Stagecoach Robberies

 Rochester Daily Democrat

Wednesday, July 1, 1840

   Extensive Robbery. -  On Saturday night, a trunk belonging to Mr. Phelps a passenger, was taken from the Swiftsure Stage between Palmyra and Vienna (Phelps), and bank checks to the amount of about $70,000, and $140 in gold taken there from. As yet, the thief has escaped detection.

Rochester Daily Democrat

Thursday, July 1, 1840 

STAGE ROBBERS CAUGHT!

   The villains who committed the robbery upon the Swiftsure Stage in taking the trunk, more and 70 to 80,000 in checks from the boot* near Palmyra, as mentioned by us yesterday, have been captured. Two at least, are taken, and if there are accomplices, the examination of the to may lead to their detection.   The rogues were taken at Pultneyville, Wayne Co. where they attempted to pass some of the stolen money. One of them is Viele, who escaped from jail at Canandaigua a few days since, where he was confined on an indictment for robbing the Post Office at Newark, Wayne County.

*Boot was the baggage area on the back of the coach.

Central Courier, Syracuse, N.Y.

Tuesday, February 1, 1859

   ABSTRACTING MONEY LETTERS FROM THE MAIL- For about four months the people on a side mail route running from Whitney’s Point, Broome County, to Bainbridge, Chenango County, have been seriously annoyed by the non-receipt of letters - especially letters containing money.  The letters were mailed at offices on this route, and no trace of them could be found. 

   Complaint was made to the Post Office Department, and the matter was referred to Col. North, Special Agent; who determined, (as he general does) to find out where the missing letters went to.

   The route is thirty-five miles, with some eight post-offices. Col. N., went over it, incognito, and being a good judge of human nature, guessed at who was the predator, and truly, as the sequel proved - the stage driver,  named LeRoy Gordon, about 18 years old, who resides at Chenango Forks.

   The Colonel started certain expedients to test the post offices as well as the driver; and while waiting their results, quietly inquired into the late history of Gordon, whom he found had been driving on the route since September last at $10 a month, and could not have had over $10 when he began such service; that on the other hand he had taken a two week vacation during the holidays, spending money freely with his old friends, at Chenango Forks, and bought a suit of clothes at Binghamton, attended several dances, &c., making his expenses largely overrun his legitimate income.

   Fortified with this information, as well as the results of floating expedients, Col. North made the necessary affidavits, and sent to U. S. Commissioner Ruger of this city for a warrant. On Friday night last (by arrangement,) the Post-Master at Coventry made a memorandum of the number of letter packages, and their destination, which the mail contained on leaving his office that day, and enclosed it inside a newspaper directed to a fictitious name  at Greene, the bags contained two more letter packages than  the memorandum called for, and it was not deemed prudent to let the young man run any longer.

   A gentleman wanted to see him “in the other room,”  where he found not “Mr. Smith,” (as he supposed) who had ridden with him a few days before - but in realityColonel North,  the wide-a-wake Special Agent of the P. O. Department.

   On finding that the Colonel was fully “posted” as to his little private affairs, he admitted that when there were no passengers, he abstracted the letter packages from the bag, examining their contents, taking money and valuables to him worthless.  Letters were also abstracted where they could be so done as not to cause suspicion, re-sealed, and re-placed in the bag the same or some subsequent day.

   The mutilated envelopes and letters he chewed in small bits and cast away. He owns up to having taken about $200 in money (and some small valuables) - $45 being the largest amount taken at any one time.

  Although the warrant did not arrive in time, he was brought to this city on Saturday, and his examination  set down for 10 o’clock yesterday. During examination the prisoner gave his name as Demosthenes LeRoy Gordon, instead of LeRoy Gordon as at first.   The case was disposed of by the conviction of “Demosthenes,” and he was committed to the Monroe County Jail at Rochester, to await the May term of the United States Court.