Numbers 3. Synopsis of testimony as to robbery of the passengers. *

HYMAN ROBBERY.

The first proof is a letter from Mr. Phil. Williams, of Winchester, a very prominent citizen, whom Hyman consulted on his arrival at that place. The letter is to General Early, and is dated February 15, 1864. It contains Hyman's version of the robbery. Hymman says that as he passed a brick house on the west side of road near Woodstock (north of it), he saw 7 Confederate cavalry; at Fisher's Hill. Hyman had two wagons, driven by two sons of Mr. Cross, of Newtown, and there was a young man in one of them named Grove, also of Newtown, who remarked as the men passed, "There goes Cherry. " (Grove subsequently denied having made to remarks.) There was also with Hyman a boy of about seventeen years of age named Ezekiel, from Richmond. The men halted at the foot of the hill near the river, and one of them rode back to the wagons and asked Hyman if he had any pursue. Hyman gave him a small purse with ten gold dollars and some paper money, when the man said to him that he had a belts, and while he was trying to get off one without showing the other was knocked down and robbed of about $6,000 in gold (chiefly twenty-dollar pieces), a silver watch, a great coat (invisible green with yellow silk sleeve linings), in the pocket of which was a fur collar and a small Hebrew prayer-book. There was taken from young Ezekiel a lady's gold watch and a belt containing a number of silver coins and medals.

It appears from the letter of Colonel Carrington, provost-marshal at Richmond, that soon after the robbery General Winder sent two detectives to the valley to investigate the matter, at the request of the father of Ezekiel. These detectives reported that they were convinced that Cherry and some other men committed the robbery; that they determined to arrest Cherry, and were piloted by a negro 6 miles beyond Strasburg in search of him. Fearing foul play they turned back, but on searching the negro found on him the watch stolen from young Ezekiel, which was subsequently identified by his father. They did not bring off the negro because they said they were afraid to encumber themselves with him. It should be mentioned that the detective got Mr. Williams' letter from General Early before they went down the valley.

On March 9, 1864, a letter was written by a Major E. W. Cross from Harrisonburg to Colonel Carrington, in which he charges that the detectives did find out the guilty parties but were bribed to say nothing. Cross says that he had examined some of the money said to have been taken at the railroad robbery, but that all was marked in a peculiar manner. (In Mr. Williams' letter it was stated that the stolen money was marked.) Cross further says that the perpetrators were generally known in the vicinity of Harrisonburg. He gives the names of a number of persons who can show some of the money. He also state that Major Gilmor, while under the influence of liquor,

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*Found in the files of the Army of Northern Virginia. See also Lee to Seddon, March 6, 1864, p. 223.

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