New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-28
PlNKERTUN'S CAPTIVES.
HOW THE EXPRESS RoBBER WAS CAUGHT.

chase after tho men who robbed tho Adams Express
safe on the st Louis and San Francisco road on the
night of October 70 of $4,000 TO 100000. were
related by the officials OF the Pnkerton National De-
tectve Agency tonight tc representative of the As
socatcd Press. The agency has succeeded in arrest
ing five Frederick Wtrock, who is the author OF
the Jim Cummings" letters and is said to be the man
who perpetratcd the robbery; W. W. Ha.ght an ex
employe of the express company, who is supposed TO
have aided in planning the robbery; Thomas Weaver.
a Chicago laundryman, ~hO With Witrock before
and after the robbery; Edward Kinney. brother-n-
law OF Witrock, upon whom was found considerable
portion OF the express money, and Oscar Cook, who
hid Wirock after the robbery and divided the money
and mailed the jim Cummings letters. The
detectives have ound about $4,000 AID they esti-
mate that from $4,000 to $4,000 is still unac-
counted for
The story of the chase has ell the dash Of ro-
nance. and certain features of it would be regarded
as improbable in fiction. The express car was rhed
on the eht OF October %, and the express mes
sengcr, David s. Fotheringham when discovered. lay
bound and gagged in the car. He explained that he
had admitted into the ear who presented a
letter from John b. Barrett route agent OF the
pany. The letter explained that the man to be
employed and was to be given opportunity to learn
the business. Fotherngham said that while on the run
the stranger presented revolver bound and gagged
him and carried. off all the money in the safe. The
robbery occurred at Pacific Junction, thrty-six miles
west OF ST. Louis.
The Pnkertons sent detectives in all directions aud
the wagon roads running from Pacific Junction toward
the Missouri River were traversed but only a meagre
trace found and the officials when they returned
to St. LOUIS at In the time letter was
addressed by jim Cummings" to "The St. Louis
Globe Democrat" guided by which the Pinkertons
oI tIa opHh hvoI tba
crime ell the participants Meanwhile tie detect
ives had obtained the names of all persons who were
discharged who voluntarily quit the npoy OF the
express company in the preceding year, and found
among the former w. w. Haight, who had been dis
missed nine months before tor the suspected THEFT OF
packages. He had been messenger on the road IRON
st. Louis to viuita Indian Territory, covering the
same run which was made by FotberiDgham. The
detectives found that be and Fotherngham had
known each other In Kansas CITY, but there bad been
no intimacy. Hsigbt was traced to Kansas City, and
from there LeavenwOrth, Kan. where his father Is
an inmate of the Home Ior Oisbled Soldiers. From
Lcaven worth it was found that Hsght had come to
Ch.cago lie was EN- poyed here as express driver.
and also worked for Wtrock. the mysterious jim
Cummings" who was operating coal yard at Lincoln
and West Lake ats. Ha,gh lett the city on October
~ two days after the robbery, stating that he was
eoine to Florida His wife followed him some days
later. They had been poor, but now showed evil
uences OF sudden atfiurnce. 49,
showed that " itrock had also come from Ledven-
worth. and as he absent from the city he cjuld
not be questioned con cerning haigbt when tue
uquIy pursued respecting itrock, IT was found
tat he corrcsponded closely TO the descrpt II gwen
OF the myters,ous I" Jim Cummings" Further IN
quires showed that he lett the city on October ~
Nth Thomas Weaver the lLundryinan. whose place of
business is al No. 1888 West Lake-st., within few
doors OF Witrock's coal yard. 1t was also learned
and q muskrt aud explained that they were going to
hunt in Arkansas Weaver. IL was as,eTta'ne'i, re-
Some OF the handwriting of Witrock was obtained
and submitted 10 the mau who wa passing Jidgment
the letter addressed 10 he Globe Democ' at"
The electives state that this letter. which wa" written
to exculvate FotherDg ham, essed 10 tell the facts
e ,dDg up to the robbery aud what oc-
cured after the robbery. rhe pretended "Jim
Cummings" explained that he left q ,ckage in t.
