Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-11-24
THAT $4,000
Robbery in Ge0rgia-Tke Ever-VigiIanf
and EyeF-faithfuI Southern EX-
press Company, with Bull
dOG-Iilxe Tenacity. still
on the Track OF the
Thief.

Augusta (Ga.) EUening News: "Robberies
the most daring and losses the most mysteri-
GUS have, from time to time, been recorded,
worked up and solved, but it has renamed
for this month to furnish case unparalleled,
either for boldness of execution, mystery in
the deed, or both combined. The Southern
express company and authorities have dealt
with robberies and ferreted out mysteries and
always have, sooner or later, succeeded; and
now the best efforts of the company will be
used to probe to the bottom the mystery
twenty-five thousand dollars, which
occurred on the morning Of the
fifth instant. Publicity has not been given
to the facts before on account of the search
which has been going on, and the hope on
the part Of the authorities to get clue to
the loss. On the morning or during the
night of the fifth, a package consigned by
George w. Williams IL Co., of Charleston,
to Reaves & Nicholson, of Athens, was re,
celVed at 1emaSsee by Walter H. Lynch, ex-
press messenger on the Port Royal train
This package, with others, he says, he placed
on chest In his car, and between Yemassee
and Early Branch, six miles distant, he
checked off his waysbill, including the lost
package. He says he placed the smaller
bundles in the safe, overlooking the lost
and lying on the chest, Before reaching
Early Branch the package was missed,
and the messenger says that
it must have dropped from the
car, as no one could have entered the
car without his seeing them. Instead of hav-
ing the train stopped and going back for the
package, 1t seems that he informed no one,
and the train arrived in Augusta at forty
minutes past six o'clock in the morning. Mr.
Lynch, in making transfers with the messen-
gers at Augusta, made no allusion to his less,
and instead OF giving the Vaybill for the
twenty FIVE thousand dollars, and checking
so much short to the Georgia railroad mes
senger, he kept the way-bill in his pocket
Coming to the express Office, he reported as
usual and left, still making no allusion to his
companions Of the accident. Going home, he
casually remarked to his wife that he had lost
package, and coming back to the Office at
ten O'Clock, told his loss to Colonel NJ }.
O'Brien, the general superintendent of the
express company. In ten minutes thereafter
Colonel O'Rrien was negotiating for spe-
cial ear, and accompanied by Mr.. Lynch,
he was soon On his way to look for the
package, showing dispatch and
energy characteristic of a man who
knew the business and would 90 to the
bottom facts. The search was fruitless, and
through the courtesy of Colonel O'Brien, Mr..
Lynch remained, together with Spperintend
ent Dempsey, Mr.. M. j. Mays and others,
and the whole country was searched for the
package, but all to no effect. These efforts
falling. and Mr.. Lynch persisting in his story
no action has as yet been taken but civil pro-
cess-that is, the package having been lost
and the messenger not turning it over on de-
mand, and in default of bond for twice the
amount of money lost. which Is fZed b. law,
he was sent to ;Gil. ais arrest was effected
yesterday on his return from Yemassee. MIR.
Lynch has heretofore borne an irreproacha-
bic character, and was known as q quiet,
honest man. He had occupied the position
of cashier IN the Office, which, being abol-
isned, left only the position of messenger
open, and he has been for some time running
on the road. He wss .ather stern or rough
in manner, and was known as very ex-
acting and particular with each item
of business, and very particular in his
bills and packages, He persists in mis- story,
and seems very Indifferent, not only as re-
CARDS the loss and its responsibility, but ap-
peared to take no interest or offer much as
sistance in the search. The sudden change
in the character of man usually so exacting
is remarkable, and the strangest part of the
affair is, that, losing the package, he did not
stop the train and look for it, as the train
authorities say they would have waited had