The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1899-01-21
AFAM0>
REMARKABLE c.
NINcHAM A CAL
lie Is About to Retire
After Faithfully Serv.
For a Quarter Of a Cen
Captured Black Bart.


After Faithfully serv.
For, a Quarter Of Cen
Captured Black Bart.
Tom Cunningham, the She
joaquin County, California, til
of the famous bandit "Blacl Ba
about to retire to private slifesA
faithfully serving the people for O.
o quarter of q century. - \
Cnnpingham's official career las bee,
a remarkable one. He left the barnes
shop for the Sheriff's office a quartz
OF century ago and has succeede,
himself at every election held since
When he laid down his awl and tool
up shooting irons the SheriAs spen
more time in the saddle than in com
Portable offices. In those days it wa,
essential that the Sheriff be an active
fearless man, not only to be terror
to the evitdoers, Of which there were
so many, but to head 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 41,000 and $4,000. These
pictures show the faces of criminals,
past and present, from all over the
world. Some are dead, others i'm
INJURED behind prison walls. Cunning
ham has had an elaborate system of
exchange in pictures. This picture
gallery has cost him fully $1,000
The albums have been carefully guard
ed. 1t has not 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 brief bio
graphy, telling Of the criminal, his
crime, his characteristics and appear
ance. The forger, burglar, and, in
fact, the principal species of criminals
are so arranged that person having
the key to the albums knows right
where to look for his man.
Almost every visitor to Stockton has
looked through the museum the Sheriff
has gathered during the last quarter
Of a century, 1t is remarkable col
lection of grim articles, with bloody
histories. The museum occupies a |
arge room in the spacious apartments
II the Sheriff's office in the Court
House. 1t is open to all who ask the
privilege Of entering. Over thousand
srim articles-kniyes, guns, pistols,
lungshots and many weapons incon.
elvabieein construction TO any mind
'ut that Of the cunning 'criminal-are
N exhibition.
In one case is one OF the old-time
leer rifles, powder, cap and ball, the
ind that Boone used on deer and
edskins. This is the gun which
nished the career Of the bandit Joa-
uin Murietta i'll Fresno County manv
ears ago. 1t was used by J. W
'hllds, who was a member of CAPTAIN !.
'oye's party in the final roundup of
ne cutthroat.
An odd thing in the way of armor is
} be found on stand. It is a 'tcoat ,
mail" made of wire rings and
oven so closely and with such me- :
lanlcal genius that no bullet could )
enetrate it. 1t will as completely :
1velop mans body as an ordinary :
TEX coat. 1t fastens together in the :
ont much like coat. This coat is .
'ally wonderfully made article. AS =
who manufactured it history does
ot tell. 1t belonged to William Cox,
no in the early seventies killed his
'n-in-law in Calaveras County. Cox :,
as hanged for his crime. This coat G
as found on him at the time Of his "
rest.
Black Bart, that accomplished road = =
ent of most original methods, was y y
lally caught, more through the = =
ever work of Tom Cunningham than =,
y other man. Black Bart was o ~ ~
'nderful pedestrian. He would f. 70
ach Stockton from San Francisco on 70 70
9 morning boat and by nightfall v
'utd havewalked forty miles into the q,
'untains. The next day the poet1- e. e.
robber would turn his usual trick -,
dinners will recall with what fire. -!
ency the stages were robbed. Gun. ",
ngham was always on the ground as 10 10
IN as possible to look for some evil s s1
nee His staying qualities were .,
ally rewarded. Arriving at the II II
mt where the stage had last been
pped, ne examined the ground
sely. Suddenly he reached down
picked up q cuff. That find .;
rked the end of Bart's career. Gun d. d.
CHAM examined the cuff closely. s ua
| officers who were with him waited ca
see what he would say. Finally IN IN
exclaimed: ~
AT last We have a clue" and di- w. W,
ted the officers attention to the ~
TX "FA07" on the border, The e. e.
was taken to San Francisco. and th
II q long search similar marks were ,nn