Morning journal and courier., 1886-10-27
News by Telegraph
FROM ALL QUARTERS.
JESSE JAMES OUTDONE.
A Daring Robbery In The
West.
THE CIVIL SERVICE AXE
Falls On Two Official Cam
paign Workers.
NO LAW FOR The SAWDUST GAME.
GladstOne's Remaining Work In
Politics.
NO LAW FOR The SAWDUST GAME.


Fifty thousand Dollars Taken From
Trafn-The Messenger Gagged and
Bound to His own Safe.
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 26.-The Adams express
car attached to the passenger train on the
| St. Louis & San Francisco railroad which
left this city at S:25 last night was robbed OF
over $50, 900 in cash between here and Pa
citic, Mo. From meagre reports it seems
that before the train left this city man
giving the name of Cummings presented
letters to the express messenger, Mr.. Froth-
ingham. purporting to be signed by the Off
GERS of the company, stating that Cummings
was about to take strun" on the line and
asking rockingham to give him the points.
The stranger was allowed to enter the car,
and took great interest in all of the move
ments of the messenger. apparently desiring
to learn quickly the ms and outs of the du-
ties which the letter stated he was expected
to perform. Mr.. Frothingham's suspicious
were not at all aroused, and the stranger i'm
pressed him as quiet and prepossessing
companion. The two men busted them
selves with the accounts, etc., and all went
we'll until a point between St. Louis
and Pacific, Mo-, was reached. In the
meantime the new assistant was inform
ed that there not hing more that he
could do at that time and he seated himself
in chair, waiting until some new duties
should be assigned to him to perform.
rockingham was still busily engaged over
his accounts with his back turned to ''Cum-
mings." In the course of time it became
necessary for him to go to the safe, and turn
ing to do SO saw the stranger calmly sitting
in his chair with cooked revolver levelled
at his buckingham head. Cummings
cautiously approached the dumbfounded
messenger and told him if he remained quiet
and made no cutlery or raised no alarm his
life would not be endangered; but that if he
acted otherwise he could not answer for the
consequences. rockingham had nothing to
do but submit According to his statement
the robber bound him hand and foot, pressed
gag into his mouth, tied him to the safe so
that he could not move, and proceeded with
his work 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 the silver coin, but he evil
IDENTIFY concluded that these were too heavy
for him to carry, and did not disturb their
contents. OF the gold, however, he took a
goodly amount and then proceeded to make
good his escape. The road at this point runs
directly alongside of high bluff, which in
places overhangs the tracks, making the dan
ger of wrecks from collision with boulders,
which occasionally fall from above upon the
tracks, very great. Trains. therefore, run
slowly until the dangerous place is passed.
This the engineer of No: did, as
an easy means of escape. He first
locked all but one door, stepped out on to
the platform, locked the door from the out
side and jumped off. The messenger, Froth-
ingham, in the meantime could do nothin G
to release himself not being able even to call
for help. Near Mincke boulder had fallen
upon the tracks and the train delayed
an hour before it could be removed. The
conductor tried the door of the express car,
but found it locked, and supposing the mes
senger to be busy did not ask for admittance.
At St. Clair he again tried the door and
again found it locked. He listened for
minute and heard the messenger struggling
to free himself and making all the noise pos
sible by kicking with his feet against the
side of the car. The conductor suspected
something wrong and burst the door open,
finding rockingham as above described. He
was quickly released and told his experience.
The robber had start of fully two hours
and it was useless to run back to try to find
him. The train therefore proceeded on its
way.
The rcbber is imperfectly described as
tall, dark man of prepossessing appearance,
dressed in black, with very large hands and
feet. 1t is singular coincidence that he
gave the name of Jim Cummings, the only
member of the once celebrated Jim Cum
mings gang who has never been accounted
for.
rockingham, the messenger, returned to
this city on an early train this morning. He
was met by Mr.. Dawson, local manager of the
company, and they were closeted together
for three hours, since which time neither can
be found. On the train returning Frothing
usual run last night. Just as we left the
depot man came into the car and handed
me two letters. One purported to be from
w. II. Dawson instructing me to show the
bearer, Mr.. Cummings, over the route. 1
had no suspicious whatever and made Cum
mings welcome. After we had been on the
road about an hour I turned to
my desk to do some work when
1 received a singing blow on the
head. I have indistinct recollection
of falling and of being jerked to my knees,
when 1 was tied hand and foot and gagged,
then 1 was dragged to the safe and Immediate
ly lost consciousness When [ recovered the
train had reached Pacific and there was
a crowd about me in the and l realized
that had been robbed"
Mr.. French, the superintendent of the
company, was asked to day: ''Do you sus-
pect rockingham of completely in the rob-
bery?" and replied: 'I should judge not
that is should say-I do not know"
The robbery has not yet been reported to
the police and the reticence of the express
officials renders it impossible to- procure
news of any sort.