The Republican journal., 1871-01-26
THE EXPRESS RoBBER AND ASSASSIN.

The Boston Traveller gives the following
account Of the suspected man:
i'ilkms is not only well known in Albany.
bat all over the country within three hun
bred miles in every direction from that city
lie has been in the railroad and express bust
ness upwards of twenty years, and during
greater portion OF that time was one of the
through baggage masters between this city
and Albany. lie was in Boston on alternate
nights, and was well known here, as II along
The line as "Yank" Filkins, the cognomen OF
Y ank'' being applied by the Albo0ans on
account OF lis partial residence in Boston
When he left his position rs baggac Q master,
some six or seven years $50, he became a
messenger for the American Express Com
lmny, between this city - prngfield MAX
ing his residence III tie latter city. Sub
~equenty, after about a year, he occupied
SIMILAR position with the Merchants Union
Company, and ran between Albany and Sus-
pension Bridge. He was thus engaged for
about two Years, and was then promoted to
the position of transfer superintendent of the
same company in Albany. This possion he
also held for couple of years, and then,
together with a partner, started an indepen-
dent express line between Albany and New
York This enterprise was a failure, and
tablished a bakery in Albany. After wears
experiment this enterprise also proved un-
successful and to relieve himself from pres
cn and prospective financial troubles he was
ted to engage in murder and robbery
His entire familiarity with the express
business and the habits of the messengers
probably inspired him with the idea that he
would not De detected, and if he had sue
ceeded in his intention of killing Halpine, it
is possible that suspicion would not have
been 50 readily directed against him. When
he jumped into the car. just as the train was
leaving, he exclaimed Halo, Woodward
the name OF the messenger who comes out oil
Albany on the same train on alternate nights
alpine told him that Woodward was in Bos
ton, but he would be in Albany the following
morning. Filkins then closed the car door
and advanced towards Halpine, placed c
revolver at his head and fired, following the
assault up with two other shots. The frs
one prostrated the messenger, but he wa.
conscious Of the other two, but fegned deatl
to prevent the robbcr from actually killing
him. The villain then took possession of the
keys, rifled the safe OF its valuable contents
Jumped off the train as soon as it reached thu
Greenbush side, and escaped. His ides
probably was that Halpnc would not be dis
covered until the train reached Pittsfield
fifty miles east and the idea would then be
that he was murdered at some point on the roat
between Albany and that point. Unfortunat.
ly for him, however, Halpine lived and made
his condition known as soon as the train arriy
ed at Greenbush.
On Wednesday the police went tc
Filkins's house to arrest him, but fount
that he WAS non est. Suspicion was at
tracted towards him by the fact that a MAJ
saw 4 person he thought to be Filkins max
ing inquiries for pistol at a store in Greer
street on Friday. Finding none that suitet
him he was directed to SCOTS store. On
Saturday, after hearing of the attempte,
murder, the man informed Mr.. Dwight, Sup
erintendent OF the Express Company, of hi
suspicious, and that gentlemen called on FIJI