Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-01-03
FEMALE INGENUITY.
How Dudley, tile Mail Robber. was
Caught.

Leader, may be of interest to our read
ers who have followed the history Of |
the dOings and capture of Wales and /
Dudley for rObbing the mail trains of
the Lake Shore road:
4 story Is now told in connection
with the ferreting out Of Dudley that
makes quite interesting reading,
whether it's true or not. This Is what
it IS IN substance; The detectives had
been for months IN search Of Dudley
before thasr ts-r-- r,l-l--vr-rI &C s,ct
definite trail. He had been half over
the country, but he covered up his trad
So well. by means Of his aliases, that
he bafficd the detectives to keep
track Of him. 1t last, however,
they ascertained that he was somewhere
about Boston, and two or three weeks
were spent by the detectives IN the en-
deayor to find him, without effect. Il
being known that Mrs. Dudley has Sis
ters living here, II was at once cOniect-
urcd that there were some correspond
ence going on between them. The de-
Iective stationed at the PittsbUrg
PostofIice was instructed TO keepwdtch,
so that. should any of Mrs. Dudley's
relations mail any letters, the address
upon them could be seen, and IN this
manner the alias Of Dudley could he
discovered. None Of the family came
to the pOstolfce. however. but this only
gave rise 10 the belief that the cores
pondence was carried on clandestinely.
Then a new plan was hit upon. Ihe
services Of n female detective from
/ Pinkerton's agency at Chicago were Sc
cured To enIclvOr u discover this cor
reSpOndence. What occurred then Is
thus told: The female detective took
rooms az the St. Clair Hotel. giving
publicity u the statement that she was
waiting for her husband-a wealthy
merchant from the West-to JOIN her,
preparatory to Journey to the East.
Knowing that Miss Alice Sheridan,
Mrs. Dudley's sister. T'es engaged at
store On Market street. Mrs. Holton, as
the detective called herself, visited the
establishment and sought out Miss
Sheridan, who waited upon her at diff
| fcrent times while she made extensive
| purchases. Mrs. HoltOn was free with
her money at the store, and at the same
time, with all the adruitness of her pro-
| fcssiOn, ingratiated herself INTO the
favor of the girl. During the follow
ing two weeks BlVs. HoltOn and Miss
| Sheridan became quite intimate, attend
cd church together ON Sunday,
aad occasionally visited each 9TH
er for the night. The dctete
tive became weil accustomed TO Miss
Sberidan's habits; found what time she
| took to herself. and what was devoted
exclusively to the store, and watched
constantly for letters that came 10 her
or were written. One day she dropped
into the stcsc Just rs Miss Sheridan
was going ont. She Joined the young
, lady. and the two walked down to Penn
avenue. and uD tha. thOroughfare 10
Ninth street where Miss Sheridan de-
posted three letters IN the corner box.
! As soon as possible afterward Mrs.
Holton separated from her companion,
and hastened to the Postofice, satisfied
! in her mind that her work was accom-
plished: not losing sight of the fact
| that the Penn and Ninth street box
must have been chosen as the deposit
tory Of the letters for some special rea-
| son-others being 50 much more con-
yerient. At the Postofice, Col.
Stewart, then Postmaster, was in
formed of tho fact that the
letters had been dropped, and at
! once sent carrier 10 remove the con-
tents from the box, Twelve or fourteen
letters were brought in to his private
Office, but the detective with almost IN
| tuitive knowledge picked cut the three
without an iustaI,t's hesitation. One
was additsscd to Mr. Purcell. Boston,
Mass. Under permission obtained from
the Rpstmaster-Gene this letter was
opened aud found to he from Miss
Sheridan To Mrs. Dudley. informa-
tipnNaia once + irward, b Col. Eld--
ridge. who proceeded to Boston, and
with detective help frOm those who had
! bcUn stationed here, waited at the Post
! o.lice fr MIR. Purcell 10 call for the let
! tens which had been properly forward
cd after being read. The remainder IF
the story was told at the trial, how,
when Mr.. Purcell c-I.-, he denIcd ms
/ irde4tity until confronted with Mr..
| LOOMS, but until now the means Of
discovery have not been givenpu5hciy,
"WHAT COMES a9.r IL" asked teacher
Of a small pupil who was learning the a.
| phaber. lie received tlIc bewiiderins reply
| You dO-to see "Lize.'