Evening star., 1886-11-09
THE GREAT EXPRESS ROBBERY.
A Curious and Suspicious Attempt 60
Clear the Nu.pected MessemEer.

ST. LOUIS. Nov 9-~he Globe Democrat this
morning prints a letter, dated St Joe, No.,
October 81. and signed Jim Cummings, which
purports TO give a full history OF the robbery OF
the Adams Express car on the San Franct
railroad on the night OF October 2ofh. when be-
tween $4,000 and 100000 I'm currency was
the Globe Democrat last Tuesday. 1t inclosed
two express money envelopes. from one OF
which $4,000 had been abstracted, and from
the other $4,000, also the memorandum OF
the cashier OF the Continental bank notifying
the American National bank of Kansas City,
lnat S3o.Ooo was inclosed. The envelopes and
memorandum have been FULLY Identified
those taken in the robbery. The writer OF the
letter gives as his eason tor writing IT that
He WANTS To CLEAR ForHERrNGHAM,
the express messenger. from the suspicion
which now attaches 10 him. The letter gives
fuil details OF the robbery, and asserts that
Fotheringham was taken completely by sur
prise ana had no participation in ii, except as
the unwilling victim. The writer tells OF pre-
vlouS attempt TO rob the car at Cuba Junction,
ana details the manner in which he and an
accomplice secured letter-heads, cards, etc. aud
secured signatures OF the expires, officials to
enable them TO forge the order permitting the
robber TO ride in thescar with the messenger.
The letter stated that the robbers had a boat
which, together with camping outfit,
Two guns and box of provisions, they
Charles, Mo-. and also package containing a
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 i'm a round
back hand, evidently disguised. is fairly con-
structed and generally wei spelled. errors
where they occur evidently oeing Intentional,
as In the case OF the misquotatiou "Honi salt
qul haly penz, with which ii concludes, and
the messengers name which appears in every
instance as "Fartheringham.' Following di-
rectlons given in the letter the skin. guns and
provisions We're readily Iound by the detec-
uVes, AS WAS the package containing the re-
NolVer at the union depot check stand. OIher
CONGREGATIONS OF TIE LETTER WE'RE NJ
MEgoUS.
Fotheringham, in his first statement said the
roboer mad remarked, when he took from the
messengers pocket the forged letter with which
he had gained access to the express car, that ne
would write q letter 10 the Globe Rocr0t vim
0icatlug the messenger The letter is in the
same handwriting as that recently sent with
some OF the stolen unsigned money 10 Frank
James. Notwithstanding all tins. the detect
ives regard the letter as a clear blind. aud do
not IN the least abate their Nigilant guard over
Messenger Fotheringham Indeed, it is stated
on pretty good authority that the grand jury in
session in this city yesterday found indict-
mentS against tFotherlngham. Jim CummI Ings"
and two others whose ualues were not given for
completely in the robbery.
THEORY OF THE DETECTIVES.
The detectives think that tie robbers, when
tion the extraordinary pressure which would
be brought to bear on the express messenger
and that they laid their plans accordingly
That the guns, boat and provisions were LETT
wnere found before the robbery, there il no
douot, for people residing in the vicinity re-
member having seen mysterious strangers in
the locality, and the guns were purchased near
ST. Charles several days before the robbery.
1he package at the depot check stand was also
there on the date claimed in the letter, the day
OF the robbery. But the detectives claim that
the letter was never written on the day claimed.
nor was 1t written III IT. Joseph. However,
they say, the letter has given them some very
strong clues and that the whole truth regard
Ing the affair will be soon known.