The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-15
HE GOT BLACK BART.
California's Bold Bandit Taker Will Resign His Office-Tom Cunningham to Quit


 Resign His Of1ice-Tom Cunningham
 to Quit.
 Tom Cunningham. the sheriff of San Joaquin county, Cal, the captor of the famous bandit Black Bart" is about to retire to private life after faithfully serving the people for over a quarter of century.
 Cunninghallfs official career has been a remarkable one. He left the harness shop for the sheriff's office a quarter of a century ago and succeeded him self at every election held since. When he laid down his aWl and took up shooting irons the sheriffs spent more time in the saddle than in comfortable offices. In those days it was essential that the sheriff be an active, fearless man, not only to be terror to the evil doers, of which there were so many, but to head off and discourage the ef- forts of Judge Lynch in the community.
 The fame of Cunningham's "rogues gallery" is known all over the Pacific coast. There is nothing to compare with it on this side of the Rocky Mountains, either. The number of pictures has reached the astounding figure of between 41,000 and 42000 These pictures show the faces of crimi- nals, past and present, from all over the world. Some are dead others immured behind prison walls. Cunningham has had an elaborate system of exchange in pictures. This picture gallery has cost him fully $10,000. The albums have been carefully guarded It has no. been every officer who could see them There are faces there of men now living honest and respected lives whose past is unknown to those by whom they are loved and respected. For every picture there is a brief bio- sraphy, telling of the criminal, his crime, his characteristics and appcar- ance. The forger, burglar and in fact the principal species of criminals are so arranged that a person having the key to the albums knows right where to look for his man.
 1 Almost every visitor to Stockton has looked through the museum the sheriff has gathered, during the last quarter of a century. It is remarkable collec- tion of grim articles, with bloody his- tories. The museum occupies large room in the spacious apartments of the sheriits office in the court house. It 1 is open to all who ask the privilege of Gntering. Oyer a thousand grim arli- cles-knives, guns, pistols, slungshots i and many weapons inconceivable in l construction to any kind but that of the cunning criminal are on exhibition. | In one case is one of the old time deer rifles, powder, cap and ball, the kind l that Boone used on deer and redskins This is the gun which finished the career of the bandit Joaouin Murietta 1 in Fresno county many years ago I, was used by J. w. Childs, who was q member of Capt. Loves party in the l final roundup of the cuthroat
 An odd thing in the way of armor 1 is to be found on a stand. It is ''coat of mail,' made of wire rings and woven so closely and with such mechanical l genius that no bullet could penetrate l it. It will as completely envelop a mans body as an ordinary sack coat It fastens together in the front much | like a coat. This coat is really Q wonderfully made article As to who manufactured it history does not tell It belonged to William Cox, who in the early seventies killed his son-in-law ir | Calaveras county. Cox was hanged | for the crime. This coat was found on him at the time of his arrest. l Black Bart, that accomplished road agent of most original methods, was l finally caught, more through tffe clever work of Tom Cunningham than any other man. Black Bart was a wonder. full pedestrian. He would reach Stock ton from San Francisco on the morn ing boat and by nightfall, would have walked forty miles into the mountains The next day the poetical robber would turn his usual trick. Oldtimers vii recall with what frequency the stages were robbed. Cunningham was always on the ground as soon as possible tc I look for some evidence. His staying l qualities were finally rewarded | Arriving at the point where the stage 1 had last been stopped, he examined | the ground closely. Suddenly he reached down and picked up cuff l That find marked the end of Bart's career. Cunningham examined the cuff closely, and officers who were with him waited to see what he would say Finnally Cunningham eXclaimed
 At last we have a clue" ant i directed the officers, attention to the mark "FXO7' on the border The cuh was taken to San Francisco, and after long search similar marks were 1 found on other linen in the laundry Bart was located and then inveiglet into room where the officers were waiting. He was under the impression that he was going to negotiate the salC of mine. As quick as his eyes fel on his expected purchasers he merely 1 threw up his hands and exclaimed:
 "Gentlemen, I pass"
 That was the end of his clever days of stage robbing, and it was brought | about by the cuff which Cunningham i fOund -Chicago Inter Ocean