Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-27
AN EXPRESS CAR BANDIT !
oxr OF THE srHANGEsT ROB
w pERY STORIES ON RECORD.

p,rus Letter PurportinG to Come
s-or, the Local agent Putting AN EX-
..a Man on Duty Gains the Alleged
nabher welcome Admittance to the Gar
T,oBeou,nr Messenger subsequently
r,ed aud Gagged at Revo'ver's Point
Tnousands of Dollars Taken from
.,,c safe and Escape Successfully
Made.
sr Louis, oct. 26.-The Adams ex-
,ross car attached TO passenger train NO.
IN the St. Louis and San Francisco rail-
road which left this city at S:25 O'CLOCK
lest night. was roObed of over $oO,Oo0 IN
oash between here and Pacific, MO. IL
annesrs that before the train LETT this city
man who gave the name OF Cummings
nresented to Messenger Frotheringham
cIeverlv forged letter bearing a perfect
,oc sinila of the signature OF Mr.. Barrett,
tho local agent of the express company at
81 Louis. The letter stated that Mr..
Rsrrett had decided to put an extra man
on the route, that the bearer was he, and
that Frotheringham was directed to teach
him the details of the business. The
strongar Was allowed to enter the car,
oTG look great interest in all Of the move
mpnts of the messenger, apparently de-
string TO learn quickly the ms and outs OF
the dnttes which the letter stated he was
expected to perform.
MAKING A GOOD IMPRESSION.
FrotAeringham's suspicious were not at
all aroused, and the stranger impressed
him as aQuiet and prePossesslng compan-
ion. The two men busted themselves with
the accounts, ETC., and all went well unuI
potnt between st. Louis and Pacific,
Mo-. was reached. In the meantime the
new ass stant was informed that there
was nothing more that he could do at that
lime. and he seated himself IN chair
waiting until some new duties should be
assigned to him to perform. Frotherlng-
ham was still buslly engaged over his
accounts with his back turned 10 Cum
mings.
COVERED WITH A PISTOL,
In the course of time 1t became neces-
sary for MIN to go to the safe, and in turn
ing to do so be saw the stranger calmly
sitting in his chair with a cooked revolver
leveed at his FrOtherlngham's head.
Cummings cautiously approached the
dumblOunded messenger and told him If
be remained quiet and made no outcry or
raised no alarm his life would not be
wise he could not answer for the c0nse-
quences. Frotnerlngnam had nothing to
90 but submit, and. according 70 his state
ment the rObber bound him hand and
foot, pressed gag into his mouth, tied
him TO the safe so that ne could not
move, and proceeded with his work.
RANsACKING THE SAFE.
The safe had been left open and it took
but few minutes for the robber to secure
the bank notes and Valuables in the shape
of jewelry, etc. He cut open the bags
containing silver coin, but lie evidently
concluded that these we're too heavy for
him to carry and be did not disturb their
contents. Of the gold, however, he took
gO0dly amount, and then proceeded to
make good his escape. The road at this
point runs directly alongside of a high
blum, which in places overhangs the
tracks, making danger OF wrecks from
collision with powders which occasion
ally lall from above on the tracks very
great. The trains therefore slack up at
this point and run slowly until the dan
ger0us place is passed. This the engineer
OF Tram No. did as usual, and thus Of
Tered the robber an easy means of escape.
MAKING HIS ESCAPE.
lie first locked all but one door, stepped
on the platform, locked The door from the
outside and jumped off. The messenger,
IN the meantime, could do nothing to re-
lease himself, not being able TO call for
heip. Near Mlncke a bowlder had fallen
upon the tracks and the train was de-
layed an hour before it could be removed.
Inc conductor tried the door of the eX-
press car but found it locked, and sup
posing the messenger to be busy, did not
ask lOl admittance. At St. Clair ne again
Ileu tne door and again found il Locked.
ne Hstened for minute and heard the
messenger struggling to free himself and
mdhlug all the noise possible by kicking
WIth MS feet against the side of the car.
Ice conductor suspected something
wrong ana burst the door open. finding
IIotuerlhgham as above described. He
was quickly released and told his expert
tnce, Inc robber had got a start of fully
TWO h0ure, ana it was useless TO run back
to try to find him. The train then pro.
ceeued on Its way, and arrived in this city
trip. '''' d"
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROBBER.
frotneringham says the robber was
"oout - years old, SIX feet tail, weighed
aoouI ZOO pounds and dressed in dark
st'o'Aes WIN dark oVercoat. He thinks
.ue Iopoer mad accOmplices, as he seemed
pe taxing with some one on the front
plauorm of the car. Frotheringham. the
messenger, is about "a years old and lives
sr ~ ueneWeye, Mo. He mas been in the
Smploy OIL the Adams Express Company
,S, SoouI loGr Years. Supt. Damsel, of
tAe Express Company, saws that Froth.
yWnhghdm's record has been of the best.
~ y nen asked where Frotheringham was
,, .il, Damsel replied that he had gone up
o"!u WIN Barrett, the route agent, and
S'"oluer man. From the manner in which
"o,lS.ue o uidue the statement it is presumed the
,t'ueL man was an officer of the law,
ruougn ,u Dir. Damsel would make no state
tbylu oonurmatory or contradictory Of
nnt ",' tueoIy' Mr.. Damsel SAID he could
was ''ele soIt tne exact amount stolen, but it
was some thing uYdar g5n nnn