Union Depot at ST. Louis wbch would show mat he
had number OF the etter-heads OF the express com
pany In this letter the winter SAID that lie went TO
the Missouri River to point opposite LaOadie and
took skid below ST. Charles and foated down lhs
river Dett ctves were sent to ST. Charles ana FOUND
that two men answering the description OF Witrock
and Weaver bought sSi1 and provisions aud went
up the river UroOer IA instead OF down tue river
Tao skIH was aterward found in gully partially
covered with sand. In the bundle which jim
Cummin 6" spoke OF as having been left at the Union
Depot in addition OLler articles were some printed
h.Ilss anu on one OF these was found tue address.
No. q los Ches nut-st. The writing deciphe able
only Ter microscope. At th's unmuer was iouhd
a woman, Mrs. Berry. who related that she had had
two lod ters VINO answered 10 the desc ipiOD OF Wit
rock aud Weaver. Tucy to her house on Octoaer
] q, and Weaver departed On t. night OF OCTOBER
saying that he was going to Kansas Iity: WitrocK
LETT on the evening of %, explaining that he
intended 10 90 to Kans City also. NJ y. Berry was
able give a close uescriptoD OF both the men, In
the search OF the rooms thev occnPea Two re
found which CORE >ponded to the labels placed
on yases ship ed TO st. Louis IRON 81. Nnaries
explained by study OF the hooks of the racine
Express Company, showing that they were the oa2
nj tha hn had pPna
gaining for the skin and pro, Visions
When these Iacts had all been gathered, close
watch was placed upon Weaver III Chicago and the
coal yard OF Witrock, which was managed by
Kinney. Operative, we're also sent to Leavenwoftn
where WitrocA's mother and sister, both respect
able persons were living. IL was 1ound that
Haights wife and child were with Haehis mother in
Leavenworth and that they were in correspondence
with Haight who was in Nashville, Tenn, where he
had gone extensively into the roorng business .
About five weeks ago o daughter and n son OF Mrs:
Berr, OF 81. Louis, came to chicago ana rec"ghHeo
Weaver as one OF the men who had peen LOGGER ,n
their house The dete ctvcs decided that they would
not mvlest Weaver but would await the return Oh
WitrocK. IL Vas learned that Oscar CooN' formerly
OF Leavenworth, a close friend OF "iuoes, hau gone
10 Kansas City where be worked as cooper III tue
East bottoms, hvng meanwhile at clearinghouse
kept b., Mrs. Coxe The story was current mat
Cook had won large amount OF money IN iot'erlI
Dui this idea soon exI loded- III was disco'ercu
that he had made several trips away from the cIty,
and that his Journeys were always lolloweu py .nc
appearance OF on, OF the " Jim Cummings letters:
A finn erton operative finally became bosom Trend
of Cook, visiting gambling house. with him, and
shadowing him until his arrest on Saturday The
shadow on the Wit ock was maintained without result
until last Tue sday night. On that night the Pinktr-
ton men found another shadow whom they did not
know. They saw hum enter Ne. 10 Lincoln-st., tue
house OF Wirock. Atcrwaid a large man, VINO cor.
responds TO the description OF Wtruck also entered
the house. In the meantime the bro,her-in-law.
Kinney. went to Quincy. ill., where he received tele-
gram announcing the return OF Witrock 10 ChieaSo
PInkerton operative hai followed h'nhey' anu ne
managed to see the telegram winch was signed by
Rose itrock the wife OF the man whom the detect
ives were seeking.
On Friday morning the mysterious shadow came
out of the Wrock house with Kinney, and after max
ing q careful survey Witrocs appeared Inc three
went south in Lincoln-st showing evident alarm I'll
aurant Kept ty Italian in Madisoust near iineoi
st Robert A. Pinkcrton and two operatives shadowen
the place until Kinney went out, when ucy Wenr I'm -,