Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-12-09

before he takes charge of his treasurer.
The rule to this extreme is not, however,
Endorsed by all the companies. Many
allow their messengers to carry their re-
volvers in their safes on going on and
coming off rur, but all require the UNI
limbering of their batteries when they are
actually placed in position when they
by any possibility may be called upon to
use them. This rule is however, very
frequently disregarded, as the revolver
strapped to the waist is very cumbersome
and interferes with the messengers move
ments and comfort when at work, and
hence the revolver is frequently hung on
the side of the car or laid on the safe
The messengers strongest safeguard
however, is the rule against admitting
outsiders to the car and some of the
companies rigidly exclude even trainmen
between stations. In this connection is
found one of the most peculiar features
of the present robbery. Expressmen say
the plan is one that has never been
worked before, and though begin
ners are never sent out by letter, is entire
ly feasible, as a messenger could very
readily be deceived into taking man
man out on such a letter as that with
which Fotheringham was presented, and
he could as readily be excused for mis-
taking even clumsy forgery for a gen
uine letter, as his chief so seldom ad
dresses him directly in writing. the usual
course being through clerks. Still, when
men are handed over to messengers to be
shown the ropes, 1t is never by letter, but
always verbally and by the officials in
charge of the messengers. Letters are
given to agents and others to extend
courtesies, such as passes, etc, but never
to ride in car. There is, however, no
rule on this subject, only law of Gus
tom.
One of the most marked cases in which
a messenger was suspected was that of a
man named Kincaid, on the Wabash, a
few years ago. He was very generally
regarded as guilty, detectives who had
worked on the case sharing in the be-
lief, but he had always been faithful,
and as there was no absolute proof
against him he was continued in service,
and - in the employ of the same com
pany to day, his innocence having been
clearly proven by lucky but accidental
developments, which were made later,
to throw woman over the bridge, thus
attracting police attention. The rooms
of the man and woman were searched,
not with any idea that Holland was
train robber, but on general principles.
The search, however, disclosed money
wrappers and express wrappers, which
gave the only clew obtained to the rob
berry on account of which Kinoaid had
so long been under a cloud with all ex-
cept the officers of the company which
continued him in its employ. Another
case of directly opposito character was
that of the robbery which occurred near
Peru, Ind, on Sept %, 1853, the Pacific
Express Company being the victim. On
the arrival of the train at Peru the doors
of the express and baggage car were
found to be securely fastened,
and on an entrance being af
fected, the express messenger, Burt
Loomis was discovered on the floor buck
ed and gagged, and in an unconscious
condition On revival he said that sever
al disguised men had entered the car at
Roarne Station, overpowered and bound
him, opened the safe with the keys taken
from him and then effected their escape,
taking with them all the money, 81, 700,
that the safe containt d. The case was
put in the hands of Thos. Furlong, who
at once suspected that the messenger him
self was one of the robbers, but the ex-
press officials derided any such idea.
Furlong apparently gave up, and pursued
other clews, which led to nothing. Sc
cretly, on his own responsibility, he
caused a close watch to be kept upon
Loomis, and four months after the event
Loomis was brought to Furlong's room
for the ostensible purpose of endeayor-
ing to identify man suspected TO be one
of the robbers. Then Loomis was in
formed that sufficient evidence was in
the hands of the express company to Sc
cure his own conviction, but out of con-
sideration of his family he would not be
prosecuted if he spoke out and told the
whole story. At this LOOMS confessed
that he, in league with two others, had
robbed his own car. His confederates
we're old criminals, who had made a mere
tool of him, and finally bad given him
so of the plumber. After a long search
both were captured, and are now inmates
of the Indiana penitentiary. LOOMS was
not prosecuted, as he was rather weak
than criminal, and had committed the
crime when under the influence of liquor
administered by the robbers.