The New York herald., 1875-07-13
Was His Skeleton Found in The Sewer
Of Clinton Prison?
EVIDENCE THAT HE is STILL ALIVE.
The Late Express Robbeies Supposed To
Be Under His Direction.
H0W THE SKELETON QUESTION CAN Be DECIDED.

! skeleton OF John Fikins. the supposed robber
has been found in one OF tue sewers leading from
the Clinton Prison. The robbery and the cIrcum-
stances surrounding and succeeding It were all OF
singular ana interesting character, and the
events which have developed rom time TO timo
since the imprisonment and escape OF Filkins are
OF such a remarkable nature as to excuse the SUE.
picion that this skeleton story is more romantic
than truthful. Nothing Ia the line OF American
crimes was ever boder or more skilfully planned
and executed than was this one in question, and
that the perpetrator was ever found was due
more to a series OF Providential happenings than
to any skill of the detectives.
THE STORY OF THE ROBBERY,
as well as the events which Immediately followed,
awakened an almost universal interest at the
time. one evening, In midwinter, when the owl
train for Boston arrived at the Greepbush or
East Albany station, one OF the attaches or tho
train named Colson heard groans from the dIrec.
tion or the express car, and upon investigation
he found that Halplne the messenger, had been
shot several times, the keys OF the safe taken
from him and the contents or the safe appropri.
ated by the robber aud woudbe murderer
Although several bullets had been put through
his head Hapine was yet conscious, and before
being taken from the ear he gave minute ac-
count of what happened, and his statement
was written down BY the conductor OF
the train. He said that just as the
train left Albany man jumped into
the car, and aner firing upon him several times
took away the keys and went nurriedly through
the safe and then left the car Just as the train had
crossed she east end OF the HUDSON River bridge.
He described the robber as a tall man, with heavy
black beard, and was very particular in the de-
scription OF his dress and general appearance.
One or TWO parties were arrested on suspicion
and afterward released. In the course OF a few
manic foll Ha hoh for n
long time been pressed for funds, ana suddenly he
began paying up somo bills which were held
! against him, ana In their payment he rendered
! currency resembling that which was taken from
| the express safe. Another and more conclusive
circumstance was the finding OF pistol on tue Ice
under the bridge, which was identified by an
| Albany dealer as one ne mad sold 20 Fllkins few
| days before. 1t was then determined TO arrest
him. but when the oficers went 10 do tnis he was
not to he found. He was discovered in Western
New York SHORTLY after, and mad disguised himself
by cutting of q lull beard which he rad worn IOP
| years. There was long trial, Ia which the most
emlaent counse. was employed on both sides.
strong against the accused, and he was convicted
! and sentenced 30 twenty years in the State
PRISON. ABOUT the only points lu HIS favor were
the lacJ that Halpine's description was exactly
the reverse OF Flklns' actual appearance, and the
establishing OF his Whereabouts few moments
ater the shooting and robbery must nave taken
place. Neither OF these crcunstances, however,
were sufficient 10 balance the weight OF circum~
stantal and other evidence brought to bear
against him.
THE ESCAPE FROM PRISON.
lam not aware just now how many times the
bold ana shrewd genius broke away nom the
ClIn ton Prison before Ms dnal eave-taking. 1t Is
a matter OF public recOru, though, that ne got
away two or inree times. ana on the occasion Of
his last departure it is reated that ne walked cut
boldly IN the middle OF the cay, and that the off,
GERS were so dumbfounded that they did not real.
ize what was gong on until 1t was TOO late TO re.
capture che prisoner. 1als Is the story that was
tod al the time, and, II correct there can ba
little truth in the statement that 1t was MS skele-
ton which was found In the sewer OF the prison
the other day. The reported supposition Is that
he entered 1t VIA one OF the water closets,
ana dnrsd wnn ne Feac9er hS era ne lopna
and heavy walls OF masonry. The idea
that this skeleton was the mortal remnants OF the
belief is current IN some quargers that he is still
alive and well III the neigdoorlng Dominion VI
Canada.
CAN THE SKELETON BE IDENrIFIEDH
At the time OF mis- hna escape It was suspected
some OF the prison officials, ana that some OF the
! 10uds OF the ROBBERY were employed for the pur-
pose, ana IN view OF this II would seem very
| proper that the Identity OF this sewer skeleton
| should be established beyond doubt. Ordinarily
! the Identity OF a skeleton would be an tmpossI-
biity, but In the OF Fllkins nothing would be
easier, IRON the fact that from one oot nearly all
the toes ana portion OF the loot ITSELF had been
! amputated. AuOtner matter OF assistance In
Identification would be u lu set OF false teeth IN
the upper jaw.
/ | remember reading, shortly after his nnal
escape, an account OF an tempted robbery In
the West and among tue articles which were lefS
oehna was a knie, which was aterward identined
as belonging to the Clnton Prison, and which
was missed at the Tune Fikins left the institu-
Llon. 1t has also been reported that he nas been
SEEN AND REOOGNIzED,
and in Albany the popular belief is that he is now
a fugitive somewhere Ia Canada. In vie OF ali
these circumstances and runors IL certainly
seems desirable that this skeleton story should De
! Investigated.
Assuming that FIiklns Is stll alive IL is not uu.
reasonable TO think OF him IN connection with
ern part OF the country. All OF them seem to In
dicate toat tle attempts were made or
the railroad and express business, and there
Is probably not IN the whole United States a mau
over twenty years OF his lie was spent in a bag
gage and express car. he commenced as a brake
man on passenger tram between Albany and
| Springfield, and Tor ever twelve years he was
through baggage master between Boston aEd
Albany. Alterwara ne was messenger for the
| American Express Company between Boston and
Springfield and subsequently between Albany and
Suspension Bridge In tie latter part Of his ca
reer in the express business he had Cnarge OF the
transferring or tue money sales OF the American
Company IN Albany u position which he resigned
for the purpose Of engaging In business for
bimseIL During all this Vine ne was UNI
formly faithful and honest and there were
his hands. When he went into business for nlm-
self he was unfortunate, and, to relieve himself
OF the importunues OF creditors, he became so
desperate as 10 resort 10
ROBBERY AND MURDER.
he was always regarded as q sngulary genial
fellow among MS friends, ana In the qualities or
bravery and reckessness there are few VINO couid
equal him. AS daring roDber ne possessed all
Lbo TequlslbeS, hud snhb nc ignored consequences
Is manifested by his bold and successful attempts
10 escape rom the Clinton Prison. TIE attempt
made TO rob train on the Vandalia Railroad, last
Thursday night, looks like q 100 or FIlklns' man
agement The engineer, MILO Eames, wnO was
shot oy one OF the robbers, belonged in washing
ton. Mass, ana was employed on the Boston and
Albany Railroad the same time FuKfns was.
INCIDENT OF THE ALBANY ROBBERY.
was Wen acquainted with Fllktns aud at the
| time Of tue Albany robbery interviewed him
about the probable perpetrator, and his opinionai
were for warded to the HERALD. he expressed
much sympathy Tor Halpine, the messenger, who
was shot, and hoped tnat the assassin and robber
| would be speedily arrested. The next tune saw
him was when he was arraigned Tor the crime
himself, and he apologlzed In joking way for not
furnishing me with fuller particulars on the occa-
sion the first interview. II tnis correspondence
meets his e6e, hope he will furnish tue HERALD
| with an authentic denial OF the skeleton story
which comes IRON tne Clinton Prison.
POLICE MUTUAL AID ASSOCIATION