Connecticut western news., 1882-08-23
On Track of a Noted Robber

In the winter of 1871 daring robbery and attempted murder was committed on thes owl" train just as it left Albany for Boston When the train had arrived on the east side of the Hudson river, at Greenbush, a brakeman who chanced to be passing by heard groan in the express car. An investigation showed that the messenger, Thomas A. Halpine, had been shot several times through the head the keys of the safe taken from his pockets, and all the valuable contents of the strong box carried away. As the messenger seemed to be in dying condition his description of the robbery and the robber was taken down in writing by the conductor of the train Some weeks elapsed before suspicion was directed to any one in particular, and then it was aim
 ed in the direction of John I. F,lkins The first clew was the identification by the dealer of the pistol, which he said he had sold to Filkins just before the affair, and suspicion was furthur excited by the sudden disappear auce of Filkins. The suspected man was well-known for circuit of 200 miles around Albany. and hence his escape was impossible unless he managed to get out of the country
 He had been for many years a through bag. gage master between Albany and Boston, af l terward messenger for the American ex. press company between Boston and Spring. neld and later on he was engaged in the same capacity between Albany and Suspension bridge, and between Albany and New York
 His knowledge of how the express business was conducted enabled him to select the best time and place for engaging in the crime charged, and 1t 1t had not been for the moan
 Ing of the messenger, overheard at Greenbush
 nothing would have been known of the affair until the train arrived at Springfield. A large reward was offered for the apprehension and conviction of Filkins. After wandering about in the forests and fields of western New York for several days he was finally captured, and when brought to Albany by the officers up. wards of 10000 people had gathered at the depot to get glimpse Of him He was in dicted January 27, 1871, for robbery, and was convicted month later, a trial which had never been equalled in Albany in rublic in- terest and excitement Thousands of dollars were spent to defend him, and as many to convict him. His sentence was for 20 years in the Dannamora prson. A powerful man physically,and thoroughly destitute of fear, he at once became the terror of the officials. Twice he escaped and he was as often recap. tured In 1874 he got away and has not yet been returned, though it is now given out that his whereabouts is known, and that pa- l pers have been made out which will secure his early return to the New York state pris on. After hs last escape story was started that his skeleton had been found in one of the prison sewers, but, as it was snrmised that his escape was not wholly without off. cial collusion, the report was generally looked upon as an effort to thwart a growing sus- picion against the management of the institu. tion. It early became apparent that the fugitive was hving but, for some reason or other, no efforts seem to have been made to recapture him until recently. During the 1 period of Albany's excitement about the find Ing of his skeleton. a Boston & Albany con. ductor saw him on ferry boat between De
 troit and Windsor, Ont and it is now reported that in all these years he has been living a not very secluded life in Canada. Halpine, the messenger, though he had three bullets in his head, two of which remain, fully recover. ed, and is now agent of the American Ex. press company and keeper of small restau. rant in North Adams. s.-Bost0n Herald