The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-08-17
Company Touchedfor $4,000
as FOrdsViIIe, Ky.
ROBBERS SHOW CLEVERNESS
Money Sent to Agent Who Claims to
Have Been Held Up-Boatner,
Alleged Leader of the Gang,
Is Under Arrest.

Louisville. August IA special to the
Times from owensboro, KY. says:
The agent of the American Express
s2S, 200 last night under peculiar circum-
stances.
j. w. Boatner, who shipped the money
to Fordsville, is under arrest at Livings-
ton and ]. c. Schlitzhaum. the agent Of
the company, is being held at Falls Of
Rough.
The money was placed in a package and
sealed in the express office in this city
and addressed to ]. H. Boatner, Fords-
vile. Boatner was present at the time.
paying agent Burch s14 charges. After
he left the express office he called up
the agent at Fordsville over the tele-
phone, stating that the money would
be out on the next Illinois Central train.
and he would call for It that night, and be
sure not to put in any bank. but place
it in the safe.
Burch, the agent knew nothing about
this transaction. Boatner did not call for
the money giving as an excuse that he
was drunk. Boatner has the American
Express company's receipt for $4,000.
Boatner's Arrest Ordered.
As soon as the robbery was made
known to Agent Burch he at once called
up Mr.. Higgins. the president of the st.
Louis who notified him to have Boatner
arrested When arrested the money was
not found on his person
Several days ego man giving his
name as ]. w. Boatner of Memphis,
Tenn, appeared at the office of the
American Express Company at Dean
field, FIVE miles from Fordsville, and
wanted to express $4,000 to the latter
point. Boatner took a receipt for II, and
then the agent remembered that he was
allowed TO ship only $4,000 at one time
and made Boatner take the cash back.
Boatner kept the money until last night
when 1t was sent to Fordsville by express
where It arrived late last night. The ex-
press agent, 1t is said, informed num-
Der of people that the money had arrived
1t was not put in bank, as Mr.. Boatner
sent word that no would be there early
this morning.
This morning Sch1itzbaum turned up at
Falls of Rough, ten miles away. Ee stat
ed that he was held up, robbed and kid
naped during the night. He first decided
to stay at the depot all night, which IS
only one block away. Between the two
places he was set upon and robbed Of the
money by three men.
Forced Him to Go.
His story is that they forced him to
go with them In order that he should
give the alarm and cause them to be fol-
lowed There was no train out of town
and they forced him to walk with them
to Falls of Rough. where they dropped
him and went on their way
Boatner claimed to be from Memphis
and said he intended to buy a large body
of mineral land at Deanfield But when
he found that it did not suit him he
changed his mind and was going to buy
near Fordsville He refuses to give any
history of his family record other than
that he came from South America, and
that his father gave him the $4,000.
which he had won on races.
While here Boatner drank freely He
is about 28 years of age and wore glasses,
a red neck tie and low cut shoes. His
hair was brow and his moustache of
darker hue. His general manner In
dicated that he was educated and re-
fined.
The express people and the officers be-
Iieve the whole affair was a conspiracy
to defraud the American Express COM
pany of $4,000. Boatner is now under ar
rest at Irvington Ky.