The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-01-04
MAIL THIEVES CAPTURED.
SHARP DETECTIVEs STUMBLE ON a
SYSTEMATIC ROBBERY.
How the Mail Wagons have been stopped on
the WAY to the Post Once by an Organized
band OF Robbers-Fivs Persons Arrested.

hand OF Robbers-Fivs Persons Arrested.
Postmaster James Special Officers Parker
| and Sharratt, Robert Pinkerton, the detective,
@. II. Bangs. the chief OF his stan, and A. 8.
Dodd, the proprietor Of Dodds Express, have
spent a busy week In planning the capture Of as
many as they could OF the members OF a we'll
organized gang that has robbed the mails and
the express COMPANY for months past. Toward
the close OF the International Exhibition, when
the business done by tue railroad and ex-
press companies between this city and
Philadelphia WAS moro enormous than
had ever been transacted, there were
frequent reports OF stolen aud missing
| baggage. A commercial travellers trunk. con-
tanning samples OF cutlery valued at $1,000. and
two other trunks containing clothing had been
stolen. Tho trunks containing the clothing
closely rcsembled sample trunks. A notorious
person named John Kelly, who, less than three
years ago, served a term In prison for securing
baggage from Dodd's Express by forged express
checks, was frequently seen In the neighbor
mood OF the Desbrosses street depot. and was
believed to be one Of the principals engaged In
the robberies.
Shortly after these pieces were lost three men
attempted, by means " "a forged check, to OBJ
tain piece OF baggage which had been deliv-
cred to tho Hudson River ilroad Company by
Dodd's Express. The description Of the false
claimants, as given by the baggage men at the
Hudson River Depot. confirmed MIR. Dodd in the
belief that Kelly was concerned In the robber-
les. 1t was also evident that an employee OF
the express company was cod, Grating with the
thieves. A strictwatch was Kept on the EN- ployees
and on Kelly and his coDfederates. The assist
ence OF detectives was then obtained. and
during November and December the men were
closely snadowed dav and night.
On Friday last two of these men with packages
ca, Express Company at Fourth street.
One of the parcels contained mail bag.
Agency, notified Special O6icer sharrait, who
took an expert with him. amt opened tho par
GELS; The mail bag was was i5und o to have have
9sS YSre ssn' on Dece%ber te% G5N e. ' had BEEN
cut open. and contained many mutilated letters
package contained a satchel belonging to Route
Agent stevenson. IL contained all the para
phernaa for marking aud rating letters. These
two packages were wrapped up carefully. the
mall bag being addressed to George Pimbleton
osweqo, n. V. and the sntchel to WIN. +. Ha-
vens. Oswego. Both are fictitious names.
Fortified with this infofmation, detective
oniesrs assisted by Police Qnicer Blackwood.
arrest Of James Craw ford. VINO was formerly
an employee of Dodd's Express Company. and
they arrested Jonn Kelly. May Jane Collins,
and Clinton Eddy, who is the son of the late
sctor named John QUINN who ran away when
the arrest was made: were arrested In Sln-
Prince street, On n police warrant issued by
Justice NY. Robert Pinkerton. Ohicer Black.
tho New York Post once. searched Miss Col
iins's premises and found in her trunk large
number Of mutilated letters which had been
mailed at philadelphia on the 2Sth OF Decem-
ber, and which contained checks amounting to
about $4,000. Among the letters were number
In which checks had been enclosed, but the
checks were missing. One of these letters
referred to once-enclosed check for q 200.
mailed by Nelson Bros. X Co., and addressed 10
N
Decembe that same check was presented at
| the Commercial Bank of Pniladelphia aud paid
on a forged endorsement. The party VINO
presented the check said that ne desired 1t to
be paid In one hundred and IN ffty-dolar bills,
which were given to him.
The men who were arrested denied all knowl
edge Of how these letters found their way into
OF Chief Special Agent ID. li. Parker and Special
Agent Snsrratt. Postmaster james, and the de-
tectves, revelations were obtained which threw
great light upon the matter. aud disclosed the
modus operandi of the thieves.
he mode OF working adopted by the robbers
was a. follows John De freest driver Of one
OF Dodd's express wagons, was intercepted by
Kelly aud Crawford while driving through the
streets from the Jersey city ferry TO the New
York Post Once. These men by his connivance
took the mail bags from the wagon. on three
different occasions they took Two through
pouches from Philadelphia to Boston. and one
from York. Pa, to New York, the latter being
the bag found at the express Office The other
bag, have not been found. but II has since been
discovered that one has been sent to Toronto
and the other to Quebec, Canada.
DE Freest has been in the employ of the L
press company for ten wears. and fifteen months
ago when the crvers were watched and six
were arrested by the Post ONCE Department.
no suspicion attached to him. lie was arrested
yesterday when he came to the Post Once in
his wagon.
For months past the business pc ople Of Phila-
delphil had been complaining of their losses
through the mails, and there was such excite
ment that several special agents were detail ed TO
that city to make thorough investigation. Ihey
watched the progress Of the mails In Ihilaiel-
phia. anu even along the railroads leading from
tn re, although they believed the robberies
were being committed in the city. In the mean
time. great number OF checks that had been
mailed 10 Boston were Presented at tho Phili-
delphia banks. and paid on forged indorseme ents.
The payments are known to have amounted to
at least $4,000.
Tho prisoners, Crawford. Miss Collins. Kelly,
Eddy, and DE Ffeest, were taken 10 Ludlow
street Jiil last evening. Inc officers searched
the premises at l65 Greene street, which Craw-
ford frequented, but nothing " "a found there.
Yet more important developments are anticipat-
ed by the officers.