The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-03-20
mLER cAUqHr,

Tho Biggest Express Robber Of the Year
Taken In and $50. 600 Recovered
MnwAUKEE, Wis, March 13.-Prentis
Tiller, the Pacific express company's
agent at ST. Louis, who decamped with
nearly 100000 few daye ago. was ar
rested at 10 o'clock this morning by
Milwaukee detectives, and $4,000 of
the money recovered. A young man
looking like tramp with . small mus
tache, brown hair, Of slight build and
unobtrusiye features and about 135
pounds in weight, bought trunk at the
store Of Carpeles Schram on Tuesday
and asked to have it shipped 70 g. n.
Pachen, Detroit, Michigan. He left
valise which he asked to have
placed inside the trunk to save him the
trouble of carrying it. When about to
put the valise in the trunk the clerk
dropped 1t and the clasp burst asHnder,
the contents rolling out upon the floor
In gathering up the bundles he found
them wrapped in Pacific Express CON-
pany's labels and closer examina-
ton disclosed that every package
contained 9 prize, the total
amounting to nearly $4,000. The po-
lice were notified, and with that descrip-
ton OF the man, traced him to cheap
boarding house IN the third ward, but
he was not at the house. They found
his trunk ana seized It, as the boarding
house people said the man was frequent
ly out all ought. The police continued
searching the city, thinking he might
be on spree. This forenoon
he returned to the trunk store to ask
about the vallse and was arrested. He
has been at a Third ward boarding house
since March 8, but it is not known
whether or not he boarded anywhere
else before that. Besides the money
there was large amount of valuable
jeWelrY in the valise. The money was
placed in the Merchants Exchange
bank.
The arrest OF Prentis Tiller caused a
I great crowd to gather at the Central pc
| lice station, but the prisoner was care
| fully guarded and could be interviewed
only very briefly. He was loud IN say
| ing he had no accomplice, but
at the same time aided that it remain
ed for the company to prove the stolen
money. He was very happy, and pro-
posed to the police to shut the outer
doors and charge the crowd en- admission
price to see him as q curiosity. He was
Identified by the Chicago and ST. Louis
agents, who were in the city, having
been called here last night when the
money was found
The st. Louis Theory
ST. LOUIS, MARCH 13th.-Inquiry of
the Pacific Express Company officials
here regarding the arrest of the man at
Milwaukee this morning, supposed to be
Tiller, throws very little light on the
matter. They are very reticent and lit
tie information can be obtained. 1t may
be said, however, that officials and de
tectives here believe that after the rob-
berry Tiller's accomplice took charge of
the plumber, which he, being stranger,
was easily taken out of the city. The
arrangement was this, they think. That
the accomplish should divide the spoils
! and send Tiller's portion to HIM by ex-
press to Milwaukee, addressing him, of
course, in an assumed name. Tiller
reached Milwaukee on the morning of
the 9Th, but there made the troublesome
discovery that he had forgotten the name
he was to assume In inquiring
Ior an express package. In
this emergency he telegraphed
, to McFadden, at Sherman, Texas,
asking what was the name the valise
was to bear The telegram was inter-
cepted and McFadden, who had already
been located, was carefully watched TO
determine whether he sent an answer
) He did not, and his arrest occurred q
few hours later. Meanwhile the express
authorities here were notified ana on
Tuesday evening detective started from
! here for Milwaukee. 1t would appear
| that Tiller succeeded in recalling thu
name he was to assume and got posses
sion of the valise before the detective
arrived, but met with disaster a few
! hours afterwards through the trunk
| store episode, which occurred at 4
time when it is said that the whole de
: tective force of Milwaukee were looking
: tor him, knowing him to be in thai
3 town. The express officers here will no
acknowledge or deny that the arrested
man Is Tiller. A dispatch from Sherman
Texas. says McFadden was taken before
court this morning when his counse
moved to quash the proceedings, and thu
case was continued till afternoon. Step!
have been taken to obtain a requisltioI
3 from the governor for McFadden and
2 the papers will probably go down thil
, evening.