The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-19
SUICIDE OF A RoBBER
WOUNDED BANDIT CUTS HIS THROAT
WHILE LYING IN A SWAMI.
One of the Desperadoes Who Held Up
an Illinois Central Train on the
Outskirts of New Orleans.

NEW ORLEANS, La, Dec. 1S.-Detec-
tives to-day found the body of one of tho
robbers who on last Thursday night held
up. within the city limits of New Or
leans, the Chicago mail train on the ILL.,
nois Central Railroad, hot Conductor Kin
nabrew and made their escape with a
number of registered mail packages. The
watch of Conductor Kinnabrew, found on
the dead man, leaves no doubt of his
identity as the leader of the gan who
held up the train.
Shortly after the hold-up on Thursday
night officers Daily and Lucich, while has
tening to the scene of the robbery. dis
covered two men carrying a bag
and walking rapidly between the
ley tracks. The officers halted the
men, but, instead of surrendering. they
began to shoot. Both officers responded
and a lively fusillade followed. The men
finally dropped a United States mail pouch
and fed. Since then the detectives ave
been carefully examining the swamp In
the rear Of the city. Early to-day tnelr
search was rewarded with the finding Oh a
body. 1t was that of a mar who had sue
cumbed to the effects of a wound ana
exposure. An examination Of his effects
disclosed Conductor Kinnabrew's watch
anu ONiC AoCAAS ~ PAONN
one Of the men who had committed the
robbery.
Late to-day the dead robber was iden-
titled as Charming b. Barnes, alias John
H. Nelson, alias Jack Nelson. He was
wanted for holding up the Illinois Central
train near Wickline, Pa, last July, ana
robbing the safe of the American Express
Company. His brother, Charles w. Barnes.
and Richard Doyle were convicted for TINS
latter robbery and each is serving a SEN
tence in the Kentucky state pe1itentiary:
y m nnRar mo made IN rGS
Charming Barnes in st. Louis he shot CHIEF
Special Agent George Murray and made
his escape. When the body was discov-
cred to-day ii was found that Barnes mad
cut his throat and had evidently just died.
His own watch and that of Conductor Kin
Eabrew were running. lie had peen
wounded in the back and left wrist. Reg
istered letters and dynamite were found
or the body.
Charming Barnes, or John H. Nelson, as
he was known in st. Louis, lived in that
berry at Wickliffe, Ky. After that robbery
he and his brother Charles were traced
to st. Louis, the latter being captured
An attempt was made to capture Claiming,
hut after a running fight with eight detec-
tives on July % he escaped and was not
again heard of until to-day. His wife
until that time, did not know her hus-
band was a lawbreaker.
CHICAGO, Dec. 1S.-Decided interest was
manifested at the general offices of the
Illinois Central Railway, to-day. in the
dispatches telling of the tragic fate OF
Claiming Barnes. the last of the gang that
robbed one of the company's trains at
Wickliffe, Ky. Vice President ]. L. Hara-
han said: 1T is a matter of great satisfac-
ton that the systematic, continuous work
of the c~ompany's special agents has re-
suited in every individual one of the Wick
life robbers meeting his just deserts. There
has been no let-up in the work since the
date of the Wickliffe affair, and 1T was only
a question of time as to the final result. OF
the ultimate outcome itself there could be
no doubt whatever, considering the cease
less and thorough process of follOwing-up,
which was i~naugurated at once and has
kept up persistently. 1t was a grim realiza-
ton that his escape was impossible which
led Barnes to commit suicide in the
swamp"