Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-11-18
DECIDEDLY COOL.

| "Jim Cummings the Frisco Express Rob
Der, In the Midst of the Cares Attending
the Safe-keeping of His Plumber, Find
Time to Indulge His Sense of Humor ant
to Return Useless But to Others Valuable
Papers.
| ST. LOUIS, Nov. 12.-There probably new
| er was highwayman who took SO mucf
| pleasure in his profession as the gentle
man who is coming to be known to fame
as Jim Cummings. This humorous rogue
mas captured one of the biggest bundles OF
money ever lost by an express company
| and despite the fact that wealthy corpo
| ration and the largest detective organ
| ization in the entire country are DO
| ing every thing that money and brains
can do to run him down, Mr.. Cummings
occupies his spare time in guylng ms
pursuers, and in furnishing them with
| false clews upon which to exercise their
| ingenuity. He seems to feel so absolutely
assured of his safety that he can afford to
| have little innocent amusement with the
| express company. The matter printed be-
| low will show how his sense of humor oc-
| casionally asserted itself, even while he
| was in the very midst of the serious avo-
| cation of rifing money packages. Mr. cum
mings is evidently a gentleman from whom
| a very breezy interview could be had upon
| the art and mystery of express robbery, il
he were willing, although from present
| appearances that interview seems to be
merely contingent possibility.
The Republican, on Wednesday received
| an epistle from Mr.. Jim Cummings, dated
| and postmarlxed from Topeka, Kas. The
document ran as follows:
TOPEKA, Kas., Nov. 8, SO.
Editor Missouri Republican, 81. Louis:
DEAR SIR-I write you these few lines in the
hope that you will publish them, and by so do
ing will right q wrong done to an in
nocent man. In the late account the newspa-
pe-s give of the Frisco train robbery of Oct
25-1SS6 they all seem inclined to throw susp1-
cion on the messenger, Mr.. Farthingham
Now such is not the case. I done that work
and I will say consider Mr.. Farthingham
brave and sensible man. He did not give up
struggling to get up until he seen
Smith and Wesson No SO looking him
in the face. Our intention was first to hold
mp the Frisco at Cuba Junction. but my two
partners nerve give out there so I come back
to ST. Louis and rushed the letter on them.
Look for package in Union depot addressed j.
M. on Oct-25-1S88. Also look one mile east OF
ST. Charles bridge on Missouri river north bank
near last dyke that runs out in river for arms
and guess you will tumble" as how the
work was done. The skif lays behind the
dyke. I came down the river Tuesday night
from Labaddie My partner got points on
express work from Tom Rape in Ohio He is
entirely not to blame as he did not know what
we were driving at. I send you by same mail
four packages which wish you would please
turn over to "Damser' supt. Of the express
company they are of no value except to him.
Now Mr. Editor please acknowledge receipt OF
this in your paper and by so doing you will
not only clear up the character of an inno-
cent man but also you will let me know of the
safe arrival of four packages of stuff for Mr.
Damsel Yours truly,
ant hot han NO RI .JnnpG
for Joke not for any desire to get him into any
trouble.
Although the letter is dated November
it was not posted until the morning of
November 10, reaching st. Louis on the
same night. The handwriting is of that
peculiar bacl5hand about which so much
has already been said in the papers. An
examination made by experts goes to show
that the chirography is the same as that
of the letter sent to the G1obe-DemocrGf
and of the Frank James and Mrs.
Root letters. The letter came in an en-
velope by itself. On the day before its ar
rival one package of rifled express matte
had come to hand and on the 10th the other
three bundles turned up. All of these
packages were made up and tied by
man thoroughly used to fixing up
bundles. The covers were neatly
folded in. and the whole appearance
of the parcels was workmanlike and good.
The first one received contained number
of opened express envelopes, rifed money
packages, and rather valueless debris Of
the robbery. Under one receipt for money
to the First National Bank of Eureka,
Kas, appeared the following signature:
s'Jim Cummings, for First National bank,
Eureka" And then in the line below.
where any fault is to be noted, occurred
the words:
II have no complaint to make whatever"
The pleasant frame of mind in which Mr..
Cummings was passing his time was
evinced in many other ways. He had
opened and gone through every
envelope of the several hundred,
on many of which We're singular
remarks. In none was his rollicking spir-
it displayed better than in the penciled Of
fer which will be found below to go on a |
ssbloke's" bond to give the aforesaid a |
chance to show if he was any good on |
earth The same being signed Jim Cum |
mings, while appended was a statement |
that the value of Mr.. Cummings property |
was $4,000
One of the packages contained a great |
number of mortgages and notes, the |
whole being valued at something over
IS. 900.
Yesterday afternoon all of the papers
Adams Express Company.
OF course there has been much specula
lion about this letter, in which, however,
there is so much mere theory that it is
hardly worth while to publish the conclu-
,ions to which the detectives have arrived.
The mail matter originated at the Topeka
oost-of1ce, and the dates would 20 to
show that Jim Cummings must have
passed at least couple of days in
hat town. Beyond this all is conjecture
md doubt. Cummings is playing bold
game, which is mystifying on account of
Is very audacity. He seems to have no
purpose to do any needless destruction.
lie has got the cash. and he has returned
he other papers to the express company
n manner which, in spite of the robbery
speaks well for him.
The Democratic Majority in the Next
House.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 12.-Secretary Nc
'herson of the Republican committee now
igures it out that the Republicans will
ave 153 members in the next House This
3 claiming the election of Symes, Repub-
lean, in Colorado. Then. if the three labor
andidates are counted with the Demo-
rats, they will have III members. If the
Democrats have elected Reed in Colorado,
8 yesterdays dispatches indicate, then
he next House will contain 172 Democrats
nd 152 Republicans.
Another Death-Dealing Invention.
Tn. - |