The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-10-28
$5O.OOO.
THAT Is THE AMOUNT TAX
EN- FROM THE EXPRESS
IN MISSOURI.
ONE OF THE MOST DARING ROB
Berries OF MODERN
TIMES.

ST, LOUIS, October 26-'The Adams express car
attached to passenger train No. on the st. Louis
" san francisco road, which left this city at ID
last night, was robbed of $4,000 in cash between
here and Pacific, Mo. From meagre reports it
seems that when the train left this city man Civ
ing Tue name oi Cummings presented letter to
the express messenger, Mr.. Fotheringham, pur-
porting to be signed ny officers of the company
stating that Cummings was about to take run"
on the line, and asking Fotheringham to give him
the points. When near Merimic the stranger over
powered the messenger and gagged and hound him
TO the sa1e after which he cooly rihed the car and
cut open the bags containing the silver but he took
none out. AT Merlmic the rObber left the train.
and the robbery was not discovered until thu train
reached Pacific when the express car was broken
open and Messenger Fotheringham found tied to
the safe
The express officials are reticent, but admit that
over SoO,OOu was taken. The rObber is imperfeCtly
described as tall, dark man. of prepossessing ap-
pearance dressed in black, with very large hands
and feet. 1t is singular coincidence that he gave
the name OF Jim Cummings, the only member of
the once celebrated James gangwhOsnever has been
accounted for.
The stranger presented to the messenger
clevery forged letter bearing the perfect fac-simile
OF the signature of Mr.. Barrett route local agent
Of 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 him; that
Fol Bingham was directed to teach him the details
OF the business. The stranger was allowed to
enter the car and took great interest in all of the
messengers movements, apparently desirous of
learning quickly the ins and outs of the duties
winch, the letter stated, he was expected to per
form. Fotheringhams g suspicion were not at all
aroused, and the stranger impressed him as aquiet,
prepossessing companion. The two men busted
themselves with the accounts and all went well un-
til point between st. Louis and Pacific, Mo-, was
reached. In the meantime the new assistant was
informed that there was nothing more Just then
that he coulu do and he seated himself in chair
waiting until some new duties should be assigned
to him. Fotheringham was still busy engaged over
accounts with his back turned to "Cummlngs"
la course of time it became necessary for him
to 90 to the SAFE and turaing to do 50, he the
stranger calmly sitting in his chair with cooked
revolver leveled at his (FOtheringham's) 81 head
Cummings cautiously approached the dumb
founded messenger and told him if he remained
quiet and made no outcry and raised no alarm, his
life would not be endangered, but that if he acted
otherwise, he could not answer for the conse-
quences. Fotheringham had nothing to do but to
submit, and according to his statement the robber
bound him hand and foot, pressed a gag in his
mouth, tied him, 50 safe so that he could not
move and proceeded will. his work The safe
had been left open, and it took but few minutes
for the robGer to secure the bank notes and val
ua6les, lie cut open the bag containing silver
coin, but concluded that these were too heavy for
him to carry, and did not disturb their contents
OF the gold, however, he took a goodly amount,
then proceeded to make good his escape.
The road at this point runs directly alongside
OF high bluff, which in places overhangs the
track, making danger of wrecks from collisions
with boulders which occasionally fall from above
upon the tracks very great The trains, therefore,
slack up at this point, and run slowly until the
dangerous place is passed. This the engineer of
train No. did usual and thus offered the rObber
an easy means If escape He first locked all but
one door, stepped out on the platform, locked tne
door from the ouside and jumped off. Messenger
otheringham, in the meantime could do nothing to
release himself, not being able even to call for
help. Near Mincke boulder had fallen upon the
track, and the train was delayed ar hour, before it
could be removed. The conductor tried the door of
tOUn0 lDpEp1 SunOOSinU
the messenger to be busy, he did not ask admit
tance. AT st. Clair he again tried the door and
found 1t locked He listened for minute and
heard the messenger struggle to free himself and
making all the noise possible by kicking with his
feet against the side of the car. The conductor
suspected something wrong, and burst open the
door, finding Fotheringham as above described He
was quickly released and told his experience. rhe
robber had got start of fully two hours, and it
was useless to run back to try to find him. The
train, therefore, proceeded on the way and arrived
in this city this morning at O'Clock, the return
trip.
Mr. Fotheringham Immediately sought the super
lntendent of the company, and was closeted with
him for some time, at the end of which he cCm
menced preparing an official report, refusing to
make any statement to outsiders, regarding the
robbery, excepting that the total loss would amount
to something over So ,0j0.
Fotherngham says the rObber is about "a years
old, six feet TALL weight about 200 pounds; dressed
in dark clothes, with dark Overcoat Thinks the
robber had accomplices, as he seemed to be talk
ing with some one on the front platform.
Fotheringham is about "A years old, lives in St
Genevieve, Mo; has been in the employ of the
Adams Express company about four years
Superintendent DamselI says that Fotheringham's
record has been of the best.
When asked where Fotheringham was, Damsell
replied that he had gone up town with Barrett, the
agent and another man From the manner in which
he made this statement, it is presumed that the
other man is officer of the law, though Mr.
Damsell would make no statement confrmatOry
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