The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-12-28
TRACKING TIE THIEVES.
How the Detectives Succeeded In Tagging
the Express Robbers,


How the Detectives Succeeded. In tagging
the Express Robbers,
ST, LOUIS, NO., Dec. 27.-The following
story Of the hunt made by Plnkerton do,
tectlves, from the tiMO OF the Adams Ex.
press robbery 10 the date of the capture in
Chicago, on Friday Last, Is derived from
sources which render It's correctness un-
questionable: Shortly alter tho robbery
was committed, the detectives went to
work upon tho case, hut they were prach-
Cally at sea as to the identity OF the rob-
bar. There was not q clue, and every.
thing would have appeared perfectly In
accord with Fotheringhsn's story had II
not theen that there were inaccuracies in his
statements. When the Globe. Democrat re-
ceiyed lts Grst letter from Jim Cummings,
dated st. Joseph, No., October 81, there
was q clue, and very suhstantial one II
proved, when tho detectives got down to
work on 1t systematically. IN that letter
be said there was q package TO be found
at the check room OF the Union Dspot, and
marked on tho books. They went and got
that package, and opening II, found that
there were In 1t several shirts, billy, and
several written songs, not at all III the
hand writing Of the letter. There was also
found q printed ballAd.sheet OF tho kind
cold on the streets by the pewshoys. That
was examined, and upon It was found the
number Of house on Chestnut street,
The words "ChesLnut street" were exactly
the same 90 tho handwriting Of the Globe.
Democrats letter.
ON THE TRAIL,
a visit was paid to the house immedi.
Ately by the Plnkerton operstiyes-two Of
his very best. They we're met at the door
BY lady, who was very sharp, and imme-
distely recognized who the men were.
" know who you are" she said, ''you've
come here To soc about the two men who
we're rooming here" They told her they
were. Next she went on to describe the
two men, answering exactly to the de-
seription OF the parties wanted. The
detectives went into the room and ex-
atnined Il at great paips. The FIRST thing
they ran against was o bottle OF medicine,
which was found to have on II the label
Of q druggist In the vicinity, and also the
name Of q well known doctor. Druggist
and doctor were both viBited, and
there they learned again the descrip.
ton Of the men who had visited
the doctor and drUggiSt-the same man
who had stopped at the house In question,
The clothing found along the track was
examined and 1t wAs found that 1t bore
evidences Of the Contsgloug disease for
which medicine was prescribed BY the
doctor and filled by the druggist, This
was established, and then the operatives
seemed TO be o little more ct sea than
ever. The landlady Eaid that on the Fri.
day before October 26, the time Of the
robbery, one Of the men, the smaller one,
had gone TO Kansas City on the ST. Louis
4 San Francisco train, and loft the other
behind. Saturday the man left behind
came To her and said that il o letter should
come to the place Tor q man named vii.
liams che was 10 hold Il ior him, % he was
the man. The letter came and he said
that Il called him away Unexpectedly to
Kansas City, too. He went away from
the house the night ot the robbery with o
vallBe. She described the vallse. II was
the same one which Engineer HelIerman
declared he saw In the hands Of tho man
who threw IL into Fothefngham'B car
before Fotheringham helped him In.
A not CLUE.
Next the carpet was taken up and under
the floor covering was found an express
tSg On the Tag there was a little green
waxen seal, resembling the seals on the
packages which we're sent the letter TO
the GlGbs Democrat, This seal was exam
lned, and II was found that the articles to
which II had been attached had been
shipped Bome time before from the Pacific
10 VI. Louis. The books Of the company
were oyerhanled at considerable pains,
and then II was found that the articles
which had h0sh shipped were two yaliseS.
The vallSeB were those Of men who had
stopped Of the houBe. The lAndl4dy said
that she had never seen the smaller man
from that day 10 the time she was queB.
toned. This clue was followed up, and II
was learned almost % positively 40 any.
thing can be learned that oil the Friday
night on which ths smaller man left d
man went over the route Ia Fothering'
hams express car The men were thor
traced 10 Kahaas, aud then again into
MiIsuurl, until, through q letter over /
week ago, II was learned that the men
wanted were Ia Kansas City, OF neal
there. They we're located about ID indie
pendenCe. williams, who 10 Cummings
has talked . Rreat deal, The restaurant
where the mon had taken their meals va
found, and the saloon at which they dfanl
was Alao visited.
Little clues we're picked up here ant
there, The detectives following ploaelj