The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-28
Thu THRILLING STORY
OF THE CAPTURE OF TIE TX.
PRESS ROBBERS,
And tire Patient, Ceaseless, Eifectual
Work Of the DetectIves-Jim
Cummings Fate Sealed.

complete doiatlB OF the chase AILer the
Adams express robbers who iified \
cafe on the ST.. Louis and San Fran
cisco road on the night OF October
25th Of sos, COO tn $50, COO, we're related
for the first time by the oficia's OF the
PiDkerlon National Detective Agency
tonight to q representative Of the AS
sociaied Press. The agency has sue
ceeded in arreeting Eve men, named
Frederick WitIock, who 10 the author
OF the "Jim Cummings" letters and
who is claimed to be the man who
perpt trated the robbery; w. w.
Hsight, an ex.employe OF the express
company, who is supposed to have
aided in planning the robbery from
his knowledge OF the railroad "run;"
Thomas Weaver, Chicago laundry
man, who was with Witrock before
and after the robbery; Edward
Kinney, q brother in.lfw OF Witrock,
upon whoee person WAS found con-
siderable portion Of ths express mo oey,
and 0tcar Cook, who was with Wit
rock after the robbery and sitsrward
divided the money and mailed the
"Jim Cumming" letters. The detec.
tives have returned about s 5 600 and
estimate that from $40. 600 to $i5, GOO is
still ur acco IN ted for
Toe story Of The chase has all the
dash OF romanc3 about | and certain
features about 1t would be regards d ss
improbable in fiction. The express car
on the st. Louis aud San Francisco road
wasr fed on the night OF 0Gtober 25th.
The express messenger, David s. Foth-
eTingbam, when Discovered by the
train hands, was found bouEd and
gagged in The car. He explained that
he lad admitted man into the car
who had prevented Letter from John
b. Barrett, route agent for the express
Compaoy, the letter explaining that
the man wss 10 be employed by the
company, snd was to be given the op.
porlunity to lean the business Fo,n-
eTingnsm related that while on the
run the stranger presented revolver,
bound and gagged him and then car
ried off all the money in the safe.
The robbery occurred at Pacific Jurc-
ton, about tbirty-six miles from st.
Louis. The Pinkerton agency sent
operatives, in all directions, and the
wagon roads running from Pacific
Junction toward the Missouri river
were traverssd, but only a mesger
trace was found of anyone and
the officials, when they returned to ST..
Louie, ware completely at sea. Ia the
meantime letter was addressed by
Jim Cummings" to the Globe. Demo.
crdt, OF St. Louie, bated on which the
Pinkertons clsim to have comprised
The srrest and fixed the crime of oil
the participants In the meantime the
detectives obtained the names OF all
persons discharged or who volutarily
left the employ OF the express COM
psny during the p 'eCeding year, and
found among ihs former w. W.
Haight, who had been discharged
nine months previous for suspected
theft of packages. This mau had been
a messenger on the road from st.
Louis to Vinita, 1. T., covering the
same run which was made by Fotber-
ingham. The detectives found that
be snd FotheriDghsm had known each
other at Kansas CITY, but there had
been no intimacy. Haight was traced
to X insas City and from there to
Leavenworth, where his fa,her was an
inmate Of tho Home for Disabled Sol
dierl. From Leavenworth it was
found that HaiRht bad come to chi.
cago, where he had been employed as
an express driver and alto work for
Fred Witrock, the mysterious "Jlm
Cumming" who was operating q Coal
yard at the corner of Lincoln and West
L4ke s,ree's. Haieht left tbs city on
October 9th, two days after the
robbery, stating that he YVES going 10
Florida, and his Wits followed him
some DAYS batter They had besn very
pcor, bit phowed evidence OF sudden
aflluenca Immediately after the rob-
berry. The Investigation by the de-
tective5 in Chicago showed that Wit
rock had also come from Lsaven-
worth, and as he was alb ent from the
city he could net bs questioned con-
corning Haight. When inquiry was
pursued respecting Witrock it was
found that he correspoDded very
closely TO the description given Of the
mysterious Jim Cummings" Fur
Their cautious inquiries showed that
Wiuock had left the city on October
l2 h with Tom Weaver, the laundry
man, whose pace Of business Is at No.
1888 Wet Lake street, and within q
few doors of Witrock's coal yard. 1t
was also learned that the men h I'd
taken with them two vslises, a shot
gun and muskrt, and explained that
they were going to Arkansas to hunt.
Weaver, 1t ives ascertained, had re-
turned to Chicago on October 22d.
Some of the hand writing Of Wit
rochouwas obtained and submitted
TO the man who was passing judg-
mant on the letter addressed to the
0lobs- Democrat. The detectives state
that this letter, which was written to
exculpsts FotheriUgham, professed to
tell the facts leading up to the robbery
and what had occurred after the rob-
berry. In this slim Cummings" ex-
planned that he had Left package in
the union depot at 1t, Louis which
would show that he had a number Of
the letter heads Of The express COM
hany, and in this letter the writer SAID
ub Hhu klH6 W blo hlooouil AlNtE " ~
point opposite Labadie and took a
skill below st. Charles and h1ated
down the river. Detectives were sent
to s.. Charles and found that two men
answering to the description OF Wit
rock and Weaver had bought a skifI
and provisions and had gone up the
river In October Instead of down. the
river. The skifi was afterwards found
ia gull partly covered with mud and
sand. II the bundle Jim Cumming
spoke as having been left at the uGion
depot, in addition to other articles,
we're some printed blanks, and on one
Of these was found the address 2l0S
Chestnut street, but which was only
discernable under a microscope, At
this number was found to be living a
woman named Mrs Berry, who related
that she had had two roomers who
corresponded to Witrock and Weaver.
They had come TO her house on 0cto.
Der 18th and Weaver departed on the
night Of October 90, saying he was
going 10 Kansas City. Witlock left
on the evening Of October %, explain
ing that he intended to 90 to Kansas
City also. Mrs. Berry was able to
| give n very cloee deRcription of both