The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-11-04
1kAlN ROBBERY.
Another Big Haul by Railroad
Express Robbers.
An Express Messenger Bound and His Car
Robbed of Fifty Thousand Dollars
jim Cummings Makes a Sue
cessfui Appearance.


cessfui Appearance.
ST. LOUIS, Oct 26.-News reached
this city at four o'clock this morning of
one of the b0Idest express robberies on
record. The train to which the express
car was attached was the regular passenger
! on the San Francisco road, which left this
city at SIS last evening. Accounts differ
slightly as to method OF procedure and as
to the number of robbers involved. One
account says: The robbery was committed
at or near Mencke's lime kiln, siding
! Iwenty-three miles west of St LCuis. 1t
seems that night man got on the express
car at the Union Depot, having letters pur-
porting to be signed by Superb tendent
Damsel, of the Adams Express Company,
and Route Agent Barrett, inssructing
the messenger to take the bearer,
who gave the name of Jim Cummings,
out with him and teach him the road. Cum
ming5 on the way out tied the messengers
arms and legs and tied him to the safe by
the neck and got about $4,000 IN paper
money in packages. He is supposed TO
have left the train at or near Pacific, the
first stopping place on the way our. lie is
supposed to have had partner or two on
the train but they took no part in the rob
Jeiy. Cummings cut open lot Of bags of
silver but apparently took none OF it. The
robbery was not discovered uuyil a long
time after the train had passed Pacific,
when the express car was fOsced Open
and the messenger found tied. The
train dispatcher of the Frisco was nOti-
fled and he in turn notified tbs Fifth dis
trict and Holy Station and Mr.. Damsel, the
local agent of the Adams Express Com
pany. The only description which the
messenger could give of his AsSalart was
hat lie was about six feet high, well
dressed and had large feet ami hands. An
other account says two men participated III
the robbery and that every thing went all
right until the tram was near Meremac.
About that point the stranger suddenly
seized the messenger. bOund him hand and
foot, and tied him 20 the safe. They then
plundered the car, taking the cash, esti-
mated at $4,000. At Meremac the train
stopped on account of an obstruction of the
track and the men quietly took their de-
parture.
TDE DETAILS.
ST. LOUIS, Oct. 26.-Ihe stranger who
gave the name of Cummings to FrOthing-
forged letter bearing a perfect fac simile
of the signature of Barrett, route agent
of the express company at ST. Louis. The
letter stated that Barrett had decided to put
on an extra man on the route and that the
bearer was he and that rockingham was to
teach him the details of the business. The
stranger was allowed to enter tie ear
and took great interest in the movements Of
the messenger, apparently desiring TO learn
quickly the ms and outs of the duties The
etter stated he WAS to perform. FTOthing.
hams suspicious were not az all aroused and
the stranger impressed him as a quiet, pre-
possessing companion. The two men busted
themselves with accounts, etc, AMI all went
well until q point between st. Louis and Pa
ciic, Mo-, was reached. In the meantime the
new assistant was informed that there was
nothing more that he could do at that time
and he seated himself i'll a chair, waiting
until some new duties should be assigned
to him. rockingham was still buSiy en-
gagged over accounts, with his back turned
to Cummings" In the course OF time il
became necessary for him to get to the safe,
and turning to do so, he saw the stranger
calmly sitting in the chair with cock ed
revolver leveied at his (Frothngham's)
head.
Cummings cautiously approached the
dumbrOUnded messenger and told him if he
remained quiet and made no QUERY or raised
10 alarm, his life would not be endangered,
but that if lie acted otherwise he could not
answer for the consequences. rockingham
had nothing to do but submit and according to
h;s statement, the rObber bound him hand
and foot, pressed a gag in his mouth, tied
him to the safe so that he could not move
and proceeded with his work. The safe
had been left open and it took but few
minutes for the rObber to secure the bank
notes and valuables in the shape of jewelry,
etc. He cut open bags containing silver
coin, but concluded these were too heavy
for him to carry and did not disturb
their contents. OF gold, however, he took
gOOdly amount and then proceeded 20
make good his escape. The road at this
point runs directly alongside of high bluff
which in some places overhangs tie tracks,
making the danger of wrecks, from col
lisions with powders 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. The engineer of train No.
did as usual and thus offered the robber
easy means of escape. He first locked all
but one door and stepped out on tie plat
form, locked the door from the outside
and Jumped Off. Messenger rockingham
in the meantime could do nothing to release
himself, not being able even to call for
help. Near Mincke bowlder had fallen
upon the tracks and the train was
delayed an hour before it could be re-
moved. The conductor tried the door of
the express car, but found it locked, and
supposing the messenger to be busy did not
ask for admittance. at ST. Clair he again
tried the door and again found it looked.
Listening for a minute he heard the mes
senger struggling 10 free himself and max
ing all the noise possible by kicking with his
feet against the side of the car. The cOnduc-
tor suspected something wrong and burst
the door open, finding rockingham as
above described. He was quickly released
and told his experience. The robber had
got start of full two hours and it was use
less to run back to try and find him. The
train therefore proceeded on its way
and arrived in this city this morning at
seven O'Clock, on its return trip. FrOth-
ingham seeking the superintendent of
the company. was cloSeted with him for
some time, at the end of which lie COM
menced preparing his official report, refus-
ing to make any statement to outsiders re-
garding the robbery excepting that the total
loss would amount to something over
$50. 900.