Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1886-11-04
EXPRESS ROBBERY.
Fifty Thousand Dollars Stolen
Near Pacific, Mo.
How the Plan was Worked.

How the Plan was Worked.
The Adams express car attached 10
| passenger train No. 3 on the st. Louis and
| San Francisco road which left st. Louis
at S;45 at night, was robbed of over $50
600 In cash between st. Louis and Pacific,
Mo. A man giving the name Of Cummings
boarded the train at ST. Louis aud
presented cleverly forged letter TO the
| express messenger, Mr.. Fotheringham. The
| letter purported to be from MIR. Barrett,
local agent, stating that Cummings was
about to take run on the line, and ask
/ ing Fotheringham to give him points. AS
the stranger was q QUOT, unassuming
man, Fotheringham was not at all sus-
| picious OF him.
The two men busted themselves with
accounts until between ST. Louis and
Pacific when Fotheringham said there was
nothing more for him to do. Cummings
| then sat down in chair. Fotheringham
| still busted himself over the accounts and
it was necessary for him to go to the safe.
| In farming he saw Cummings calmly sit
ting in the chair with cooked revolver.
| Fotheringham says Cummings coolly APP
preached him and said il he remained
quiet all would be well, but if he made
any outcry he would not answer for the
consequences Fotherngham said he had
nothing to do but submit and allowed
Cummings to bind and gag him. He was
| then tied to the safe ard Cummings pro-
| ceeded with the robbery.
The safe had been left open, and IL took
| but few minutes for the robber to secure
| the bank notes and valuables in the shape
of jewelry, etc. He cut open the bags con-
| tanning the silver coin. but he evidently
| concluded that these were too heavy for
him to carry, and he did not disturb their
contents. or the gold however, he took a
goodly amount and then proceeded to
make good his escape. The road at
of high bluff, which, in
places, overhangs the tracks, making the
danger OF wrecks from collisions with
boulders, 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 an easy
means of escape. He first locked all but
one door, stepped out on the platform,
! locked the door from the outside, and
jumped of. The messenger, Fothering-
| ham, in the meantime could do nothing to
relieve himself, not being able to call for
| help. Near Mincke "a boulder had fallen
on the tracks and the train was delayed an
hour before IL could be removed The
conductor tried the door of the express
car but found il locked, and suppo>ing the
messenger TO be busy did not ask for adj
mittance. AT st. Clair he again tried the
door of the express car but found it lock-
ed. He listened for minute and heard
the mes, enger struggling to free himself
and making oil the noise s,ible bv
| kicking with his feet against the side OF
| the Car. The conductor suspected some
thing wrong and burst the door open,
| finding Fotheringham as above described.
He was quickly released and told his ex-
| perience. The rohber had got a start of
! fully Two hours and il was useless to run
| back and try to find him.
When the train arrived in st. Louis
| Fotheringham sought Superintendent
Damsel and made his official report He
admits that the total loss to the company
would be over $4,000. 1t is a singular
fact that he gave the name of Jim Cum
mngs, the only member of the Jesse
James gang who has not been accounted
| for. He j. described as about - years of
| age, six feet tall, weight about coo pounds
and wore dark clothes with a dark over
coat. Fotheringham thinks he had ac-
completes as he seemed TO talking to some
one on the front platform.
' Fotherine ham is - years old and has
| been employed by the company for four
! years. He has an excellent record. When
asked where FoUheriDghnm was Mr..
| another tnan and IL is supposed that this
man was an officer OF the law though this
surmise would neither be affirmed or
denied.
Superintendent Damsel says Fother-
! ingham made a statement to him that az
he was about to go out on his run n strange
man gave him letter purporting to lie
signed by the superintendent and Mr..
! Barrett, instructing him to take Jim Cum
mIngs to Pearce City for instructions.
! Fotheringham set him checking up, while
he was working at his own accounts with
| his coat off and his pistol sticking out of
his pocket He was gripped from the rear
and his pistol taken from him. He was then
thrown to the floor, struggling desperately.
He was, however, overcome and bound
hand and foot. A gag was Tut in his
mouth and he was then tied to the safe.
The stranger then rined the safe. At
| Mericke the train was tagged because Of
an obstruction and some one tried TO
enter the express car. The stronger with
| pointed revolver threatened to kill
| Fotheringham II he made an outcry At
Pacific station the rohber took his plumber,
went out on the platform and this was the
last Fotheringham saw of him.
When the train reached st. Clair he had
worked the gag out OF his mouth and
cried out for assistance. The train men
heard him and tried to enter the rear door,
but found il locked and they then went
to the front door, which had been left
open, entered the car and released him.
Fotheringham was gagged with hand
kerchief tied in knots, and his hands were
| with strap taken from valses in the car.
He was tied to the handle OF the safe.
Damsel says 1t is customary to send ne W
men out with old ones for instructions
and such orders as were pre ented would
be issued either by himself or Mr.. Barrett.
Fotheringham cannot name the amount
stolen, but il is thought will exceed 49,
600. Every effort is being made to oitni I'm
a clue TO the robler. The company and
detectives are proceeding OIL the theory of
Fotheringham's innocence. In all he has
worked for the company for four vear..
Two detectives tried to force Fotherin r.
ham into making confession.