The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1885-10-17
A DETECTIVES STORY,
Robbing an Express Train and
Tracing the Robber.

~
Tracing the Robber.
One OF the most vivid stories of Al
original and successful attempt at rob
berry, in which the deity covered track
OF the robbcr were clevprly traced BY al
exceptionally shrewd detective, is toI,
by Thomas Furlong, Chief of the Mis-
souri, Pacific Secret Service. The mar
rat!vc-one of absorbing interest-tell.
how ~ingeniouSly a scheme was con
ccivcd and worked by the express mes,
songer and telegraph operator. W. w,
McCalla, whereby he succeeded in rob
bIng the Union Express Company, O
Pittsburgh, Pa, out of 1920.
"McCalIa,' said Chief Furlong, wa:
about twentv-srven years old when he
turned his trick in 1871. H. was a
small man, not much over five feet.
When McjaIlA took possession of the
express a he immediately entered
upon the DISCHARGE of his duties a.
messenger As though he hal served at
the job for years. Boxes and packages
were put Oft at their proper places, and
when the train reached Pittsburgh he
took his seat on his safe in the express
wagon and rode through the town I'M
Ill hr -ot opposite the City Hall. He
jumped of then in spite OF the drivers
pro;e>;ationr and disappeared. 1t was
eleven o'clock that night before the
robbery was discovered. The driver
had told the Waterman that Il new mes
scn-or had brought the run in, and,
finally, getting t red of waiting for him
10 'jrn UP with the >afc keys, reported
the matter to:>uprrinteudent Bingham.
tir"p"nod the empty safe and called in
al" police to investigate the robbery.
1nd hey concluded after an cXamina-
ton HAT the -ate had 10 money in it.
[ WAS in Oil City at that time,
And also acted rs special agent
iOr the ,lllrghanv Railroad. On the
18TH If March, III, it suddenly dawned
upon tn" minds Of the officials Of the
Union Express Company that they had
been robbed. Joe tupples was them,
AMI i now, a special detective for the
express company. He and myself were
set to work 10 find the r0bber. There
WASH the slightest clew to his identity.
All that We had to start on was the fact
that the Job had been worked by tap
ping the wires and sending a bogus dis
patch, We travelled along the road,
and finally located the spot where the
work vas done. 1t was between Kit
tanning and COwanshannock. The
road runs along there under an i'm.
mems high bluff, where land-slides fire.
lUrntlr occurred, and often big bOuld-
'rS would roll down on the track. To
prevent accidents Of this kind watch
mel We're placed at convenient dis
l~anccs, and We're provided with little
huX house, 10 shelter them from the
storms that whistle along the mountain
SIDE. 1t was one of these places that
McCalla selected. He had no trouble.
sor he knew all about telegraphing. so
when he told the Waterman he had
come TO examine the wires no obiec-
ton was made. He climbed the pole,
and out Of half a dozen or more wires
selected the proper one to answer his
purpose with a prOmptnesS that at once
marked him as an expert at the bust
ness. II was the Pittsburgh wire he
wanted. Cutting it in two without any
hesitation he grounded the south end and
sent a message 30 the agent at Brady's
Bend, in4uiring the name of the ex-
press messenger who was coming IN on
train No. ,. Signed, George Bingham.
George Bingham was the Supcrinten-
Dent of the express company. An an
swer came back promptly, saving the
express messenger on No, 2 was Bing-
ham, a brother to George. McCalla
thcn sent the following dispatch, pur-
porting to come from Pittsburgh:
bingham, Messenger, Train No. 9, March
-, 1871: }. e. Brooks will meet you al Temple
ton on No. ID. You will turn over to him your
run and take his receipt for money and all
raluablcs. He will bring your run into Pitts
hurgh, and you wifi return on No. - to Par.
R"rNhNrE, whore you III report to Mcclellan,
Route Agent, who awaits you there.
"GEORGE BrSGHAM,
superintendent.
"AnSwrr."
when Bingham. the messenger, re-
ceiyed this telegram he sent the follow
ing dispatch in reply: ,
"'BRAnY'S BEND, March -, 1877.
"'George bingham. Superintendent, Pitts.
VIII transfer with J. L. brooks at
this p. IN. and return on % and re.
port to Mcclellan ut Parkersburg, as per your
.
Signed THOMAS BINGHAM,
messenger"
''This telegram never reached its in
tended destination. II stopned on Nc