The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-11-02
He RObs a Missouri Pacific EX-
press Car of Fifty Thou
sand Dollars.
1t Is Darkly Hinted He Is Jim
Cummings of the Jesse
James Gang.
But as Frankly Admitted That
He lis But Twenty-Five
Years of Age.

-.
attached to passenger train No. 3, on the
St. Louis and San Franciso railroad which
left this CITY at S25 O'Clock last night was
robbed of over $4,000 in cash between
here and Pacific, Missouri. 1t seems that
as the train left this city man giving his
name as Cummings, presented letters to
the express messenger, Mr.. Fothrlngham,
purporting to be signed by the officers Of
The company, stating that Cummings was
about to take run on the line and ask
ing Fothringhan to
GIVE HIM POINTS.
When near Merimac the stranger over
powered the messenger, gagged him and
boupd him to the safe, after which he
coolly rihed the car, cut open the bags con-
tanning the silver, but took none of It, At
Merimac the robber left. The robbery was
not discovered until the train reached Pa
cifc, when the express car was opened
and Messenger Fothringham found tied TO
the safe. The express off oials are reticent,
but admitted that over $4,000 was taken.
A singular coincidence is that the thief
gave the name of
JIM CUMMINGS,
the only member of the once celebrated
James gang who has never been account
ed for. Fothringham says the robber is
about twenty-five years old, six feet tall,
weight about 200 pounds, dressed in dark
clothes with dark over-coat. He thinks
the robber had accomplices as he seemed
to be talking with some one on the front
platform of the car. Fothringhaln Is about
twenty-four, lives in Ste Genevelve, Mo-,
and has been in the employ OF the Adams
Express company for about four years.
Superintendent Damsel says FOthring-
hams record has been OF the best.
He had only been on the Frisco run since
june. He worked for the company prior
to that time in Kansas City. DE had run
on the Southern Kansas, the Fort Scott
and Gulf and the Missouri Kansas and
Texas roads. He had been working for
the company in all about four years
Superintendent Damsel and private detect
i've Newcomb had
A CONSULTATION
with the police authorities this afternoon
but at the present writing no formal demand
for aid has been made upon the express
company. Mr.. Damsel stated that every
effort is being made to obtain clew to the
robber and to procure his arrest. II seems
that so far Mr., Damsel and his advisers
accept Fothringhams statement as true
and that they are working on that theory
but they will not commit themselves fully
on this point.
Superintendent Damsel, of the express
company gives the following as the result
of the long
EXAMINATION OF THE MESSENGER
made at the Office of the company this
morning.
"Mr. Fothringham says that as he was
about to 60 out on his run last night, a
man came to him with letter purportlhg
to be signed by myself and Mr.. Barrett in
structing him to take the bearer, Jim
Cummings on his run as far as Pierce City
for instruction. In accordance with these
supposed instructions Fethringham took
the stranger and set him to work checking
up. Then he began his own work. FotR-
bingham was standing with his back to the
stranger, his coat off and the handle OF his
revolver sticking out of his pistol pocket.
About fifteen miles out from the union
depot
HE WAS ATTACKED FROM THE REAR
The stranger gripped his neck with one
hand and grasped his revolver with the
other. Before Fothringham realized what
was being done he was thrown to the floor.
He struggled and fought but the stranger
overcome him and bound him hand and
foot. Then he put gag in his mouth and
tied him to the safe. Having secured the
messenger he proceeded to go through the
safe and take all there was In it. Several
pouches of silver he cut open but left
them when he found what the contents
were. At Menike some men work ing In a
lime kiln
FLAGGED THE TRAIN
on account of an obstruction on the track.
While it was standing still some one tried
to get into the express car, but the robber
stood over FOthringham with revolver
and prevented his making any effort to cry
out. At or about Pacific station the rob-
Der took his plumber and opening the front
door of the car went out on to the platform
and closed the door after him. What he
did after that Fothringham does not know.
He lay on the floor of the car until the
train reached st. Clair, when he was able
to get
THE THE GAG OUT OF HIS MOUTH.
CRY out for assistance. The train men
hearing him endeavored to get in the
back door and finding it locked went
around to the front door which the robber
had left open, They released him. Foth-
bingham says the robber was about six feet
high, "a years of age, weighed about two
hundred pounds, he had dark straight
hair cut close, thin dark mustach low
forehead, wore dark clothes and
dark gray over coat, he was
GAGGED WITH A HANDKERCHIEF.
tied into knots, forced into his mouth and
tied around his head. His hands were tied
together behind his back with silk hand
kerchief. His legs were fastened together
with straps taken from valises in the car
and with cords and with the heavy strap
which was around the safe. He was tied
to the handle of the safe. Mr. Damsel
added in reply to questions that
it was the custom to send new
men out on the road, and that such
orders as Fothringham says were presented
To him nv the rnhber would be issued either