The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-11-11
Cummings, ConCessIon,

ST LOUIS, Nov. 9.-The Globe Demo-
crat this morning prints letter dated ST.
Joe, Missouri, Oct. 31st signed by jim
CummIngs, which purports to give full
history of the robbery of the Adams ex-
press Car on the San Francisco road on the
night of October %, when between $780,
600 and S100, 900 IN currency was taken.
The letter was received by the editor of
the Globe-Democral last Tuesday. Il en-
closed two express money envelopes,
from one Of which $50. 600 had been alb
stracted and from Ihe other $12, 1000;
also memorandum OF the cashier of the
Continental bank, notifying the American
National bank of Kansas City that the
$30,0O0 enclosed envelope ana the mem
OrAnt um had been tully Unidentified as
those taken in the robbery. the writer of
The letter gives as his reason for writing
IL that he wants to clear FOtheringhaEn,
the express messenger from any suspicion
which now attaches TO him. The letter
gives full details of the robbery and as
serts that FOtherinRham was taken COM
pletely By surprise and had no participation
in it except as an unwilling victim. The
writer tells of previous attempt to rob
the ca at Cuba Junction and details the
manner in which he and his accofhplices
secured the letter heads, cards, ETC., and
secured the signatures of the express Of
f1cials 70 enable them to forge
the order permitting the robber
to ride In the car with the messenger.
The letter stated that the robbers had a
boat, which, together with camping out
fit, two guns and box OF provisions, they
had secreted near the bridge at st. Charles,
Mo. also q package containing revolver,
which had been left at the check stand at
the Union depot in this city on the day of
the robbery. The letter is written in q
round, back hand, evidently disguised; is
fairly constructed and generally well
! spelled, errors, where they occur, evident
~ being intentional, as In the case of the
misquotation, "hoai soft q al holy pense. !"
with which It concludes, ana the messen-
gers name, which appears Ia every case
as "Farthinghsm." Following the direc-
tions given in the letter, the skif, guns
and provisions were readily found by the
detectives, as was the package containing
the revolver at the union depot check
stand. Other corroboratIons OF the letter
are numerous.
Fotherlngham, 10 his first statement,
said the robber had remarked when he
took from the messeDger's pocket the
forged letter by which he had gained &C
cess to the express car, that he would
write letter 10 the Globe Democrat vim
dicaiing the messenger. The letter is in
the same hand WTitiDR as that recently
sent with some OF the stolen money TO
Frank ames. Notwithstanding all this,
the detectives regard The letters as clear
''blind" and do not in the least abate their
vigilant guard over Messenger FotherIng-
ham. Indeed, il Is stated on pretty good
authority, that the grand jury in session
in this city yesterday found indictments
against Fothe:inghsm, Jim Cummings
and two others, whose names are not
given. for completely in the robbery. The
detectives think that the robbers, when
preparing for the affair, took into consid-
Grafton the extraordinary pressure which
| would be brought to bear on the express
messenger, and that they laid plans &C
cordinRly. That the guns, boat and pro-
visions were left where found before the
; robbery there is no doubt, for people re-
siding In the vicinity remember having
seen mysterious strangers in the locality
and the guns we're purchased near st
| Charles several days before the robbery
| The package at the depot check stanC
was also left there on the date claimed II
| the letter, the day OF the robbery, but tn
| detectives CLAIM that the letter was neithe
written on the day claimed, nor was
| written in st. Joseph. However, they say
| the letter gives them some very stronl
clues and that the whole truth regarding
the affair will soon be known.