The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1877-01-18
$4,000 EXPRESS ROBBERY.

was sauntering around in the Garrison
House office, wondering what might
be turned up to good account in the
way of an item to interest the readers
OF this paper. Finally he ran across
al old expressman, an attacho of the
United States Express Company.
He invited the reporter to take a
cigar, and then said:
"Walk up to my room, and while we
smoke will give you an item, that,
perhaps, may interest the readers of
the BaZoo."
Thereporter followed, and found the
room brilliantly lighted, a fire burning
in the stove, and everything exceed.
'ngly inviting and cozy.
''Take this chair,' said the express
man, "While I will lie on this lounge -
he continued.
He first commenced telling some.
thing about the daring exploits of the
Youngers and Jameses, and asked the
question to himself: eff we get all of
these fellows, I wonder if a new band
will spring into existence that will give
us more trouble!''
And then after crossing his legs and
getting in a more easy position. for he
is nervous man, he said.
tt1n 1949, believe it was, the Unit.
ed States Express Company was organ.
lied, and in 1853 we were young and
poor. At that time bankers were in
the habit of shipping gold boxes by
our company.
*'The boxes used for this purpose
were all of a uniform size, and made
of pine-inch and half clear lumber.
The whole box was dovetailed togeth-
er, except the cover, and this, after
the gold was put in, was fastened
down by eight large screws sunk into
the wood. The holes on the top of the
screws were filled with molten sealing
wax, and seal stamped on. There
were besides this, six holes, one
fourth of an inch in diameter, through
the cover. These were also filled with
sealing wax, ond stamped. Thus it
was matter of utter impossibility to
remove the cover without evidences of
it.
''It was in this year, 1853, that our
Company was the victim of The great
robbery Of $4,000 in gold coin, that
filed us with dismay and the country
with establishment. In those days
railroading had not arrived at the per
fection of the present, and especially
in the West, and the means for the de-
lection of crime were not as effective.
But to the robbery:
''It was, as I have said, in the year
1853. Our agent at Dubuque received
from banker there large amount Of
gold coin for the United States SUBJ
treasury in New York. The coin was
packed in boxes as above described,
each box containing $50,000. The
boxes were all carefully sealed, and
every formality required by our COM
pany strictly complied with. At that
time the line from Dubuque to New
York was divided into runs, with re-
lays or messengers. Thus, one mes
senger staged it from Dubuque to the
nearest railway terminal point; at that
place he transferred his charge to an
other messenger who ran to Chicago,
where he was relieved by one who ran
to Detroit; another run was from De.
troit to Buffalo, and the last run from
Buffalo to New York. Of course this
shipment referred to had to pass
through a great many hands before it
was safely deposited at it's destination.
At last the boxes arrived at the SUBJ
treasury. The exact number was de-
livered in good order, every box ex.
actly alike, every box bore the exact
stamps, and every box weighed exact
ly the same. So far, all right.
"But a terrible denouement was in
store for us, for when these boxes
were opened by the proper person, one
of them, instead of containing $50, 900
in gold coin, was filled with lead. You
can imagine the CONSERVATION Of the
officers Of our company at experiencing