The Morris County chronicle., 1905-10-24
EXPRESS THIEF CAUGHT
Edward G. CunlifEs Returns $4,000
Of His Stolen 100000.
Had Taken the Cash From the Pittsbura
once OF. Adams Ezprcss
Company.

New York City Edward George
Cunliffe, the substitute cashier Of the
Adams Express Company's Plttsburg
Office who ran away with $101 900 Of
the compuny's money on October 9,
was run down in Bridgeport, Conn.
Cunliffe used to lived in Connecticut,
and the Pinkertons, believing he would
seek hiding place in that State,
flooded the State with descriptions OF
him and put large force to work
looking for him.
In addition, a suit case containing
$79,950 of the stolen money was found
at 8 o'clock at night at Bristol, Conn.,,
by Chief Arms, Of the police force Of
that place. The case was found In
closet in the residence of Joseph H.
Boardman, brother-in-laW of Cunliffe.
1t had been there since October IL.
B0ardman had received it by express,
and not knowing what it was, put 1t
aside.
The Bristol police learned of the de-
livery Of the case at Boardman's house,
and at once started to investigate.
Boardman at once showed them the
case when they called at his house.
When they opened it the money was re-
vealed.
Superintendent Curtiss, of the New
England Division of the Adams Ex-
press Company's service, and three
detectives went to Bristol late at night
and got the money.
superintendent Thornhill told Cum
life at midnight of the recovery of the
$4,000 and asked him to tell where
the balance of about $4,000 was. Gun
life said he destroyed it by burning it
up, fearing that it would handicap him
same Pittsburg bank
A clue led to Bridgeport, and David
G. Thornhill, of this city, superintends
ent of one Of the Plnkerton agencies,
went to that city, arriving at 1.3G
o'clock in the morning. -Four other de-
tectives went with him. They got
Chief of Police Birmingham out of bed
and made arrangements for a thorough
search of the city with the local police
assisting the Pinkerton men.
At 8 o'clock it was reported to Chief
Birmingham that a man answering
Cunliffe's description had been putting
up at the fremont Hotel In Middle
street. Detective Cronin was sent
there with orders to break into the
room, but the clerk Of the hotel, on
seeing Cunliffe's picture, said that the
man had left his room early in the
morning.
Two hours later Policeman O'Con1
nell. on duty block away from the
hotel, and Superintendent ThornhiH
recognized their man simultaneously.
Thornhill nodded to O'Connell, and the
latter, walking up behind Cunliffe,
faced the fugitive about with powers
full clutch on the shoulder.
You're Cunliffe, the man I want.n
said O'Connell.
The prisoner was dazed a minute
and then said:
Don't handle me roughly and I'll
go along quietly. The jig is up, I
guess
He was questioned minutely by Mr..
Thornhill and Chief Birmingham. He
admitted that he was Cunlitfe, but re-
fused to tell what he had done with
the money. There was $500 in his
pockets. Clothing but no currency,
was found in his room.
Il know where the money is" he
said, "and can lay my hands on it at
any time. 1t is safe / will tell all
about 1t when get back to Pittsburg."
Cunliffe was taken from, Bridgeport
to Pittsburg the next morning. He
said he had had good time with some
of the money and had begun to feel
that he was safe from arrest.
"The only real thrill I've had" he
said, ''up to the time the policeman
grabbed me, was ON the night / left
Pittsburg. / travelled to New York
on the same train and in the same
sleeper with Manager Slater of the
office in which / worked. | saw him
pass my berth and did not leave the
berth until the train was in the city
and the other passengers had left the
ear. l remained in New York. keeping
under cover most Of the time, until a
week ago, when l came to Bridgeport
thought l was safer here than IL |
remained in the city.
Human nature is frail and I've
made d fool Of myself. I've fallen,
but / want to say that 1 regretted it
five minutes after / took the money
II had the chance over again would
be honest. But then what can you ex-
pect of a married man handling hun
dreds of thousands of dollars on a
salary Of $50 month? Once when /
had $25O,000 in cash in my possession
was sorely tempted to take it. The
only thing for me to do now is TO so