The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-12
THE EXPRESS CAR ROBBERY.
VIM. A. Wright Placed in Jail at Bloom
ington in Default of $4,000 Bail.
The Preliminary Trial To Be Held on Friday
The Prisoner Tells His Story and En-
beavers to Establish an AliDi.
70 the Indianapolis journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
BLooMrSGToN May ll--This has been an
other day of excitement in Bloomington, caused
by the arrest of William A. Wright and his ar
rival here this morning, charged with commit
ting the terrible express robbery of the night OF
the 29th of April Marshal Smith arrived from
Yerre Haute with Wright on the o'clock morn
ing train, aud at once placed him in jail AS
soon as his whereabouts became known the ex-
element began to grow, and the topic has been
one of speculation since. At 3 o'clock this after
noon Wright was brought before Mayor Dodds
for hearing the room being damned by excited
people. Two leading law firms in the city were
retained by relatives to defend Wright Bail
was requested. when the mayor stated that as
both men were yet alive this would not be re-
fused but he believed the circumstances such
! that the highest amount allowable should be
fixed, and therefore made it SO, 900. This sum
Wright was unable to give, and was sent back to
Jail to await his preliminary trial, which was set
for Friday at 1:30 o'clock, whom it is expected
Webber, the wounded baggage master, will be
able to be present to testify
AS soon as Wright had been committed to Jail
your correspondent called and was admitted.
He found Wright with his feet propped up
against the wall of his cell, anxious to talk, and
he spun out a long story that was well studied,
whether he is guilty or not. He said: 81 went
to Terre Haute and gave myself up, because
heard they were after me. Invent to Terre Haute
tho Tuesday before the crime committed.
bought ticket at Clear Greek and went by the
Junction line, on noon train, arriving at Terre
!Haute about 8 o'clock. I stayed with j. Jason.
an uncle, Tuesday night; Jason lives two and q
half miles south. I was in the city ON Wednes-
day at 10 o'clock stayed there till IL. wrote a
lettcr to my wife, and at noon started out to sell
motions. l was out fourteen miles west in the
country by night and spent the night with
farmer l did not hear of the robbery till Sun
day / peddled notions till Wednesday of last
week. told no one my name. l planted corn
for Jason, my uncle, till Sunday, when he told
me that had better go to the city and straighten
up the suspicion about the express robbery SO
here am"
The fact that Wright left homo without tell
ing why ne was going, and that he is man
bearing hard character, makes his story sus-
picous 1t is thought that he desired to mystify
the officers, and has endeavored to arrange an
abb The theory is that the letter written from
Terre Haute on Wednesday is from an accom-
!plice, and that the ticket was bought at Clear
Greek to create the impression that ne went to
iTerre Haute when, in fact he only went a short
distance. The story that he travelled fourteen
miles in half day, stopping and peddling at
each house, does not bear investigation. One
thing in his favor is that he is a much smaller
m an than the one described by Weber, though
his mustacho and general appear ance are as
told.
There is strong feeling, which is only held in
check by the fact that Weber says he can iden-
tify the man. and will be here on Friday to do
so. It is evident that the railroad men believe
him guilty. The baggagemaster and express
messenger have seen photograph of Wright,
and say he is certainly the man who came in the
car on the Saturday night previous to the rob-
berry.