The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1875-11-09
A STOLEN MAIL PouUm.
Remarkable Cumming OF an oregon
stage Driver.

II was nearly a year ago (says the
San Francisco Ch.oniclej when the
mail agents connected with the over
land stage route were completely puz-
zled by robbery which, leaving no
clew in its wake, baffisd the shrewdest
detectives. and left neither trail nor
track for the special agents OF the gov
ernment TO follow. A mail pouch con-
tainining valuable drafts, and gold
dust, was dispatched from Portland TO
San Frrncisco, but did not arrive. 1t
was expected and looked for, inquiries
were instituted, rigid measures were
taken to discover its whereabout, but
all efforts to find the missing pouch
were fruitless. 1t had disappeared.
The robbery and the utter darkness
that surrounded it were fruitful themes
of conjecture and surprise, and the top
ic was worn thredbare by the people
round about. As other subjects arose
engrossing their immediate attention,
the theme OF the robbery would be
dropped, only to be revived again with
the same intesest. The affair found
its way into the columns of the press,
from which vague insinuations COM
menced to emenate, to the effect that
the agents OF the Postoffice Depart
ment knew more regarding the robbery
than they were willing to diyulge. A
political canvass was then pending, and
hints began to be dropped here and
there by the press that tho missing
pouch was enacting a prominent role
in the farce Of politics. The newspa-
per criticism was incisive; and impell-
cd by its sting the agents renewed their
efforts to recover the missing pouch.
BY this time it was by chance discover
ed that one OF the parties on whom sus-
picion had rested had left for parts un-
known. He was Dan Smith, ono OF
the stage drivers. 1t was known that
he had been accompanied on his hcgira
by the wife of one Montgomery. Here
was cue. Slight, but nevertheless
clue. The authorities reasoned that a
man who could take another mans
wife would not hesitate to plumber
mail pouch, and by inquiry speedily
aseertained that Dan Smith had been
discharged, and for overturning a coach
The ground where the vehicle was up
set was carefully examined, and the
conclusion was that the coach was over
turned not through accident, but by
design. The clue increased in plain
ness, and was briskly followed up. As
q driver Smith was an expert, and tho
best whip on the route. The overturn-
ing Of the coach was evidently by de-
sign, as mere child could have driv-
en- the coach over the ground with no
danger OF overturning. There was but
one and ready inference; Smith up
set the coach as q pretext for being
discharged in order to leave the coun-
TRIP, special Agent Underwood, know
ing that Montgomery had been init
mate with Smith, and reasoning that
Montgomery, if he had anything per-
tanning to the affair to disclose, would
readily do SO in spirit OF revenge for
Smiths treachery, interviewed him.
The result was gratifying in IN unepect-
ed degree.
Montgomery confessed that Smith
hid stolen the mail pouch and was the
guilty man. After carrying it for sew
eral days in his feed sack, Smith rifed
its contents, filed it with stones, and
sunk it in the Umpqua River. Acting
upon this confession, the bed OF the
stream adjacent to the stage road was
carefully searched and lifelong missing
mail pouch found. 1t was opened and
contained, besides a portion of the val
uables, striking illustration of the
love Of California for hard money and
his competent for paper money. The
bag OF gold-dust, amounting in value
to 1900, was nowhere to be found:
but all of the drafts and roll of green
backs were regained intact. Smith and
his paramour were trackedto San Fran
cisco, and very soon Special Agent Un-
derwood arrived and registered at the
Russ House under and assumed name.
With the assistance OF Special Agent
Alexander, of California, vigorous
plans OF pursuit were adopted. The
Telegraph was put in requsition, and
it was ascertained that the fleeing Dan
had gone TO Salt Lake, from thence to
Iowa, and finally to Philadelphia, where
il was subsequently ascertained that he
had disposed of the gold-dust. By
this time special agents and detectives
OF ever State were hot on the track of
the robber. But as Dan had been cum
ming before, he was wary and suspic-
ious now. He suspected that that ter
rible, invisible phantom, the detective,
was shadowing him, and "sloped for
Teas" Special Agent Smart, of Iowa,
and Underwood followed closely and
swiftly behind, aud finally at Sequin,
Gaudaloupe county, Texas, overhauled
Smith and his paramour, who had so
long defied capture. Smith, whose
real name is Hamilton, came to this
coast from Iowa. His object in carry
ing the mail pouch for nearly week
without opening il previous to his
fight was, that il he could get "run"
with no passengers, he could then have
an opportunity of abstracting the de-
sired plunder alone and in safety. He
never succeeded in obtaining the
empty rum" but finally one night,
while his solitary passenger was sleep
ing at station, entered tho barn aud
abstracted the gold-dust unseen. vse
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