Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-02-01
Express Messenger Brady Club
bed and Robbed.
He is DecOyed Into a Basement Office
Where the Robbers Relieve Him
Of Between $4,000 and $4,000
1.-THE Way the Work Was
Done by Professionals.

rehung the othce in the basement of No.
IL Madison street. The young man
that he wanted to open a stock
company. The Office was
rented to him at fifty d ollars per month,
In advance, with the pr ivilege Of keeping
1t one year at the same rate. The Office
is a very public one, immediately east Of
the banks, and extends back to a
blind alley in rear of the First National
Bank. The young MAI paid the fifty
dollars and received the key. The office
had formerly been occupi ed by Mr.. Gay,
of our city, and It contained a lot of
Office furniture which rem aimed there.
II STOCK BUSINESS.
Since the 18th the rento r had not, to
all appearances, commene ed business.
DE had possession, and Sc emed to be
attempting to purchase the fixtures and
furniture. Several times he made offers
for the desks, etc. but no, trade was
made. The young gpeculi Itor did not
seem to have any partner, but appeared
to be going on his W hook, making
haste slowly preparatory to making a
grand coup by bulling and. bearing the
stock market, and getting Hp corner
on live stock, known as expr ess messen-
gers. Last Saturday the stock Office
appeared with green paper ( linds on the
window and glass door, whic h prevented
anybody looking in from tn street, but
not materially affect the, operations
on within. Midway down the.
office a counter ran across, land back Of
this a window led out into the private
alley which opened on Center alley.
THE FIRST SPECULATION.
This morning express me ssenger Jas.
received a lot Of express money
packages for private persons, the bank
packages being separated from them
and delivered to another messenger.
the money pacl cages placed in
Mr.. Bradys carpet.sack was one de.
as follows: "Fr ON Collierville,
Tennessee. Package containing check
for 800. For RoSert Bleckley, No. Is
Madison street, basement" 1t must be
that two days express
packages are delivered on Mondays, and
had Mr.. Brady the bank packages be
would in all probability have gone 10
No. Is Madison first, before he reached
tue banks Immediately vest along both
sides Of Madison street. Mr.. Brady
started on his rounds about nine o'clock
AID reached Madison street, where he
was seen descending the stone steps that
lead to the door Of basement No. Is. 1t
must have been nearly thirty minutes
when he reappeared and was discovered
with a bloody sack over his head, a rope
around his neck and in a terribly bruised
condition.
MR.. BRADYs STATEMENT.
The express messenger went down
and into the den known as the office of
the Stock Insurance Company. He saw
three negroes lying or lounging around
in front of tho counter, and inside the
counter two white men, who appeared to
be engaged in business. Walking up to
the counter, he placed his carpetbag and
express book on it and asked for Mr..
Robert Bleckley who, on appearing, an
Swered the usual questions, as to his ex.
p%ecting a valuable package from Collier.
vile, and from whom, etc. This being
satisfactory, Mr.. Brady presented the
(decoy package) and opened his receipt
book for the purpose of securing Mr..
BleckleY's autograph. While so doing
Mr.. Brady leaned on the counter, and in
an instant a negro seized his arms, an.
other threw a sack over his head, while
a third struck him with a club which
knocked him down, and their
repeated blows rendered him in
sensible. A rope was tied around his
neck, and he was left for dead. The
robbers emptied the oarpet-bag of its
contents, which is believed to have con-
tanned packages valued at between five
and eight thousand dollars. They left
the carpet-bagiand club, and walking out
the back window, fastened it. About this
time, a negro wearing a light colored
coat, wal seen running up Center q LEY
toward Court street. He was continually
looking back, as if apprehending arrest.
Mr.. Brady on recovering from insensi-
bilitys crawled to the front door, opened
itand gave the alarm. He was conducted
to the Office OF the Express Company,
and after making his statement and
describing the robbers as we'll as he could,
was conveyed home. The scalp is cut
some six inches on top of the head, bad
cuts appear on the head over each TEN.
pie, and another blow fell upon his face.
He is seyerely and dangerously wounded.
The club used is a piece of fresh.cut
aud peeled sapling, about eighteen inches
in length, neatly trimmed with a Ratchet,
and one end Of it twisted and knotted, it
being the end near the root. The weapon
weighs abont five pounds and presents a
most formidable appearance. The heavy
end Of it is covered with blood, The
sack, which is saturated with blood, ID an
ordinary punny.b bag, markad In rod ;nL