The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-17
Ne GOT BLACK BART.
CALIFORNIA; bold Bandit Taker Will Re-
sign His ONCE.


sign His ONCE.
Tom Cunningham. the sheriff Of San
Joaquin county. California, the captor
about to retire to private life after
faithfully serving the people for over
a quarter Of a century.
~Cunningham's official career has been
a remarkable one. He left the harness
shop for the sheriff's office a quarter
Of a century z and a succeeded
himself at every election held since.
up shooting irons the sheriffs spent
more time in the saddle than in CON-
Portable offices. In those days ii was
essential that the sheriff be an active.
fearless man, not only to be a terror
to h e~vildoers, OF which there were
so many. but to hea off and discour-
age the efforts 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 noun
tains, either. The number of pictures
has reached the astounding figure of
between $1,000 n AZ, 600. These pict-
ures how the faces of criminals, 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 pict-
ures. This picture gallery has cost
him fully $4,000. The albums have
been carefully guarded. 1t has not
been every officer who could see them.
There are faces there of men now liv-
ing honest and respected lives whose
past is unknown to those by whom
-. - a.-al ..1 .a.AAs1 E~ar nU-
cry picture there is a brief biography.
telling OF the criminal, his crime. his
characteristics and appearance. The
forger. burglar and in fact the princi-
pal species Of criminals are so arranged
that a person having the key to the
albums knows right where 10 look for
his man.
Almost every visitor I o Stockton has
looked through the museum the sheriff
hak gathered during the last quarter
century. 1t is a remarkable col
lin Of grim articles, with bloody
Es The museum occupies a
largeV2A in the spacious apartments
OF the sheriffs office In the court house.
II is open TO all who ask the privi-
lege of entering. over a thousand
grim articles-knives. guns, pistols,
slungshots and many weapons incon-
ceivable in construction to any mind
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 that Boone used on deer and red
skins This Is the gun which finished
the career OF the bandit Joaquin Muri-
eta I'm Fresno county many years ago.
1t was used by J. w. Childs. who was
a membe of Captain Loves party In
the final roundup of the c%utthroat.
An odd thing in the way OF armor Is
TO be found on a stand. II Is n coat OF
mall" made Of wire rings and woven
so closely and with such mechanical
genius that no bullet could penetrate
IL. IL will as completely envelop a
mans body as an ordinary sack coat 1t
fastens together I'm the front much
like a coat. This coat is really a WON
derfully made article. As to who man
ufactured 1t history does not ell. II be-
longed TO William Cox. who in the early
seventies killed his son-in-law I'm Gala
veras county Cox wa hanged for his
crime. This coat was found on him
at the time Of his arrest.
Black Bart, that Accomplished road
agent OF most original methods. was
finally caught, more through the clever
work OF Tom Cunningham than any
other man. Black Bart was a wonder
ful pedestrian. He would reach Stock
ton from San Francisco on the morning
boat and by nightfall would have walk
ed forty miles into the mountains. The
next day the p~oetical robber would
turn his usual trick. Old-timers will
recall with what frequency the stages
were robbed. Cunningham was always
on the ground as soon as possible TO ooh
for some evidence. His staying quail
tiles were finally rewarded. Arriving
at the point where the stage had last
been stopped. he examined the ground
closely. suddenly he reached down
and picked up a cum. That ind marked
the end OF Bart's career. Cunningham
examined the cum closely and officers
who were with him waited to see what
he would say. Finally Cunningham ex-
claimed:
"Aat last we have a clue" and direct
ed the officers attention 10 the mark
"FXO1' on the border. The cuff was
taken TO San Francisco. n after a
long search similar marks were found
on other linen In a laundry. Bart was
located and then inveigled into a room
where the officers We're waiting. He was
under the impression that he was going
TO negotiate the sale Of n mine As
quick as his eye fell on his expected
purchasers he merely threw up his
hands n exclaimed:
"Gentlemen. ! pass"
That was the end OF his clever DAYS
OF stage robbing. and IL was brought
about by N cun which Cunningham
found-Chicaso Inter-ocean. +.