The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-10-07
A CUNNING. STAGE-DRIVER.
He Robs a Mail Pouch and Elopes With
Woman--Bafiing the Detectives.


1t was nearly year ago, says the Sar
Francisco Chronice, when the mail agents
connected with the Overland stage route
were completely puzzled by robbery
which, leaving no clue IN its wake, baffied
the shrewdest detectives and le # Meth.
er train nor track for the special agents
OF the Government to follow. A mail
pouch containing valuable drafts, gold
dust greenbacks was dispatched from
Portland to San Francisco, but did not
arrive. 1t was expected and looked for.
inquiries were instituted, rigid measures;
were taken to discover its whereabouts,
| but all efforts to find the missing pouch
were fruitless. 1t had disappeared. The
robbery and the utter darkness which
| enveioped it We're fruitful themes of con-
lecture and surnise, and the topic was
worn threadbare by the people round
about. As other subjects arose, engyoss-
ing their immediate attention, the theme
OF the robbery would be dropped, only
to be revived again with the same inter
est. The affair found its way into the
columns OF the press, from which vao11e
nsinuations commenced to emanate to
the effect that the agents of the Post
Office Department knew more regarding
the robbery than they were willing to
divulge. A political canvass was then
pending, and hints began to be dropped
here and there by the press that the
missing pouch was enacting prominent
role in the farce of politics. The news
paper criticism was incisive and impel-
led by its sting, the agents renewed
their efforts to recover the missing pouch
About this time it was by chance observ-
ed that one of the parties on whom SIS.
picion had arrested had left fer parts
unknown. He was Dan Smith. one of
the stage drivers. 7. was known that
he had been accompanied on his heoira
by the wife Of one Montgomery. Here
was a clue, slight, but nevertheless a
clue. The authorities reasoned that a
man who would take another mans wife
would not hesitate to plumber a mail
pouch, and by inquiry speedily ascer-
tanned that Dan Smith had been dis
charged, and for overturning a coach.
The ground where the vehicle was upset
was carefully examined, and the concIu-
sion was that the coach was overturned.
not through accident, but by design.
The clue increased i'll plainn ess and was
briskly followed up. AS driver Smith
was an expert, and the best whip on the
route. The overturning of the coach
was evidently by design, as a mere child
could have driven the coach over the
ground with no danger of overturning.
There was but one, and a ready infer
ence: Smith upset the coach as a pre-
text for being discharged in order that
he might leave the country. Special
Agent Underwood, knowing that Mont
gomery had been intimate with Sp1ith.
and reasoning that Montgomery, if he
had anything pertaining to the affair to
disclose, would readily do so in a spirit
OF revenge for Smiths treachery, inter
viewed him. The result was gratifying
IL an unexpected degree. Montgomery
confessed that Smith had stolen the
mail-pouch and was the guilty man.
After carrying it for several days in his
feed sack Smith rifed its contents. filed
it with stones and sunk it in the Umpqua
River. Acting upon the confession, the
bed of the stream adjacent to the stage
road was carefully searched and the
longmissing mail-pouch found. It was
opened, and contained, besides portion
of the valuables, q striking illustration
Of love of Californian for hard coin
and his contempt for paper money. The
bag of gold dust, amounting in value to
$4,000, was nowhere to be found: but
all of the drafts and roll of greenbacks
were regained intact. Smith and his
paramour were tracked to San Francisco
and very soon Special Agent Underwood
arrived and registered under az assumed
name at the Russ House. With the as
sistance Of Special Agent Alexander, of
California, vigorous plans of pursuit
were adopted. The telegraph was put
in requisition, and it was astertained
that the fleeing Dan had gone to Salt
Lake, from thence to Iowa, and finally
to Philadelphia, where it was subsequent
ly ascertained he had disposed of the
bag of gold-dust. By this time special
agents and detectives of every State were
hot upon the robbers track. But as
Dan had been cunning before, he was
wary and suspicious now. He suspect
ed that that invisible phantom, the de-
tective, was shadowing him, and he
"sloped for Texas Special Agent
Stuart, Of Iowa, and Underwood fol-
lowed closely and swiftly behind, and
finally at Sequin, Guadaloupe County,
Tex, overhauled Smith and his para
mour, who had 50 long defed capture.
A dispatch was yesterday received from
Underwood at the Railway Mail Services
office. stating that he would arrive in
SanF1aLcisco this evening with his pris-
oners. Smith, whose real name is Ham
llton, came to this coast from Iowa.
His object In carrying the mail pouch
for nearly week without opening it,
previous to his flight was, that if he
could get ''run" with no passengers
he could then have an opportunity of
abstracting the desired plumber alone
and in safety. He never succeeded in
obtaining the 'sempty rum but finally
one night, while his solitary passenger