The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-05-15
Car Robberies on the Sound.

Reference has been made in The INDIE
PENDENT I'd extensive robberies of freight
oars on the sound, during the past few
months, and it now looks as though the
ganp which did the work was in a fair way
to be broken up, on hat division at least.
For the past week or 30 detectives have
been Ut work in Montana, though whether
fhsy are on the lookout for N of the gang
or are ON entirely new business, NO one will
tell. Several weeks ago a party OF excurs-
ionists from Alaska, went east on the
Northern Pacific, and on arrival at St.
Paul, a number of them found their
trunks had been rifsd. One of the thieves
dropped into a trunk he was robbinga card,
which was found by the owner when he
opened the trunk, and then the officers were
put on the trail. On tbs same train were
tive ladies from Helena, who also found on
their arrival on the east that their trunks
This is the first time the Northern Pacific
has had any trouble with baggage thieves,
though eastern roads have suffered every
once in q while from their depredations.
The publication of the fact that the de-
t~ectives were on the trail Of the thieves has
had the effect of putting a stop to the work.
bat the railroad company is determined to
On the sound the thisve confined them
selves to taking freight, and both the
Union Pacific and Northern Pacific cars
were looted. One family, the Cushings,
Frank and his wife Tita, nee Patchen. and
Adam and his wife Eliza, also a Patchen,
and q sister OF Franks wife. and their gang
stole between 5000 and $1,000 worth of
goods. They stole principally merchan-
disc. The companies have recovered part
Of their stolen goods, but the thieves sold q
good share of them, and what they could
not sell they destroyed. They could find
no use for an $500 clock, and did not dare
sell 1t, for fear it would lead to their detec-
tion, SO they they threw it into Puget
sound.
The Cushings operated on the Union
Pacific between Ogden and Portland and
on the Northern Pacific between Ellens-
burgh an Tacoma. There is no doubt in
the minds of the railroad officials that they
were In league with railroad employees, anc
they are determined to ferret out these
punished. This was conclusively. proved II
Tacoma at the trial of W.. 9. alias Mig
geI'' Jones, who was employed in the rail
road yard. He designated the cars which
the gang should rob and got his share O.
the spoils. A fellow named Miller, a mem
ber Of the gang, whom Detective Barry n
Griffin arrested in April, was q very damag
ing witness against Jones. He had stoler
casa Of hats from a car in Albina and t.
save himself from the penitentary, turnet
states evidence. At the examination o
Jones he exposed the Cashings. Immedi
ately the Northern Pacific proceeded
against Frank and Tita Gushing, but see
ing chat the Portland detectives had take.
the initiative, decided to let them fms
the job.
For q while the gang made South Bend o
Gray's harbor their headquarters, and late
Tacoma. Cushing's house was the place q
Soncealment Of goods stolen from the Nortt
ern Pacific. Here the gang met and planne
and divided their profits. Some Of the good
were shipped to Cedar Rapids, Mob. Ada,
and Eliza had a store at Albany, Or, an
sold of the goods and shipped more
Cedar Rapids.
Adam and Eliza are now in Jail at Albiol
Neb. They have applied for a writ Of b;
beas corpus, and Deputy Sheriff Willial
Morgan, of Portland, is waiting for tt
court to decide the case.