The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-27
A BOLD ROBBERY.
An Express Messenger Surprised and His
Safe Plundered of $4,000.

An Express Messenger Surprised and His
Safe Plundered of $50, 900.
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 26-The Adams express car
attached to passenger train No. 3, on the st.
Louis & San Francisco road which left this city
at 8:25 last night was robbed of over $4,000 in
cash between here and Pacific, Mo. From
meagre reports, it seems that before the train
left this city man giving the name of Cum
mincs presented letters to the express mes
senger, Mr. Fotheringham, purporting to be
signed by the officers of the company, stating
that Cummings was about to take ''run" on
the line and asking Fotheringham to give him
the points. When near Meremac the stranger
overpowered the messenger, gagged him and
bound him to the safe, after which he coolly
rAea the car. He cut open the bags containing
silver, but took mono of it. At Meremac the
robber left the train. The robbery was not dis
covered until the train reached Pacific, when
the express car was broken open and Messenger
rockingham found tied to the safe. Express
officials are reticent but admit that $50, 600
was taken.
The robber is imperfectly described as tall,
dark man of prepossessng appearance, dressed
singular coincidence that he gave the name of
Jim Cummings-the only member of the once
celebrated James gang who has never been ac-
counted for. The stranger presented to Fother-
ingham cleverly forged letter bearing perfect
fac-simile of the signature of Barrett, the local
agent of the express company at ST. Louis The
letter stated that Mr.. Route had decided to put
an extra man on the route; that the bearer was
he, and that Mr.. Fotheringham was directed to
teach him the details of the business The
stranger was allowed to enter the car, and took
great interest in all of the movements of the
messenger, apparently desiring to learn quickly
the ins and out of the duties which the letter
stated he was expected to perform. Mr.. Fother-
ineham's suspicious were not at all
aroused, and tho stranger impressed him
as a quiet and prepossessing companion.
The two men busted themselves with the ac-
counts, ETC., and all went we'll until point be-
tween ST. Louis and Pacific, Mo-, was reached.
In the meantime the new assistant was informed
that there was nothing more that he could do at
that time, and he seated himself in chair wait
ing until some nav duties should be assigned to
| him to perform sFacheringham was still busily
engaged over his accounts, with his back turned
to Cummings In the course of time it became
necessary for him to 60 the safe, and turning to
do so, he saw the stranger cslmly sitting in his
chair with cooked revolver leveled at his Fother-
ineham's head. Cummings cautiously approached
the dumfounded messenger, and told him II he
remained quiet and made no outcry or raised no
alarm his life would not be endangered, but that
if he acted otherwise he could not answer for
the consequences. Fotherngham had nothing
to do but to submit, and, according TO his state
ment, the robber bound him hand and foot,
pressed a gag into his mouth, tied him to the
safe so that he could not move, and proceeded
with his work. The safe had beer left open, and
it took but few minutes for the robber to Sc
cure the bank notes and valuables in the shape of
jewelry, etc. He cut open the bags containing
the silver coin, but he evidently concluded that
these were too heavy for him to carry, and he
did not disturb their contents Of the gold,
however, he took a goodly amount, and then
proceeded to make good his escape.
The road at this point runs directly alongside
high bluff. which, in places, overhangs the
tracks, making the danger of wrecks from col
lisions with powders which occasionally fall
from above upon the tracks, very great Trains
therefore, slack up at this point and run slowly
until the dangerous place is passed This the
engineer of train No. 3 did, as usual, and thus
offered the robber easy means of escape.
He first locked all but door, stepped out on
to the platform, locked the door from the out
side, and jumped off. The messenger, Fother
ingham, in the meantime could do nothing to
release himself not being able even to call for
clip.
| Near M;ncke, bowlder had fallen upon the
| tracks and the train was delayed an hour before
| it could be removed. The conductor tried the
door of the express car but found it locked, and
supposing the messenger to be busy, did not ask
for admittance. At ST. Clair he again tried the
door, and again found it locked, He listened for
q minute, and heard the messenger struggling to
free himself and making al the noise possible
| by kicking with his feet against the side Of the
the car. The conductor SUSPECTED something
wrong and burst the door open, finding Fother-
ingham as above described. He was quickly re-
leased and told his experience. The robber had
got a start of fully two hours. and twas useless
| to run back to try and find him. The train,
therefore, proceeded on its way and arrived in
| this city this morning at o'clock on its return
| trip. Fotheringham Immediately sought the
superintendent of the company and was closeted
with him for some time, at the end of which he
commenced the preparation of his official re-
| port refusing to make any statement to out
siders regarding the robbery, excepting that the
total loss would amount to something over
/ $50 000
Mr. Fotheringham says the robber was about
twenty-four years old. six feet tall. weight about
| 200 pounds, and dressed in dark clothes, with a
dark overcoat He thinks the robber has accom-
| plices as he seemed to be talking with some one
| on the front platform of the Fothering-
| ham, the messenger, is about twenty-four years
! old and lives in St Genevieve, Mo. He has
| been in the employ of the Adams Express Com
| pany for about four years Superintendent
| Damsel, of tho express company, says that Foth-
eringham's record has been of the best When
asked where Fotheringham was, Mr.. Damsel re-
piled that he had gone up town with Mr. Bar
rett, the route agent and another man. From
| the manner in which he made the statement it is
presumed that the "other man. was an officer of
the law, though Mr., Damsel would make no
statement confrmatory or contradictory Of this
| theory. Mr.. Darasel said he could not state the
exact amount stolen, but twas something under
/ $4,000
Sn~- lt4t ne express COM
result Of q lsng