The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-03
TIE ADAMS EXPRESS ROBBERY.
No Clew to the Missing Package-John W.
OIlara Arrested on Suspicion.

There were no new Developments yesterday
giving any additional information concerning
the strange disappearance of the Adams Elk
press Company money package containing
$500. II now seems Improbable that it win be
found in any of the packages-in one of which
it was supposed that it might have been inciosed
by mstake-sent out the same evening that the
money was lost as the express company has
been unable to obtain any trace Of it at any
point
Yesterday afternoon, John w. OHara, the
young man who had charge of the package at
the time it was lost, was placed under arrest
by Superintendent LANCE on a warrant sworn
out by Manager Henderson, charging him with
grand larceny. He had been under the sur
vigilance of a special officer at the Denison
House, to which he manifested no unwillingness
TO submit until something could be learned re-
Geying him of suspicion
Journal reporter yesterday afternoon
asked Superintendent Zimmerman if it
was believed that OHara had stolen the
money, and he replied that the arrest
of the young man was made upon suspicion, but
he refused to say anything about what evidence
was in possession of the company further than
that the money was lost while twas in o Hara's
care. II is stated automatically, however, that
. clew was obtained yesterday by the detective
working upon the case, and that an employe of
the company is under suspicion OHaras ar
rest, it is said, is in the nature of ruse.
The young man is sorely Inundated over
his Imprisonment. He interviewed
at TIE police station last night by
q journal reporter He has boyish
appearance, and a countenance that one would
not distrust. He talked frankly about the affair
which places him in such an unpleasant position,
and manifests desire to give all theinformation
that he can regarding the circumstances under
which the money was lost He says that he was
the only person who had anything to do with the
package. He locked it in his portable SAFE Tues
day evening in the uptown Office, and 1T was
taken IN the express wagon to the depot where
he found that it missing He does not
think that it could have been lost dur
ing transit from the uptown office to the depot
After arriving at the depot he made up three
packages of vauables for different points before
discovering that the So 800 package was missing.
''When found that did not have the So, 500"
O'Hara states Il at once telephoned to the up
town office, but it conld not be found there.
supposed that the package contained paper. and
both the cashier and myself were very much
surprised to find tho next morning that
it contained currency. If i had had any
desire to steal, there was one package of $1,000
from Richmond which l would have been more
likely to have taken than the SIS, $780,"
''What is your theory about the loss of the
money! was asked.
II think that it must have been nclosed by
mistake in some of the packages of valuables
that we're sent out. From the bills that were in
it You may know that it was very thin pack
age
do you expect any one to give bail for your
release from custodyp
mo, l shall not ask any one to help me. I
shall remain in jail until am released by the
court ] am innocent; but l realize that am
IN an unfortunate position. The money was
lost while it was in my charge, and there is no
one else to hold responsible for its disappear
ance If it doesn't turn up somewhere as /
hope it will, the appearances will be against
i would much rather that they had
knocked me on the head and thrown me
in the river then put me in here. Even if the
money is found all right will be pointed out as
fellow who was arrested for stealing 81, 800,
and it is disgrace that never fully out
live
O'Hara was an agent of the Adams company
at Switz City, Ind. which is his home. He
came to Indianapolis in last June. Since he has
been here he has not been regularly employed,
but he has had the confidence of the company,
and has at times attended to the duties of the
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