Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1886-11-05
taREAT.RxrRESs ROkaERY.
One Han. sinsl e.RAndad. 1oSs q Express Hes.
seaser on Train II Missouri, Gaptnring $50.
O00-Ons Of the Most Skillfsl Exploits il the

One Han. Single.Rasdad, 1oSs 81 Express nes.
& seaser On 8 Train II Missouri, Captsring 15O,.s
0OO-Ons Of the Most skillfsl Exploits i. tire
Annals Of Crime. 4:
The Adams express car attached TO pas.
senger train No. 8, on the ST. Louis e San
Francieco road, which left st. Louis at
robbed OF over $4,000 in cash bat ween
St. Louis and Pacific, Mo. Before the
train left St. Louis a man giving tho name
OF Cummings presented to the press mes.
senger, Mr.. Fouheringham, q cleverly forged
letter bearing a perfect fac-simile Of the sig-
naturs OF Barrett, the local agent 81
the express company at st. Louis.
The letter stated that Mr.. Barrett
had decided to put an extra man on
the route, that the bearer was he. and that
Mr.. Fotheringham was directed to teach
him the details OF the business. The strsl,,.
ger was allowed to enter the car and took
great interest in all of the movements OF
the messenger, apparently desiring to learn
~ quickly the ms and outs OF the duties which
the letter stated he was expected to per.
form. . p. II a.r, f$f-.5 Z
Supt. Damsel gives the following as the
result OF long examination OF the mes
senger, made at the Office OF the company:
Mr.. Fotheringham says that az he was
about to go out on his run last night.
a man came to him with Il letter purport-
ing to be signed by myself and Mr.. Barrett,
instructins him to take the bearer.
Jim Cummings, on his run as far as
Pierce City, for instructions. In accord
ance With the supposed instructions,
Fotherlngham took the stranger and set
him to work checking up. Then he began
his own work. Fotheringham was standing
with his back to the stranger, his coat of
and the handle OF his revolver sticking out
OF the pstol-pocket, when about ten or fiji
teen miles out OF the union depot, he was
attacked from the rear. The stranger
grppsd his neck with one hand and
grasped his revolver with the other.
Before Fotheringham realized what was be.
ing done, he was thrown to the floor. He
struggled and fought, but the stranger
overcame him and bound him hand and
foot, Then he put a gag in his mouth and
messenger, he proceeded to go through the
sale and take all there was in it. Sever
al pouches OF silver he cut open
but left them when he found what
they contained. At Mincke some men
working in lime kiln tagged
the train on account OF an obstruction on
the track. While it was standing still some
ore tried to get into the express car, but
the robber stood over Fotheringham with
ing any effort to cry out. At about Pacii
ic station, the robber took his plumber,
and opaning the front door OF the car went
out on the platform and closed the door,
What ne did after that Fotheringham
does not know. He lay on the floor Of the
car until the car reached st. Clair when
he was able to get the gag out Of his mouth
and cry out for assistance. The train.
men, hearing him. endeavored to get in the
back door, and finding it locked went
around to the frontdoor, which the robber
had left open. They released him. Foth-
eriugham says the robber was about six
feet high, twenty. four years OF age,
weighed about two hundred pounds.
He had dark, straight hair, cut close,
thin, dark mustache, q low forehead,
wore dark clothes and n dark gray over.
coat. The messenger Was gagged with hand
kerchie's tied in knots forced in his mouth
and bound around his head. His hands
were tied together behind his back with q
silk handkerchief. His legs were fastened
with straps taken from valises in tho car
cords and heavy strap which was around
the SAFE He was tied to handle OF the SAFE
1t is customary to send new men out on the
road with messengers to receive instruc-
tons, and such orders as Fotheringham
says were presented to him by the robber
would be issued either by Route Agent Bar
rett OR himself. Fotheringham telegraphed
in to the company's general manager that
he had been robbed, and he CHR. DamseD
was notified OF the fact about half past
one clock this morning. Mr.. Damsel says
he can not yet name the amount stolen,
but as the run was unusually heavy, he
thinks it will exceed $4O,0