The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-09-14
A MYSTERY In LAW.
Curious and Interesting Suit Growing Out
of Mysterious Robbery.


of "A Mysterious Robbery.
Mt Vernon qll.) Cor. st. Louis Republican,
Within few days there will come up
Tor trial in the Circuit Court here GU
riously interesting case, being the suit OF
the Mt. Vernon National Bank against
the Adams Express Company, for Is, 900,
which plaintiffs claim to have delivered
in June last to defendants, for transmits
sion to the Third National Bank of st.
Louis. What has become of this money
is unknown to all save the person who
stole it.
The history of this case, as far as de-
veloped, is as follows: On the 18th OF
June the cashier of the Mt. Vernon Ma
tional Bank counted out Sc, 900 in green
backs and $1,000 in national-bank cum
rency, and, placing the whole in one
package, braced on each side by piece
of heavy pasteboard, securely tied the
same with strong Irvine, the ends and
sides of the bills being, it is said, fully
exposed to view. The package was then
passed over to Noah Johnson, the Presi-
dent of the bank, and Jeremiah Taylor,
Director, who placed upon it an addi-
tional wrapper, tied it with more and
stronger Irvine, and then sealed it.
Not satisfied with this, the bank
officers named gave it second
wrapper, thicker and stronger than
the first, and put on more twlne and
sealing wax. In this apparently-secure
shape the package was returned to the
cashier, Mr. G. d. Ham, who at once
addressed it to the Third National Bank
at st. Louis. 1t was then passed back
to Mr.. Taylor, the Director above
named, who took it to the depot and de-
livered il to Mr.. John L. Saunders, ex-
press agent, taking receipt for the
same. When the westward-bound train
reached Mount Vernon, about half an
hour from the time of this transaction,
the express agent delivered the package
to the express messenger, who in turn
gave his receipt therefor. From this
point the mystery commences. 1t being
after banking hours when the train
reached st. Louis, the package could
not be delivered until 8 next day. 1t
seems, indeed, that it was not until
the afternoon of the following day that
the Third National Bank received it, and
that it was then placed in their safe and
not opened until the next day, the 18th.
1t was this last proceeding that disclosed
the most ingenious robbery recorded III
many day. The money was found to
have disappeared, and in its stead had
been placed a lot of brown wrap
ping-paper cut the size of bank
bills, interlaced all through with tissue
paper, the whole being made to resem-
BILE the size and shape of the original
package as sent to the bank in this city.
The pasteboards were, however, gone,
and the package tied with different twine
from that used by the Mount Vernon
Bank. The inside wrapper was also
gone, though the outside one, with the
address in the handwriting of the cash
Ter of the Mount Vernon Bank, had APP
parently been undisturbed, it requiring
considerable scrutiny to detect any tam
pering with the seals. This is the most
remarkable feature of the affair, and
shows the most consummate skill OF the
hands employed in it.
There are numerous theories advanced
on the subject, but no good purpose
could be served by making newspaper
mention of these on the eve of the trial,
in which the whole matter will be sifted
to the bottom. The Mount Vernon
Bank sues for IS, 600 stolen funds and
for "a, 900 in the way of damages. A
number of prominent lawyers OF Mis-
souri, and illinois are engaged, and the
trial promises to be one of great interest.