The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-20
Is the Convict Filkins Dead or !Alive.l
-. [BostOn Cor. N. Y. Herald sL-..4

Is the Convict Filkins Dead or Altve.l
~rg, y Boston Cor. NY. Herald gs.q4 Z,
The case of the American Express rob.
berry and attempted murder Of the mes.
senger at Albany few years ago is re-
'vived by the story that the skeleton of
John I.>Filkins, the supposed robber, has
been found in one of the sewers. leading.
from the Clinton Prison. The robbery
and'the circumstances surrounding and
succeeding it were all of singular and
interesting character, and the events
which have developed from time to time
since the Imprisonment and escape of
Filkins are of such, q remarkable nature
as to excuse the suspicion that this skele.
ton story is more romantic than truthful.
Nothing in the line of American crimes
was ever holder or more skillfully planned
and executed than was this one in ques-
ton, and that the perpetrator was ever
found was due more to 4 series Of Provi-
dental happenings than to any skill of
the detectives: - -'' Co.,
7.t@,.i THE STORY. OF THE ROBBERY,
as we'll 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 Greenbush or East Albany
station, one of the attaches of the train
named Colson heard groans from the di.
rection Of the express car, and upon in
vestigation he found that Halpine, the
messenger, had been shot several times,
the keys Of the safe taken from him, and
the contents Of the safe appropriated by
the robber and would.be murderer. AL
though several bullets had been put
through his head, Halpine was yet con-
scious, and before being taken from the
car he gave minute account Of what
happened, and his statement was written
down by the conductor of the train. He
said that just as the train left Albany, a
man jumped into the car, and after firing
upon him seve, al times, took away the
keys and went hurriedly through the
safe and then left the car just as the train
had crossed the east end of the Hudson
river bridge. He described the robber
as tall man, with heavy black beard,
and was very particular in the deScrip-
ton of his dress and general appearance.
One or two parties were arrested on sus-
picion and afterward released. In the
course of a few days suspicion fell upon
Fllkins. He had for long time been
pressed for funds, and suddenly he began
paying up some bills which were held
against him, and in their pay.
ment he rendered currency resem-
bling that which was taken from
the express safe. Another and more con-
elusive circumstance was the finding of a
pistol on the ice under the bridge, which
was identified by an Albany dealer as one
he had sold to Filkins few days before.
1t was then determined to arrest him, but
when the officers went to do this he was
not to be found. He was discovered in
Western New York shortly after, and had
disguised himself by cutting off a full
beard which he had worn for years.
There was long trial, in which the most
eminent counsel was employed on both
sides. The evidence, as may be sup
posed. was very strong against the &C.
ccused, and he was convicted and SEN
fenced to twenty years in the State
Prison. About the only points in his
favor were the fact that Halpine's de-
scription was exactly the reverse of Fill
kins' actual appearance, and the estab-
fishing of his whereabouts a few moments
after the shooting and robbery must have
; taken place. Neither of these circum-
stances, however, were sufficient to bal
ance the weight of circumstantial and
other evidence broug hit TO bear agains
him.
/ am not aware just now how many
times the bold and shrewd genius broke
away from the Gin ton prison before his
final leave-takine. 1t is matter of pub.
lie record. though, that he got away Two
or three times, and on the occasion Of his
last departure it is related that he
walked out boldly'in the middle of the
day, and that the officers were so dunn.
founded that they did not realize what
was going on until it was too late to re.
capture the prisoner, This is the story
that was told at the time, and, if correct
there can be little truth in the statement
that It was his skeleton which was found
in the sewer Of the prison the other day.
The reported supposition is that he en-.
tered it via one OF the water closets, and
when he reached the, end he found it Sc.
cured by strong bars of iron and heavy
walls of masonry. The idea that this
skeleton is the mortal remains Of the ex'
press robber is already disregarded, and
the belief IS current in some quarters
that he is still alive and well. in the neigh
boring dominion of Canada. ~.
At the time Of his final escape it was
suspected in Albany that it was the re-
suit of collision with some of the prison
officials, and that some of the funds Of
the robbery were employed for:>the pur
pose, and in view Of this it would seem
very proper that the identity Of this
sewer skeleton should be established be-
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