The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-09-22
EXPRESS ROBBERIES.
Some Notable Gases Recalled by the Death
of Detective Bangs.

Some Notable Gases Recalled by the Death
of Detective Bangs.
New York Times.
Another famous case was the first great
robbery of the Adams Express Company ar
Montgomery Ala. 1t was in 1858 The
company missed $4,000 in bills from one of
the packages. There were no clew, no suspi-
cions The vice-president, the late E. S.
Sanford. set a careful watch upon the Office
at Montgomery, to ascertain who of the EN-
ployes could have committed the crime, as
1t could not have been done outside Short
ly afterward sealed pouch passed through
Montgomery from a Savannah bank to New
York containing $4,000 When the pouch
reached Montgomery, which was transfer
office, the local agent, Nathan Maroney,
gave receipt for the money to the messen-
ger. But when the pouch reached New
York the package of money was gone, and
square hole, as clean cut as if made by a
razor, was in the side of the bag, concealed
from the public view by the outer pocket of
the pouch. At first it was supposed that this
was the work ola messenger. Each of a
dozen messengers was examined, questioned
and watched. But to no purpose Finally,
Mr.. Bangs went to the Georgia bank and had
another parcel made exactly the same size as
the missing one The bag was then produced
and the package would not pass through the
hole. 1t must therefore have been taken
from the pouch before it was sealed at Mont
gomery. The only man that had access to it
was Maroney, who, up to this Time had
borne an excellent character for sobriety,
propriety and frugality. Nothing was said
to him of the suspicious but he was watched.
A detective secured employment in the Office
and a female detective entered his house as a
dress-maker. But in spite of the watch moth
ing important was ascertained 1t was learned,
however, that he had bet heavily upon horse
races and was part owner in a race-horse;
but there was nothing eliminating in that.
Fortunately, the bank had the denomination
of nearly all the bills in the forty-thousand-
dollar package, and Maroneys expenditures
were carefully traced but none of the stolen
money was found. Finally, within few
months he left the employ of the company
and began travelling. A detective kept close
watch of his movements. He spent money
freely, but none of the missing wealth could
be discovered In the meantime he sent his
young wife to Jenkinville, Pa. where she
had relatives. The late Kate Warren, the
chief Of the female department of the
agency was sent to board at the same
house. Finding none of the stolen money,
Bangs became convinced that Maroney
had stolen both packages and was now
using the proceeds OF the $4,000 robbery,
and was saving the $4,000 for future use.
After following him for several weeks Mr..
Bangs thought it safe to arrest him on a
civil action 10 recover the money which it
was alleged had been lost through his care
lessness. This was done in New York and
he was lodged in the Ludlow-street jail. A
month before detective was also thrown
into the prison on a charge of debt. This
officer soon ingratiated himself in Maroney's
favor, and in five months succeeded in get
ting out OF him the statement that he had q
large sum of money. On a plea of being
able to assist him to fortune through cot
ton speculations, the detective obtained a
note from him to his wife telling her to give
him book, y which Maroney had pre-
viously explained to her meant the
package of money According
the arrangements the detective
Mrs. Maroney on a lonely country
at night, but the wife had consulted
her uncle, who was acquainted with
theft, and refused to give up the 'bool
The detective urged her so strongly, no
ever, that she concluded to ask the adviC
of her female friend. This advice, it is need
lass to add secured the money to the officer
Only $500 had been taken from the parcel.
Maroney was subsequently taken to Mont
gomery and convicted. He did not know
however, of the evidence against him or the
recovery of the money until the officer
walked into the courtroom and took the
witness chair.
The great Adams express robbery at Cos
Cob bridge, on the New Haven road. when
5000, 900 was taken, was entirely under the
supervision of Mr. Bangs who recovered
nearly the entire amount He also planned
the working of the discovery of the Mollie
Mcguire plots, and it was through the fer
tility of his genius that the perpetrators were
brought to the ga1ows.