The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1906-03-08
A DETECTIVE STORY IN WHICH
FAMOUS HAWkSHAW BOB
CUSHING FIGURES.

1
ing recalls the time when he and
were engaged on branch of de-
tective work known as railroad
mysteries" and especially am l re-
minded of Morton Darlington, alias
Dick Robbins, organizer and chief
of one of the cleverest and success.
full gang Of railroad thieves who
ever operated in this or any other
country. l arrested this man twice
in the space of one year. Bob
Cushing was not interested in the
case at the outset, but laer was
also called in on the case.
The first time I arrested Darling
ton, a prominent gentleman placed
such confidence in his plea of in
nocence that he signed his bail
bond. AS soon as liberated, as may
be expected, he fled. His second
arrest within one year occurred
just as he was about to board a
train for Denver.
Darlington's career Is as eventful
as it Is romantic. He secured a
position with the Denver & Rio
Grande railroad as baggage check
err in Pueblo, Col. He was intelli-
gent, and in less than three years
was made yardmaster and given
the entire charge Of transferring
the freight. Shortly after securing
this position he saved the life of
Minnie Morrow, a dashing blonde
From that time the young woman
and Darlington lived together as
man and wife. 1t is said that she
deserted a rich husband for him
who had saved her life. At Pueblo
they lived at the rate of $4,000 a
year on a salary of $500. She told
him she must have these luxuries,
and if he could not procure them
she would find someone who would.
Darlington's method was bold and
daring. Nine switchmen were en-
ployed in the yard. He went to all
of them separately and proposed to
rob the cars. He gained their con-
fidence by telling each that all had
agreed to enter the scheme, until
he had every man in the yard un-
der his control.
So frequently did the robberies
occur that the railroad company
placed detectives at all stations and
yards along the line. Up to this
time the goods stolen amounted to
more than 100000. Darlington be-
came alarmed as he discovered de-
tectives in Pueblo, and the pair
went to Chicago and engaged
rooms. Darlington was a handsome
fellow and Anna Hayes, a young
woman who lived in the same
house, fell desperately in love with
him. He took no notice of her
whatever, and she became intensely
jealous and took an oath to sepa-
rate Darlington and the beautiful
Minnie Morrow.
She had Minnie Darlington" ar
rested for stealing jewelry, and to
effect a conviction placed the ar
ticles in a bureau in the room oc-
cupied by Darlington and his COM
panion. She was detected in the
act, but the officers proceeded to
examine several large trunks which
they discovered in the apartment.
They were filled to voerhowing
with costly silks and laces, cloth
ing, jewelry and valuable articles.
Detective Cushing and | waited in
the room until Darlington came
home, and when he did we placed
him under arrest. All of the nine
switchmen were tried and found
guilty. Robbins, or rather Darling
ton, their chief adviser, was also
sentenced, and all for the woman
to whose vanity he was a weak.
willing slave.
Another case in the railroad line
in which Gushing and were inter-
ested in professional capacity,
was that of the Lake Shore and
Nickelplate railroads, who had en-
ployed us to run down the ring
leaders of a gang of train robbers
that had been plundering freight
trains on the road between Dun
kirk. N. Y, and Erie. Though doz-
ems of people were arrested In the
latter city, the leaders evaded us.
| Shortly afterward, however, the
Buffalo police nabbed a Mrs. Kill
gore, of Erie, who had left her
home there in company with one