Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-10-25
THE TRAIN ROBBERS.

with Charles ]. Searcey, one of the
AQUA creek train robbers. reached
Fredericksburg yesterday afternoon,
having driven back from Calverton.
Nothing OF special interest happened
on the route. Searcey talked pleas
antly during the whole drive, but
seemed little tired when Fredericks-
burg was reached. Searcey was lodged
in Jail. There was large crowd gath
cred to see him while he sat in the drag
in front of the Jail. At the suggestion
of the Commonwealth's attorney of
Stafford, Judge Ashton, of the County
Court of that county, has issued an or.
der adopting the jail of the city of
Fredericksburg as the place of conine,
ment for Searcey, aud there he will
stay until the Dist of November, at
which time the County Court of Stat
ford will sit and grand jury find in
dictments against the train robbers.
Nothing has yet been determined about
any preliminary hearing before magis-
trate and nothing can be gathered on
that point until after Morgantield has
been brought to Fredericksburg.
Detective Robert Pinkerton left
Fredericksburg last night for the North.
Just before leaving he said Morgan
fields correct name is Charles Morgan,
and that he is professional gambler of
Neelyville. Mo. The photograph of
him received from Cincinnati has been
positively identified by Searcey as the
man who was his accomplice in the
train robbery.
In the application for requisition
for Morganfield Assistant Superinten-
dent Herring, of the AID Express
Company, makes affidavit that the
amount Stolen was over $4,000.
The pouch containing the stolen
booty recovered on Tuesday in the
woods near Calverton was forwarded
TO President Weir at New York. up
to 8 o'clock last night it had not been
opened and its contents are unknown
to any one except the robbers. Ru-
mors have been circulated that the
pouch contains 100000.
There are still, according to the
theory of the detectives and express
officials, two of the robbers at large.
The statement given out yesterday that
Searcey and Morganfield conducted the
Job by themselves is believed to be a
bluff, circulated for the purpose of
throwing the other robbers off their
guard, and thereby rendering their ap'
prehension more easy.
The officials of the express company
are greatly interested in the arrest OF
the one-legged man at Middletown,
Ohio, as they believe he has some
knowledge of the robbery, although his
crippled condition may have prevented
him from being an active participant.
1t is positively known that one-leg
ged man hobbled with Searcey and
Morganfeld in Fredericksburg, and it
is regarded as significant that's crippled
man answering the description of the
Middletown suspect should have been
on the train from which Morganfeld
jumped and was injured. 1t is claimed
that after Morganfeld jumped from the
train the cripple alighted at the next
stop and went back to find his friend.
This probably accounts for the fact that
the cripple possessed clothes which have
since been identified as having been
worn by the robbers.
Word was received in Washington
last night from Cincinnati that Morgan
field was lying in the hospital with two
fractures in his injured leg, and that
there was positively no law under which
he could be removed to Virginia until
his condition had improved. Detective
Pinkerton arrived in Washington at
lilo last night In an interview he
said
"Searcey, to the best Of my knowledge,
has never before been connected with
train robbery. He is well up in
Masonry and with the Knights Of
Pythias, and evidently at one time stood
well.
"His confession was due to papers
found on him that would have convict
ed him. His implication of Morgan
field was willingly given, the entire
confession having been made in Wash
ington last Sunday. Whether it will
be given in its entirety before the trial
do not know, as Mr.. Herring and
Commonwealth Attorney White have
it in their charge.
Morgan continued he, sis the
right man; for, besides certain papers
found on him, / have, since my arrival
here, secured his picture, which Searcey
recognized"
Referring to the pouch, Mr.. Pinker-
ton said he did not know the amount OF
its contents or value. He knew, how
ever, that it contained all, with the ex-
ception of about $4,000. This amount
the robbers kept, the larger portion of
it having been recovered. He is con-
WINGED that Searcey has given his right
name.
Searcey was asked while he was atCal-
verton whether there was a one-legged
man in the conspiracy. Hereplied that
be was not acquainted with any one
legged man, but that he pitied any per-
son in that condition.
When asked whether he had any
statement to make to the press, he re-
piled. "Not now; may have something
for you later"
The officials of the express company
are greatly elated over the confession of
Searcey, and are loud in their praise of
Detective Pinkertop. 1t is believed
that the express company will give out
statement this morning regarding the
contents of the pouch.
In the meantime the question of the
$1,000 reward offered by the railroad
company and Gov. O'Ferrall is occupy
ing the attention of every person who
was in any way connected with the