The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-08
THE ADAMS EXPRESS ROBBERY.

THE ADAMS EXPRESS ROBBERY.
HOW THE CRIME WAS COMMITTED AND THR
PERPETRATORS DISCOVERED
superintendent WalIing and the detectives we're
engaged yesterday in bunting ~ tine details OF the
recent robbery commit ed on the Adams Express
Company. Three men, Daniel Hovey, a driver;
John Sweeney, cAarK, and James Drew, said TO be
implicated In the theft, are now In confinement at
the Central once. and the police endeav0ring
TO obtain from them information that Will lead to
the recovery Of all the property taken. The rob-
berry Is said TO have been committed sunday,
the oath ut., ana the amount taken In the neigh
borhood OF 100000. On That day Hovey and
Sweeney went to Jersey City to take charge OF
some sales containing bonds and money packages
that had arrived there from tie country.
METHOD OF THE ROBBERY
The express agent who had accompanied the
safes on the train handed them over to these men.
There were In all nineteen boxes. and they were
supposed to contain packages OF money and other
vauables sent from the various agencies through
out the Southern States to the central ONCE in
this city. One OF these boxes was placed in charge
OF the agent at Richmond, Va. and he in turn
transferred 1t with the others to HOvey and
Sweeney, and the superstition is that 1t was
given by them to the man Drew, on the way from
Jersey City TO New York, as 1t was not delivered
at Its proper destination with tue other Safes
Hovey signed the agents receipt book, at Jersey
CITY, for nineteen saes and Obtained receipt in
his own book OF the ONCE IN New York for the
although mad was ouv after dr.
hvered eighteen. He managed to receive
the receipt from MIR. sullivan, VINO Was
in charge OF the receiving department at the
over. In the hurry OF business Mr.. sullivan did
not detect the deception, ana was enabled TO
throw the immediate responsibility from himself
On-the following Monday morning. when 1t was
discovered that the sale from Richmond was not
stltuted, but no trace OF
THR MISSING BOX
could be found. HOvey sIOuty maintained he had
delivered 1t at the ONCE, and presented MS re-
celpJ book IN proof OF MIS- correctness The agent
at Jersey CITY was satisfied he mad passed 1t over
with the others, and so the matter rested, the
case causing the greatest CONSERVATION ana mys
terry among All tho % employed at the once. Next
day Mr.. Hoey, the manager, called III the ser
wees Of private detective agency, Dmt they
beng unable to cope with the di1lcultiei
OF the Case 1t was handed over 10 the regular
police. The private detectives had QUESTIONED
HOvey, Sweeney and Sullivan, but could get moth
ing satisfactory rom them. hovey presented MS
che c4-b0ok before, and held That ne could not
be looked on responsible IN view OF that. "
hso been ascertalned, however. That ne was living
IN an extravagant manner up town, and that drew
the private detectives left Cd. they arrested
Hovey and sweeney, trusting through this "a
Fortunately their CALCULATIONS were not altogether
| out oil the way; ior the next oay
| A LARGE PARCEL OF BONDS
was handed them by poor woman, whose child
| found them IN the street These bonds HAD un-
douotedly been given by one oi the men to wo
| man, and she, tearing the possession OF tnem
would arag her into me trouble, disposed OF tnem
in that way. The police Immediately turned
! sagacI0us, and PRETENDED they mad uneartned
! them alter u great deal OF intrigue and laDor.
Once under lock and Key 1t was easy TO bring u
! light NUMBERS of Things TO hovey's disadvantage.
| He was known to be gamoer, and had Is was
| was said, gwen ST. 900 In money to II certain wO
man on the night Of the roUDery. 1t was SHOWN
/
called for examination by the private detectives ne
resigned ms position IN Inc express COMPANY,
the ponce wisely pretend Is positive assurance
that they have The right persons. The most pro
found,secresy Is main tanned, and nothing but thu
incessani cOmings and g0tngs OF the Superintend
ent 0etrays the Importance OF the matter on land
At first the prisoners were placed Ia different sta
ton houses that no one should suspect then
arrest. Their houses were tnen searched, bui
| was considered advisable to transfer them to tn,
Central once, SO that the Superintendent could
COMMUNICATE FREELY
with them, ana Friday night they were taker
there In charge OF three o. the detectives. Al
were satisfied were the purloners Of the sale, tnei
could not show any evidence that pointed directly
S pse nor snty
make 1t appear, ON the case, but so far no evt
dence has come to light SIX OF the best detec
mand we're entrusted with the working up OF the
details, but they were apparently not sufficient u
the Superintendents opinion, so he went to WORT
himself, seeming TO have no confidence IN am
ability outside his own.
1t was rumored yesterday that second package
OF bonds had been discovered ON saturday nign,
and that the woman whom HOvey appears to nave
been living with Wa arrested. but the actions Oh
the police give no color to the story On SATURDAY
tue sister and mother of one OF the prisoners
| called ON superintendent waning and asked to Jo
allowed to see the prisoners, but they were re-
fused the privilege. They then went and consulted
A. Oakley Hall, their counsel, and he sent
| them back with demand that the prisoners
| should he at once taken before magistrate and
arraigned, as the law required. SuperineenaenI
that nc had compiled with the law, and elt secure
on that point.
| have been put into circulation about the amount
contained the lost sale, out IL Is almost certain IL
held no more 5000 00O much oil this was In Sc
! cnrities that cannot now be put upon the market.
and OF course are OF no value TO the thieves. The
theories the police mat The safe was taken from
the wagon between Jersey CITY ana New YORK, or
delivered at some point between those two PAGES
by uoyey are undOuD .edy the correct ones but the
bunging OF the police has made successful work
ing up OF the case now out OF the question. Hovey
safe ana ITS contents without accompllces, and
these were the men the police should have eh-
deayored TO discover That they were
EXPERIENCED CRIMINALS
there can he no doubt, and that the largest share
OF the proceeds OF the ROBBERY should be found with
them was more than evident Hovey sweeney
and Drew n allowed to run under surveillance
would nave been sure TO reveal the Others and the
police would tren have succeeded In cntrappIng
| the entire gang. They would likewise have Sc
| cured some evidence and would have been en-
titled 10 commentator rom the public. lever
! oil arrest Is one OF superintendent Wallings great
est faults as policeman and another Is gong IN =
To cases OF tDs Kind a de ectIvc instead OF re-
tanning his POSITION at the head OF the department..
II King, Lyons. TITUS, Elder, Macdougal and Silleck
done In the present ance, the superintendent
would be little use the superintendent OF
Police has enough 70 do In carrying on the proper
administration OF his Office. ana The entire depart