The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-20
HAD CRIMINAL RECORDS
Foulke and Mccarthy identified by
the Local Police.
Not Hurt by Train as at First Re-
ported-Bcgarded ms Quite Prob
an Explosion of Dynamite Which
They Carried-History of the Gang.

L
vino were brought to this city Saturday
morning from Virginia Midland Junction,
just below Alexandria, where they were
| supposed to have been struck by rail-
road train, as two notorious safe blowers,
who were released from the Albany peni-
! tertiary last October, is looked upon by
the local police, as well as by the Secret
| Service officers of the Pos toffice Depart
| mont, as one OF the greatest Importance.
1t is thought that there will be important
| developments in the case within the
course Of a few days These men, Charles
Foulke and James Mccarthy, were men,
/ ners of the famous "sledge hammer gang
i mat operated in this part of the country
( with remarkable success until caught in
I this city, February 1, 1888
That the injuries sustained by the men
were the result of the explosion of dyna-
| mite or nitro glycerine, and not to a rail-
| roac accident, has been pretty well estab-
| lished. The fingers of both men were
| badly burned, there were but few lacera-
| lions or bruises on their bodies, while
such great damage had been done to their
! bones and Internal organs. and numerous
| other symptoms led the physicians at the
| hospital to the conclusion that it was i'm
possible for their injuries to have been
! caused by other than an explosion. These
Facts were called to the attention of the
| authorities, and the investigation that was
| set on foot developed the facts that an
| explosion was heard by the operator in
| the tower in the vicinity of the accident
| Friday night short time before the pass
| ing OF an express train. The force of the
| explosion was sufficient to severely jar the
building and TO affect the operation of the
| telegraph lines for a short time About
| twenty-five minutes later man. whom
| the detectives believe was no other than
! Milwaukee Whitley" another member of
the gang, rushed into the tower and said
that two men had been severely injured,
| and asked that assistance be sent for
1hose who have Investigated the case
believe that the men, in company with
s2veral others, were waiting TO attack the
express train that carried an unusually
valuable cargo that night, and that the
explosive was set off prematurely by the
TWO men who were handling it. INJECTING
injuries from which Foulke has since died
1t is thought that an effort was made by
thelr companions to get them quietly
away, without attracting attention, but
that when 1t was seen how seriously they
were injured one of them went to summon
assistance and the others made off. A
pistol was found near where the men were
hurt.
The injured men were placed upon a
freight train and brought to this city.
where they were met at the corner OF
Ninth Street and Maryland Avenue south
west by DR.. Shepherd with the Emergency
ambulance. The doctor tried to ascertain
the names OF the men or gather some in
formation from them as to their friends
but his questions were only met with
oaths. shortly after which they Iapsed into
a semi-conscious condition, from which
2 thaTT " u-sa
evidently been drinking heavily. McCar-
thy was on the verge of delirium tremens
In the pockets of the man who has been
identified as Foulke was found a number
of cartridges, penknife, a dollar watch
card case containing two broken rings
and a pawn ticket for pistol showing
that 81 had been advanced for it in Phila-
delphia. There was nothing that might
lead to his Identification except note
book containing great number of ad-
dresses. His wounds were considered the
least dangerous of the two at first but
he sank gradually and died Sunday morn
ing.
Monday afternoon r. N. Shook, who
keeps saloon at 709 Street, visited the
morgue and identified the body as that OF
Foulke, after having first described the
clothing that he wore Yesterday John
Little, who was released from the Albany
penitentiary November IL. where he had
been intimately acquainted with Foulke,
also identified the body, and numerous
marks upon 1t correspond with previous
descriptions of the man that the police
had made when he had been in custody.
Chief Postotfiee Inspector Smith accom-
panied by Detective Horne of the local
police, visited the hospital Monday and
when addressed as Mccarthy the man
Frightened up and answered quickly to
the name. Detective Horne was of the
opinion that If the injured man is not Nc
Carthy IL is a case of the most remark
able resemblance that he has ever OBJ
served.
Inspector Smith has information that
Foulke has been identified with the gang
that has been blowing safes in postofIices
in Virginia, North Carolina. and Tonnes
see. The party divided at point in North
Carolina and one of the sections went TO
the postofiice at Emma where in des-
perate encounter with the assistant post
master, the latter was perh;ps fatally
wounded by two of the bureiars. 1t is
believed that the man whose ndy is now
at the morgue went with the ~ which
blew open the safe at Orange. Va.
Foulke was captured by Policeman Cog
hill on Januars %, 1885, for the robbery
Of the hardware store of Andrew Archer
in South Washington. He and his two
brothers, Harry and William, were sent
10 the peHltentldTy LOT three years LOT
the job. while his preceptor, McCauley,
was given five years. Wiley Riley turned
States evidence at the time and was re-
leased Foulke was fifteen years old at
the time Both Foulke and Mccarthy were
members of the famous 'sledge hammer
gang" that blew open the safes at the
Arlington hottling establishment. Nicolai
Bros, oil dealers; Lulley's junk shop. and
the house of a priest at Rockville. De-
Ira, nd la4a in
yestigated these robberies and arrested
the men in raid on house on Maine
Avenue February l. 1893, where Henry
Banks, Bert Yateman, and John Sales,
other members of the gang were also ar
rested. Foulke and Mccarthy were CON
victed OF the first two crimes and SEN
fenced to six years in the penitentiary
in each case BY good behavior they were
given the usual reduction in time which
permitted them to regain their liberties
last October.