Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-12-28
THE EXPRESS ROBBERY.
Arrest of ". W. Haight-Jim Cumming.
In safe Keeping AID Large Amount
of the Stolen Money Recovered.
CHICAGO. Bee. o7

The Chicago Times today has a special
from Nashville, Tenn referring to the ar
rest of w. W. Haight, formerly of Leaven-
worth, Kan. for supposed completely in the
81. Louis express robbery. Ii says:
Haight evidently is very shrewd, sagac.
ious fellow, possessed of nerve and GOODNESS
de has been here about a month and was
Joined few weeks ago BY his wife and their
little four-year-old boy. He admitted to a
reporter that he lived in Leavenworth and
that for FIVE years he was a train messenger
for the Adams Express company. running
between st. Louis and Vincent, Indian Ter
ritory. He said he was discharged for be-
ing suspected of sppropriating to himself
several valuable packages which the COM
pany had lost. He was discharged last
April.
The two detectives who made the arrest
have been here nearly three weeks watching
Haight. The arrest was not made until in
structions were received frem Chicago.
Haight seemed much excited when the off.
GERS told him the crime for which he was ar
Rested, He denied the charge but it is said
that he admitted he knew Frothngton, Cook
and other persons who were arrested in Chi
cago and Kansas City.
At this time iiaight had not the remotest
idea that the. others were under arrest. The
ueteCtNes, WHO ndQ Deen INFORMED OF the
real names of the men who had been already
arrested, asked him if he knew them. He
said he did not know who committed the
robbery, but would walk ten miles to shake
hands with all who did. He claimed that he
had come to Nashville because he believed
there was good chance here for him to
make living. Hsight's trunk was examined
and there were found a number of suspicious
papers connected with transactions of express
companies that may have an influence in set
ting upon tine actual perpetrators of the
crime. The wife and child of Haight are
still in this city.
later despatch says that Pinkerton said
this morning:
We have nothing to tell the newspapers
about Jim Cummings or the express robbery
case. I'll tell this much though. We have
jim Cummings beyond all doubt, and we
had two of his pals Friday and got two more
yesterday, besides recovering large amount
OF the money. That mskes five arrests.
We have all the parties safe in custody.
A package was found in Union depot at
st. Louis which would show that Cummings
had number of letter heads of the express
| company. In this letter the writer said he
had gone to a point opposite Labadie and
taken skltf below St. Charles and foated
down river. Detectives were sent to St
Charles and found two men answering the
description of Witcock aud Weaver had
bought skiff and pro,yi.ieps and gone up
river Oct. II, instead u down. The skitf
was was afterwards found in gully partial
ly covered with sand.
In the bundle left at the Union depot, in
addition to other articles, were some bill
heads and on one of these was found the
address 2l0S Chestnut street, but which was
only discernable under microscope. At
this number was found to be living a woman
named Berry, who related that she had had
two roomers who corresPondcd to Witcock
and Weaver. They had come to her house
on Oct Is, and Weaver departed on the
night of Oct. 3D. saying that he was going to
Kansas City. Witcock left on evening of
Oct, 20, explaining that he intended to 90 to
Kansas City also. Mrs. Berry was able to
give very close description Of both men,
On searching the rooms they had occupied
two red stamps were found which corre-
sponded to the labels placed on the two
valises shipped to St. Louis.
After constant shadowing by detectives
Witcock and Kinney we're seen to come from
the formers house Friday morning and pass
down Lincoln street and enter \ liquor saloon
on Madison street Robert A. Pnkerton aud
two operatives shadowed the place until Kin
ney came out when they entered and arrested
Witcock after a sharp struggle. The latter
attempted to draw a revolver, two of which
were found on his person. He protested
against the indignity but was searched and
Sll0 taken from the pocket book found on
his person. When Kinney resppeared he
was searched and $1,000 in money was found
on his person while in the belt around his
waist $4,000. A search of Witcock's house
resulted in finding q skirt on Mrs. Witcock
into which $1,000 in $50 notes was sewn. A
bunch of money of s4500 in all was also
found on her person with 4 valuable diamond.
Weaver was arrested in q coal yard about
the same time and in the basement of his
house was found $4,000 in stone fruit jars.
Then the arrest of Cook and Hsight was or
dered by telegraph. The detectives state
that Cook stributed the money after the
robbery.