Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-11-03
GOT THE SWAG.
An Express Messenger Gagged and Ro
had nf GAO 0On

on the st. Louis d San Francisco
Road, was robbed of more than $40,-
900 by man giving the name of Cum
miDgs. The story of the affair is told
by Supt. Damsel, of the express COM
pany, as follows: "Mr. rockingham
says that as he was about to go out
on his run last night, g. man came to
him with q letter purporting to be
signed by myself and Mr.. Bar
rett, instructing him to take the
bearer, Jim Cummings, on his run
as far as Pierce City, for instruc-
tions. In accordance with the sup
posed instructions, rockingham took
the stranger and set him to work
checking up. Then he began his own
work. rockingham was standing
with his back to the stranger, his coat
off and the handle of his revolver
sticking out of the pistol-pocket.
About ten or fifteen miles out OF Union
Depot he was attacked from the rear.
The stranger gripped his neck with
one hand and grasped his revolver
with the other. Before rockingham
realized what was being done
he was thrown to the floor. Hestrug-
gled and fought, but the stranger
|
and foot. Then he put q gag in his
mouth and tied him to the safe. Hav-
ing secured the messenger he proceed
ed to 60 through the safe and take all
there was in it. Several pouches of
silver he cut open, but left them when
he found what they contained. At
Mincke, some men working in q lime
kiln tagged the train on account of an
obstruction on the track. While it
was standing still some one tried to
get into the express car, but the rob-
Der stood over rockingham with g.
revolver and prevented his making
any effort to cry out.
"At or about Pacific Station the
robber took his plumber and opening
the front door of the car, went out on
the platform and closed the door after
him. What he did after that Froth-
ingham does not know. He lay on
the floor of the car until the train
reached st. Clair, when he was able to
get the gag out of his mouth and cry
out for assistance. The trainmen,
hearing him, endeavored to get in the
back door, and finding it locked went
around to the front door, which the
robber had left open. They released
him. rockingham says the robber
was about six feet high, "a years of
age, and weighed about 200 pounds.
He had dark, straight hair, cut close,
thin, dark mustache, q low forehead,
and wore dark clothes and a dark
gray overcoat."
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Oct. 27.-There are
no new developments in the Adams Elk
| 4b5e
Damsel Was seen at his office, this
Associated Press sill the facts in the
case as far as they had come to his
knowledge yesterday, and nothing alb
solutely new has turned up since. In
regard to the report that Messenger
Fotheringham had made COMES
sion, he stated that there was no
truth in it, that they were
working on the theory that the mes
senger's story was true, that the latter
has not been arrested, nor placed un
der surveillance, but Of his own &C
cord was in constant communication
with the officers of the company and
the detectives who have the case in
hand, and is aiding them as much as
!, he is able in their attempt to discover
the whereabouts and Identity OIL
! the robber. A dispatch from Spring
! field printed here this morning giving
the story Of g. man who Travelled
from ST. Louis with an individual who
answered the robber' description, and
whose satchel contained q large mum.
Der of bank notes tied up in packages
, was shown Mr.. Dameel. He said that
if the story was true il was q very i'm
port2ct discovery, bat there weie sc
many stories afoat Of like nature that
it was difficult to select the probable
from the improbable ones. They
would investigate the occurrence but
he doubted that if it would lead to the
discovery of the robber. The detect
ives have several clues and are hard
at work upon the case.
Fotheringham was seen at the com.
pany's office this morning by a report.
er, to whom he told the story of the
robbery. He made his statement in a
frank, straightforward manner, with
out the slightest hint at embarrass-
ment or confusion. He said that he
was we'll aware that circum-
stantial evidence pointed strong
~ to his being an accessory to
the robbery, but that he had nothing to
conceal and was confident that the re-
suit Of the investigation would clear
him of all suspicion. The only point
in the messengers statement which
was not given out yesterday is that
the robber told Fotheringham that he
had an accomplice upon the train
who, if he (the robbery was unable to
carry out his plans unaided, would
come to his assistance.
L. G. Weir, superintendent of the
Cincinnati division of the Adams Com
pany, is in this city this morning, has
been in conference with Supt. Damsel
concerning the robbery. 1t is thought
they will offer q large reward for the
capture of the robber.
ST. LOUIS, Mo-, Oct. 3O.-As the days
pass the amount stolen from the
Adams Express car on the St. Louis
& San Francisco Railway, last Mon
day night, grows with alarming rapid
ty. First it was said to be $4,000,
~