Of Elisha Cowlcs, post.
al agent on the Chicago, Rock Island and
| Pscinc railroad. To begin at the begin
! ming. suspicions we're excited against
Covies lsst fall, for the first time. On Oc-
tober d. 1873. Mr.. CHARLES Stewart, the
dry.coods merchant Of the city, mailed Q
letter cortainisg $40, directed 70 . party
At Downey, Iowa The letter lsft Dsven.
nor, on the morning Of October Z, on
Cswles' run, bat il never reached it's des-
tination. Postmaster Russell i'm
mediately reported the case
10 the department at Washington,
and he, together with special agents, J. X.
Sraurt, OF Iowa City, and J. b. Furray Of
Omaha, proceeded 20 investigsts the case.
Il took some time TO work up the matter
80 as TO fasten the robbery directly on
Cowles. but the agents we're fully satisfied
Of his guilt q few days after taking tho
case in hand. SO decoy letters we're sent
out, and other measures were taken 10 Of.
feet their purpose. On Monday morning
last tho special detectives Stuart and
Furay arrived In Davenport and were in
consultation With Postmaster Russell for .
long time. They also remained here Mon
day night waiting for Cowles to take hi,
run, they having at last brought the case
70 focus. On Tuesday morn
ing Cowles left the city in
charge Of his car, and the dstec-
tivss were also passengers on the same
train. Yesterday morning Mr.. Russell
received Q dispatch from the detectives,
stating that they had just arrested Cowles
in his car near Avoca. II also stated that
whom arrested Cowles had one Of the de-
coy letters In his hand aud others in his
possession. He made full confession of
al his robberies. The confession will not
be made public, but it is stated that he has
been riding letters for Year, past, and that
for several weeks he hes been stealing let
ters at the rAts.of fifty day. He appears
10 have exercised little caution 10 his op-
srations, and TO have broken into letters
by the Wholesale in . perfectly reckless
and iudiscrirninats manner. The prisoner
was taken TO DM Moines and placed in
Jail.
Elisha Cowles has had An eventual life,
and has soon much trouble and many
| changes. lie Is afty.two years old, is .
| native Of New England he went from
| his native state TO Michigan, where he
| went into business and amassed much
| wealth, being at one time ono Of the rich.
est men in the town where he lived. At
that time he owned and operated two
large saw mills and WAS prospecting finely,
when misfortune came, and be was twice
burned out, loosing each time over thirty
thousand dollars. About eight years ago
he came 70 Iowa and bought tract Of
land near Kellogg, Jasper county, and
upon this farm he has ever since resided
with his family. He has been married
twice, his second wife being half.sister to
Schuyler Collar. He has large family,
consisting of his wife and nine children,
the eldest being son TWEEN
ty-one years Of age. Mrs. Cowles 10 said
70 be . very fine woman, much superior 70
her husband In many respects, and hos a.
Ways been . good and true wife and
mother. She deeply feels her husbands
| disgrace. Cowles hes been mail agent on
| the Davenport run Of the q. X. l. and r.
for seven years; he has always been re-
garded ~ - . good reliable clerk, but
never as . very smart or efficient one. He
had always been regarded - strictly hon.
est up to the date Of the disclosures, last
October, and what melted him 70 choose
| career OF crime which he certainly mus
have known would result in disclosure anC
| disgrace IL not known, his actions cAnno
DO accounted for. His case will como be
fore the United States circuit court a. u
next term, and aaisis Yoi term Of year
in the penitentiary.