The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1886-10-30
Bold Express Robbery.

over SOO,OUO III cash between here
and Pacific, Mo. Before the train
left the city man giving the name
OF Cummings presented to Express
Messenger Fotheringham a cleverly
forged letter, bearing a fac smile of
thesignature ofMr. Barrett, the local
agent of the express company at
st. Louis. The letter stated that
Mr.. Barrel had decided to put an
extra man on the route, that the
bearer was the man, and that Mr..
Fotheringham was directed to teach
him the details Of the business. The
stranger was allowed to enter the
car, and took great interest in all of
the movements of the messenger
apparently desiring to learn quickly
the ins and outs of the duties which
the letter stated he was expected to
perform.
Mr.. Fotheringham's suspicious
were not at all aroused, and the
stranger impressed him as a quiet
and prepossessing companion. The
two men busted themselves with
the accounts, etc, and all went well
until point near Maramec, Mo-,
was reached. In the meantime the
new assistant was informed that
there was nothing that he could do
at that time, and he seated himself
in a chair
Fothcringham was still busily en-
gagged over his accounts with his
back turned to Cummings. In the
course of time it became necessary
for him to 60 to the open safe, and
turning to do SO saw the stranger
calmly sitting in his chair with a
cooked revolver leveled at his (Foth-
eringham's) head. Cummings eau
tiously approached the dumbfound-
ed messenger, and told him if he re-
manned quiet and raised no alarm
his life would not be endangered.
but that if he acted otherwise he
could not answer for the consequent
ces. Fotherinsham could do moth
ing but submit, and according to his
statement, the rohbcr bound him
hand and foot, pressed a gag into
his mouth, tied him to the safe so
that he could not move and pro-
cceded with his work. 1t oolZ but
few minutes for the robber to Sc
cure the bank notes and valublcs in
the shape ofjcwclry, etc, in the safe.
He cut open the bags containing the
silver coin, but did not disturb their
contents. OF the gold, however, lie
took a goodly amount. The road
at this point runs directly alongside
of a high bluff, which in places over
hangs the tracks, making the danger
OF wrecks from collision with bowl
ders which occasionally fall from
above the tracks very great Trains
therefore slack up at this point and
slowly until the dangerous place is
passed. This the engineer of train
No. 3 did, as usual, and thus afford
ed the robber an easy means of es-
cape. He first locked all the doors
but one, stepped out on the platform,
locked the door from the outside and
jumped oil. Fotheringham in the
meantime could donothing to relieve
himself, not being able even to call
for help.
Near Mincke bowlder had fallen
upon the tracks, and the train was
delayed an hour before it could be
removed. The conductor tried the
door the express car, but found it
locked, andsupposing the messenger
to be busy, did not ask for admit
lance. 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
possible by kicking with his feet
against the side of the car. The
conductor suspected something
wrong and burst the door open, find
ing Fotheringham as above describ-
ed. He was quickly released and
told his experience. The robber had
got start of fully two hours, and it
was useless to run back to try and
find him.
Mr.. Fotheringham says the robber
is about "a years old, 6 feet high,
weighs about 200 pounds and was
dressed in dark clothes, with a dark
overcoat. He thinks the robber had
accomplices, as he seemed to be talk
ing to some one ON the front platform
Of the car. Fotheringham, the mes
senger, is about "a years old, and
lives in st. Geneyieve, Mo. He has
been in the employ of the Adams
= Express Company for about four
years.
Services at Newark and Wesley Churches