New-York tribune., 1877-01-04
MAIL ROBBERS CAPTURED.

DISCOVERY OF AN ORGANlLED BAND.
FIVE PERSONS, INCLUDING DRIVERS OF EXPRESS
AND MAIL WAGONS, ARRESTED IN THIS CITY
CHECKS TO THE AMOUNT OF $4,000 FoUND IN
THE TRUNK OF FEMALE CoNFEDERATE-DE-
TECTION THROUGH THE MEANS ADOPTED FOR
CoNCEALMENT.
For two or three weeks past business firms
and residents Of Philadelphia having transactions Win
persons living in Boston have been greatly excited by
the disappearance OF valuable letters deposited
in the Philadelphia POst-Ofice which never
reached their destination. The complaints reacheu
the Post-Ofice Department at Washington, ana ~ d.
Parker Chief Special Agent in charge OF the Bureau
OF Mail Depredaons with large force OF special detec
tives began an investigation The work Of the detec-
tives was centered the Philadelphia office, and the
transportation OF mails carefully watched on all the
lines leading out of the city, without discovery OF tie
mail robbers.
chance discovery in another quarter gave the first
necessary cew Covering the period OF time ana
beginning several weeks previous to the depredaos at
Philadelphia, PinkertOns Detective Agency In the en-
poy of Dodds Express Company Of this city, was look
ing after several valuable pieces OF baggage
which had been stolen at different times from
the company's wagons One night. about week ago,
Pinkerton's followed two persons whom they had
been shadowing" from house in Prince-st. to the
Office OF the American Express Company at Fonrtnst
and Broadway, where they deposited two pack
ages. Ine Objects sho OAPiSS' "~~
after the men had gone, and communicated their
suspjcion TO the express cOmpanys officials that
the package contained stolen goods. An examination
was made which showed that OF the packages con-
tanned mail bag and the other satche In which were
the stamps and other articles OF mail route agents
outfit. The officers ut once communicated thesc faces u
Special gent Sharres of the Office Department wbo
with Augustus Mas OF the New York carefully
examined the two packages. The mail bag contained
which plainly lnul-
Gated that the bag had been made at YORK. Pennsy
yania for New-York The satchcl contained the work
ing tools Of Route Agent Stevenson who
makes the run from NewYork over the Penn
syvana Railroad. This furnished the alEim-
portant clew, which the FostOnlce officials
and Pnkerton's followed to a successful conclusion
The satchel had been stolen from mail wagon while go
ing from the New-York PcstOice to Jersey City, and
the officers directed their attention to the mail wagons
and their drivers. The first arrest was made on
Tuesday OF a former driver for DOdd's Express
Company, u young man named James Crawford This
was speedily followed by the arrest Of John Kelly the
supposed leader the gang Mary Collins his mistress
and confederate, Clinton Eddy, who appears to have
the tool dupe of the Others and John DE Fres
q driver OF one OF the mail wagons.
A search warrant was obtained and the premises In
Princcs occupied by the Collins were searched
by the officers. accompanied by Night Superintendent
Youmans OF the Post-Oilcc In trunk claimed by the
Dec %. containing checks to the amount of $4,000,
mostly drawn by Philadelphia firms and payable
to the oIder OF persons in Boston. A lar-e
number Of letters found from which the checks had
been distracted. One Of them referred to check ot
80 900 which was mailed from Philadelphia on Dec. 2S.
and which had been presented with forged indOrse-
nent for payment at the Commercial Bank, Phlladel-
phla on Dec 30. This check drawn by Nelson
brothers & Co OF Philadelphia. payable to the order OF
A. j. TillsOn Co. Of Boston. About $1,000 III smaller
hys been madns4 aa
Through the efforts Postmaster James, Chief Special
Agent Parker and Mr.. Sharetts, aided by Pnkcron's
detectives the whole method and extent of the mail rob
berries were unravoled. The last arrested, DE
Fries who had been trusted driver for Dodds Express
Company years. found To be the guilty Ool 0f
the robbers by giving them to the mail bags. Be
coming corrupted By Kelly, he had allowed tine bags TO
be abstraced fIom his wagon between COrtlandtst ana
the P0st-Ofice.
The present developments show that at least three
BAGS this way. Two were through pouches
from Philadelphia to Boston and the third was the YORK,
Pen pouch referred to above. To conceal their depre-
dations carefully possible, the bags were sealed up
III packages ana sent by express to Toronto, Quebec
OswcgO, and other points, addressed 10 ne
titiOns persons, who would never call for them.
In this way all Of the missing bags were lost by
the PosOice officials until tlcr accidental discovery
as detailed The officers still following other clews
which VIII lead urtder developments III day or two.
The arrested confined III Ludlow Street jan
awaiting examination. Kelly has just served term at
Sing sing, and Is n desperate criminal.