Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1878-07-05
THE EXPRESS ROBBERY.
Three Men Guarded the Package
1000 Stolen Prom Under Their
Eyes-A Days InvestIgatiOn-NO So
1nNFnn
Special to the Cleveland Herald.


plete mystifcatiOn and unexcused negl
gence the express robbery perpetrated a
this place on Monday rivals anything here
tofOre heard of. Three men, in broad dsy
light, in the streets of a well populate,
town, undertake to deliver package con
tanning S21, 900 into the hands of an ex
press messenger. They reach their desti
nation undisturbed and unmolested. Eacl
one turns to the other for the package, ant
it has disappeared. No one knows where
No one has seen it since they STARTED. Th
wagon containing two of them drives away
the bell rings. and the train bearing tn,
third starts for its destination. No alarm
is made and the officers and passengers OF
the train are hardly aware that anything
has occurred until twenty miles are passed
and they are told they must be searched
The search reveals nothing aud the matter
is finished. These are briefly the facts,
and further than this absolutely nothing
can be ascertained. Mysterious, certainly,
and if there are not three rsscaIs there are
certainly three supremely negligent men
in Painesville.
S. l.. Titus is the agent for the Amsri-
can Union Express Company at Painesyills.
He has charge of the office, and it Is his
duty to look out for all packages received
at the depot and to deliver them to the per
sons TO whom they are consigned. He has
lived ia Painesville only few years, com
ing from Leroy, o. He is a prominent
member of the Methodist Church, Sun
day school teacher, and often supplies va
cant pulpits. As the train on the P. & Y.
Railroad arrives and departs within very
short period of time, the messenger seldom
has time to 60 to the express office for his
goods, so Mr.. Titus is sometimes required
to accompany the wagon to the depot.
Edward Searles is the driver Of the ex-
press wagon. He has been in the employ
OF the company many years. and though
rough and somewhat uneducated. is never
theless considered honest. T. K. Dixon is
the messenger on the Road, a man probably
sixty years old, an old employe on this
road and generally above suspicion.
Monday morning Mr.. Dixon went over
to the express Office to accompany
the DRYER to the train. On arriving he
found the wagon about ready for the train.
He mounted the box with the driver and
was handed a canvas bag such as carried by
express messengers. Mr.. Titus handed it
to him and told him of IFS contents. for
which he gave receipt. He says he did
not himself see the money but supposed it
was in the bag. The driver, Edward
Searles. got in his place and drove around
to Main street, making one or two stops.
the last being at the Stoekwell House.
Here Titus met the party, having locked
up the Office and intending to accompany
them. As an extra preeaution Mr.. Dixon
says that while at this place package was
taken on the wagon and the satchel pushed !
from the seat on to the floor. Titus jumped !
upon the tail board and the wagon dTeve
off. From this point no one witnessed
what transpired until the arrival at the de- |
pot, which is located some three-quarters
Of mile from the center of the town. |
The road runs some distance through a |
well populated portion Of city. None of
it is at all secluded and nothing could well |
-ranspire that the people might not well |
see. The wagon backed up at the depot |
and Titus and Dixon jumped. Officer
Dixon went to the cars to prepare for the
goods when Titus asked, ''Did you bring a |
Dixon replied, ''No, 1 have not
seen it; it must be in the wagon"
Search was at once made as previously
reported Searles drove back to the Office
and the train started. L. F. McAleer,
of the P & Y. road, was
1t the depot at The time. He says so little
vas said that he supposed the loss was
mall. Dixon told no one of the amount
,r the train would haYe been searched be-
ore leaving. There were only a few pas
engers on the train. Why Dixon made no
more alarm, and took no more pains to
lave general search made, or why the
autious Titus was so anxious TO get back
o his office, subsequent events fail to ex-
lain.
"Was the package showed off the seat
nto Titus hands purposely?' ''Does he
now more than he tells?" "Why was so
title excitement raised over so great
oss?" These were among the hundred
uestions the people asked as they gathered
bout the hotel Tuesday afternoon.
''The money. never left Painssville," !"
aid one gentleman who had examined the
ase pretty thoroughly. and this belief was
eneral. T. K. Dixon, the messenger on
he road, arrived here at A. NJ. from
IiddIefeld. Fl. S. Julien, of the Ameri-
an Company, T. J. Hudson, of Pittsburg,
nd George Bingham, Esq, of the Union
elegraph Company together with detect
re Lawrence, of Cleveland, have been to-
ether in secret conference at the Stock
SAA AOOSC oil Iue HlJnCocOS l
ere examined separately, and the work of
srreting out the crime progresses slowly.
he people are growing impatient at the
clay of the officers, whom they expected
Ould do something very soon. Still, up
} o'clock, there had been nothing done,
nd l am informed that no move will be
lade until morning. Mr. Julien intended
} return to Cleveland tonight, but he met
gentleman at the train, with whom he re-
lrned to the hotel.
Of the few passengers on the. Youngs-
OWN Road who were searched, nothing
as found to lead to any suspicious, and
ley were released.
Mr.. Dixon is very much cast down in
'irits, and, it is said, wept bitterly while
'lating his story to friend with whom
e dined, "Whstever the others are, that
d man is innocent" said Mr.. McAleer.
Western Femlae Seminary. Ok
ford Ohin