Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-30
MAIL ROBBERY.
The Exploits of Posral-Agent on
the c.. r. I. & p. Railroad.

From the Davenport Democrat, Jan. Is.
One of the most astounding sys-
tens of mail robberries ever known
in this State, has lately been un-
earthed by special agents of the
Post Office Department, and the
whole matte: was made public yes
terday by the arrest of Elisha
Cowles, Postal-Agent on the Chi
cago, Rock Island & Pacific Rail-
road. To begin at the beginning,
suspicious were excited against
Cowles last fall, for the first time.
On Oct. 6, 1873, Mr.. Charles Stew
art, the dry goods merchant Of this
city, mailed letter at the office in
this city, containing 500, directed
to u party at Downey, Iowa. This
letter left Davenport on the morn
ing Ct October 7, on Cowles' "run"
but it never reached its destination.
Postmaster Russell Immediately
reported the case to the Department
at Washington, and he, together
with Special Agents J. E. Stuart
of Iowa City, and J. b. Furay, of
Omaha, proceeded to investigate the
case. 1t took some time to work
up the matter so as to fasten the
robberies directly upon Cowles, but
the agents were fully satisfied ofhis
guilt in few days after taking the
case in hand. So decoy letters were
sent out, and other measures taken
to effect their purpose. On Monday
morning last the special detectives
Stuart and Furay arrived in Daven-
port and were in consultation with
Postmaster Russell for long time.
They also remained here Monday
night waiting for Cowles to take his
"run," they having at last brought
the case to focus. On Tuesday
morning Cowles left the city in
charge of his car, and the detectives
were also passengers on the same
train. Yesterday morning Mr.. Rus
sell received Q dispatch from the de-
tectives stating that they had just
arrested Cowles, in his car near Avo-
ca. 1t is stated that when arrested
Cowles had one Of the decoy letters
in his hand, and others in his pos
session. He made full confession
of all his robberies. The confess
ion will not be made public, but it
is stated that he has been ritling let
ters for years past, and that for seY-
eral weeks he has been stealing let
ters at the rate Of FIFTY a day. He
appears to have exercised little eau.
tion in his operations, and to have
broken into letters by the wholesale
in a perfectly reckless and indis.
crilninate manner. The prisoner
was taken to Des Moines and plac-
ed in Jail.
Elisha Cowles has had an event.
full life, and has seen much trouble
and many changes. He is SO years
old, is a native of New England;
He went from his native State to
Michigan, where he went into bust
ness and amassed much wealth, be-
ing at one time one Of the richest
men in the town in which he lived.
At the time he owned and operated
two large saw-mills, and was pros
pering finely when misfortune came,
and he was twice burned out, losing
each time over $4,000. About
eight years ago he came to Iowa
bought a 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 Colfax. He has q large
family, consisting Of his wife and
nine children, the eldest being q
son 20 years of age.
Cowles has been mail agent on
the Davenport "run" Of the G. r. /.
& p. for seven years; he has always