The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-05-16
THE PosroFFIcE ROBBED.
Burglars Carries Away Two Mail Sacks
Saturday Night.

Burglars Carries Away Two Mail Sacks
Saturday Night.
About 1880 Saturday night burglars
broke into the postoff1ce in this city
and carried away two mail sacks. one
the lettle pouch for Portland contain
ing the registered mail. and the other
paper sack. The postoffice was
closed at 8 o'clock, Postmaster J. A.
Crossen having made up the mail and
pllced the sacks in the lobby where
the express messenger, Henry Riddell,
calls for and takes them to the train.
Mr.. Riddell went to the postotfice at
about 1920, got the east bound mail,
and took it to the depot for the train
which arrives at 10:45: at that time
everything at the Office was regular,
nothing having been disturbed.
The robbery was discovered at about
IL o'clock by Mr.. Ed. Kurtz, agent for
the Pacific Express Co., who lives
across the street from the postoffice,
and who returning from the Umatilla
House, where he had been to see
friend off on the train, by looking
through the door of the Office, noticed
the mail sacks we're gone. He at once
notified Postmaster Crossen. who was
attending session of the'Elk's Lodge.
and an investigation was Immediately
made.
1t was found that entrance to the
Office was made by breaking glass in
the door, making hole large enough
that the robber could reach his arm
through and unfasten the lock which
is spring latch.
Sheriff Driver was notified of the
robbery, and together with Night
watchman Connley, Mr.. Crossen and
others, the search for the missing
sacks was continued during the
remainder of the night, but without
avail. About O'clock Sunday morn
ing the leIther pouch was found by
John Riggs, near w. N. Wiley's place
back of the Academy grounds. 1t had
been cut open and the contents
scattered around. ALI the registered
packages had been opened and the
contents examined, but little of value
was taken. The greater portion OF
the valuables was in checks, which
were not negotiable, and were left. In
all there were some $4,000 in checks.
among which was a check for $4,000
for state taxes, sent by County Treas
urer Michel to the state treasurer.
The paper sack was found in Mr.. Nc
Haley's barn in the eastern part of the
city, but nothing in it had been dis
turbed.
Where the leather pouch was found,
coat button was discovered, and this
furnished clew to the identity of the
robbers. 1t was turned over to Sheriff
Driver, and in looking about he found
a coat in Mrs. Britton's lodging house,
from which the button was removed.
1t was shown to Harry Miller, the
owner of the coat, and he recognized it
as his. Miller and his companion,
Templeton, were i'm mediateIy arrested,
and Bud Robbins, who had been with
them the night of the robbery, was
also taken in custody.
Information was filed by Deputy
District Attorney Phelps in the justice
court, but was withdrawn Monday morr-
ing, and the case was taken before U.
S. Commissioner J. M. Huntington.
The evidence so far secured against
Miller, Templeton and Robbins is
purely circumstantial, though fur
nished good grounds to believe the Of
fcers have secured the guilty parties.
Besides the button off of Miller's coat,
q card was in his possession, on which
was written, "Bill Wiley's house,
houses east of Academy" which was
the spot where the leather pouch was
found, and indicates that that had been
designated as place of meeting for
some purpose.
Miller and Templeton have been in
The Dalles about week, and have |
called each day at the postoffice for
mail, and have been noticed to closely
observe the surroundings of the office. |
This lead the officers to believe from |
the beginning that they knew some
thing of ths robbery.
So far as Postmaster Crossen has
been able to ascertain there were but |
$3.50 cents in cash in the pouch, and
this the robbers Appropriated to their
own use. The checks of course were |
and we're left with the re-
of the letters.