The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1886-11-17
A DISGUSTED ROBBER.

some cock and bull story about be-
ing watched, about the telegraph
operator there, but the fact was that
they simply lacked the nerve, SO
was dlsgusted with them, and as nv
money was then about exhausted,
went to St. Louis and worked
awhile, and finally drltted around
the country to a certain town in
Ohio.
l will not name the town for GER
tain reasons, but while there l fell
in with chap and we became room
mates. This was IN Jaunary l think
this year. One Sunday while out
sleigh riding, told HIM about my
successful failure of the train rob
berry at Cuba Junction. He sa,u he
was acquainted with young fellow
named Tom Rape. who used to run
as express messenger on the same
road. We then talked the matter
over, and thought he might get
Rape to help us, so we hunted him
up, and by carefully worded ques
tions, by my partner, found out con
siderable about the express business.
He then in Joking way limited to
Rape If he would like to take a
hand and we would hold up the
company, nut Rape was not that
kind OF a man and had no such IN
clihatlon, although he did not seem
very friendly to the express company
NV partner and l then left there and
went down to Cincinnati, and early
IN the spring drifted back to St.
Louis.
PLANNING THE RECENT RAID.
| still had the express business in
my head, although my partner was
not very sanguine of success. We
had found out from Rape by differ
ent talks we had with him that a
man named Barret, who lives al
Springfield, Mo-, was kind of boss
over the express messengers on the
road, so wrote Barrett an inquiry
about rates for 100 pounds between
certain points, and got back repl,
referring me to write to Mr.. Damsel
u at ST. LOUIS, who would give mt
, information. We then had j. K
Barrett's signature and the style o
his letter heads. We then put II
every afternoon and half of eacl
. Sunday in getting type and tryln'
II our hand at printing, and finally
after weeks of patient labor, we 60
l. a pretty fair imitation of Barrett
i letter heading, but the type on tn
'' envelope was too small. We ais
p printed some cards OF Mr.. W. H
ii Damsel, and was also to have one @
e them ready SO IN case the messenge
i would say why don't you see Mi
N Damsel, We were going to have
IS line from Damsel on the back {
II one of his cards instructing the me.
u senger to pass the bearer as it wa
all right. Barrett's handwriting
s. teArtully hard to initiate, and hi
III dear sirs and that internal that
i makes took weeks more of practIc
'e every afternoon before l got it dowr
~ so I thought It would do. We the
% wrote out several letters OF the styl
u of the kind presented to Farthine
'' ham, and selected two of the best fc
It the work. I also had a line in lea
rs pencil on the back of one of Damsel
"a cards instructing him to let II
OF bearer ride to Pierce City. tt
" envelope handed Farthe,ngham wa
= addressed to John Bronson, st. Lou
~ Mo and contained two letters.
he
-, PROVING UP THE CASE.
at Now, to prove up these facts, II
ed partner, who was riding in the fro
nd seat of the smoking car at Kirkwoe
SIS and got off there and run to the he:
tt and got on the front of the EXPIRE
re car and plugged the bell cord, so
let case of nv struggling with Farthin
p ham he should get hold of the b.