The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-11-05

Bound. Gagged and Made Fast % the safs
b. Clever Rebher. who co"iiy Az
proprlascs Nearly $4,000 and
Makes lsls Escape

81. Louis, Oct. es.-The messenger o
the Adams Express Company who lei
Union Depot At s;e5 O'Clock last evening
In charge Of the car on the wcst-bound
81. Louis & San Francisco tram was
bound and robbed Of $4,000 at point
on the road between Meramec station
and Mincke's Blum. Shortly before the
train pulled ont Of the depot last night
two men were seen In the vicinity OF the
express car, and later man. supposed &
be one III this couple. boarded the car
and accosting Messenger Fother'nghatr
presented a letter, purportlng 10 oe
signed BY Route Agent Barrett,
instructing the messenger 10
initiate the holder Into the duties
Of the position OF messenger on last
nights trip. Az the regular time ths
train pulled out os the depot and the ex-
press car was closed as usual. Near 81
Clair. ! station fifiy-five miles west Of -
Iouis. the train was tagged BY coapie
Of negroes, who said they had discovered
= rock on the track. Some distance
further on large stone. which II was es-
timated weighed several tons, was dis.
covered between the rails, having appar-
ently been rolled down the decIivity at
the side Of the rails. When the train
pulled up, Conductor Sprinkle went for
ward, and a. he passed the express car
tried The door, but could not arouse the
messenger.
A delay was caused while the train crew
removed the rock from the rail. 1t seemed
possible that this stone had fallen from
the ledge Of one Of the entertainments %
the side OF the Frisco track. Although
the work consumed an hour aud thirty
minutes, no further effort was made 20
call the express messenger, whose as
sistance was not required in removing
the obstruction. When the train reached
st. Clair cries were heard from the ex-
press car. and the conductor went 10 the
door OF the car and, calling Engineer
Chas. Hoag. pushed II open.
Messenger Fcsherinsham was found
tied by the neck to the safe, with his
hands and feet bound II was then al
most one o'clock. A message announc-
| Ing that the Adams Express car had been
robbed was then sent TO the 81. Louis 4
| San Francisco train dispatcher at the
| company's yards, Manchester road and
| Chouteau avenue, this city. This infor-
nation was impaired 10 Private Watch
| man McCairn. WHO Immediately tel
| ephoned the Fifth Police District sta
| ton, together with the Information
| that freight train would shortly De
| due at the Yards from the West Ser
geant Woodlock, with PatroImen Arrow.
| Mccarthy. Walsh and McFadden, started
| for the yards at once, and on reaching
| the Office instructed Dispatcher Burns 20
| obtain a detailed statement Of the rob-
had. however, pulled out, and telegram
was accordingly sent 70 the next station,
where the trpIn was stopped and the
statement secured.
Fotherincham stated that shortly after
eight O'Clock last night. at the Union
Depot, man Weighing about two hun
bred pounds. tall and we'll built, with q
ford lace and low forehead, large hands
and feet and coarse voice applied ~ the
door Of the car and 1t once handed In Z
letter purporting 10 be signed BY Route
Agent Barrett and instructing him %
take out the bearer. an extra man. on
last nights trip. After the train had
started out, the man stated that his name
was Jim Cummings. Fotheringham
stated that he was busy with his usua
dnties during the first few miles Of the
trip. At about half-past nine, at some
spot near Meramec station, "CCmmings''
suddenly drew . revolver. and as resist
lance was useless. in his estimation, ~
submitted 10 be bound and tied TO tn
safe, after which Cummings helped him
self TO packages Of currency supposed =
contain 1000. most OF which was con
signed 10 Springfield. Mo. Fotheringhau
could give no more accurate description
Of Cummings than that above stated
with The addition that he wor
dark clothes. Fothenngham rcturne'
10 this chy this morning and wa
n once taken In charge by Su
perintendent Damscl OF the Adam
Express Company. who had him closets
| III the express company's Office at Twelft
| and Poplar streets all morning. Mr.. Dam
sci. when seen, stated that Nessenge
Fotheringham could not be seen By AMI
bodv until he had first made . full state
ment 10 the express company. At 10 I
m. Foiheringham was still slowed ava
! At the express Office. and It was given cr
that he was laboring upon his write
official statement.
The following Il the official report {
2 the general superintendent Of the 'Frisc
! road 10 the general manager Of the roa
concerning the robbery:
. Express robbery on No. > last nigh
b 4 Messenger claims that a man prcsente
I q letter to him In Union depot signed }
; Mr.. Barrett, route agent Adams EXPIRES
4 Company, ordering him to take m exit
! man out in his car. lie allowed the ma
10 ride with him. Somewhere bctwes
|. st. Louis and Pacific the messeng'
! claims that the man turned on him with
: revolver and tied and gagged him a.
J. ri6cd the sale and left the car me-
Pacific. No. was delayed ne
: | Mincke one hour and thirty mi
utes removing large roo
from the track, which had fallen from u
! blum. The conductor tried the door
: the express car while they we're ther
= but could raise no one. At Pacific "a
4 express agent also tried the door. b
!. could not raise the messenger. Al 5
4 Clair, nity-two miles ont. Sprinkle, q
I, conductor, heard noise In the car a
4 forced the door open, finding the me
= senger tied but not injured. Expire
I. company officers have all been notife
Z q well Is the authorities at points "a
e or Rolla. The messenger stated that
= lost over go, 900 N packages and Gu
rency."