The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1911-04-13
Out There He Was r. +.
Cummings, a Prosperous
and Respected Citizen.
IS NOW IN ATLANTA PRISON
Government Has Levied on His
Tacoma Property to Pay
for Stolen Stamps.

WASHINGTON. April i2.--If some good
folks in Tacoma. Wash. are worrying
over the disappearance from their circles
OF "R. r Cummings" they may be able
20 get in touch with him at the Atlanta
penitentiary. However. they will have to
look for him there under the name Of
Eddie Fay. the notorious tank breaker
and post Office burglar. who for years
worried the police OF every big city from
San Francisco to New York
Eddie Fay's last trick was pulled OF
in Richmond. Va. about year ago. when
he and two pals hrose into che vaults
OF the city post office. almost under the
eyes Of two watchmen. and carried away
Ss2 600 in stamps. 1t is on account Of
this haul that Fay is now serving a ten
year term In the Federal penitentiary at
Atlanta. and Tacoma has lost real estate
investor who posed as a man of leisure
When he wasn't Operating" in the East
he hobnobbed with bvsioess men in the
Waste,p city. moved about in respectable
society and ourtsd one oi Tacoma's
we'll known young women.
The Post Office Department has identi-
fed Cummings. the real estate investor
and Tacoma good fellow. and Eddie Fay.
the notorious bank burglar. as one and the
same man. Ever since Fay and his pals
got away with $4,000 OF Uncle Sans
stamps from the Richmond post Office
the United States authorities hlvo been
trying to recover the stolen goods. All
but 81 600 Of the total amount was found
in trunks in New York city. but tho post
Office officials have not been able to got n
trace Of the remaining stamps.
| Fay himself insists that he was forced
to give the missing Si7, 600 up to New York
policemen for protectinn. but the poat
Office officials do not take much stock in
this statement.
The Pos, Office Departments discovery
of the existence of the genial Mr.. Cummings
of Tacoma howev er. has put brighter
light on the situation for the Government.
II looks now "a ir "Nr Cummings" wouli
have to paw not onl' the $1,000 repre-
sented by the missing postage stamps,
but also the 50 600 fine which was i'm posed
upon Eddie Fay in connection with his ten
year sentence.
In other words. tho postal authorities
have dis covered that Eddie Fay the clever
burglar. owns S4S. 600 worth Of real estate
in Tacoma under the name Of "R. F, Cum
mings" The Post Office Department has
within the last few days levied upon this
property to the extent of S23 600, covering
the amount of the missing stamps and
Fay's fine.
.,,s ,-ti ,tort rtzv
business men, are represented as fabber-
gasted when Government agents turned
up in that city with photographs OF Fay
and disclosed who he was. II was by means
of these photographs that the United
States officials identified Fay as Cum
mings positively enough to warrant the
beginning of legal action against his
property
Fay had been "A visitor in Tacoma OIL
and on for several years. In fact he made
tina, city his headquarters. representing
himself TO be a real estate investor. True,
he frequently made trips away from that
city. which lasted for several weeks, but
, ho always explained to his business
T friends that he had interests in the Fast
, which required his attention. The Govern
r ment authorities expect to be able to
prove that C,immings's disappearance
from the respectable society of Tacoma
was only the occasion Of the transforma-
tion of DR. Jekyll into Mr.. HYDE and that
=. these trips were usually coincidcnt with
some big bank or post Office robbery in
/ the Fast.
. rho nos, office officials decline to dis
r close the casa in II. its details at present,
but It X one Of the uost interesting that
| oyer ca'he cnder thei' notice Fay.
clean cut capable looking man Of middle
q age, apparently ad no difficulty in cstab-
fishing himself on n friendly basis IN
g respectable circles IN Tacoma. and Hni"Nly
made good impression. So far rs the
r post Office Investigations show, his life
I, in Tacora Vas all that could be- desired
II The Goverumen, authorities srcw the
a name OF ,he young woman whom 'nni'
nings Wa colrting in Iacoma She IL
!, represented as being Of a good family
a and standing well socially.
4 Fay has many powerful friends WI,
a have not ceased their cNOrtS in his in
- terest. o, on since his confinement in th'
Atlanta penitentiary. The locating o.
Fay's real estate on the Pacific coast anc
the uncoN ering Of the identity Of Il. L
Cummings ere 'he work of many Tonth'
" on the part OF the postal authorities
>. Their methods have not been disclosa,l
but the investigation has carried thar
e. over practically all the United states,
a Eddie Fay left Tacoma as "A respectable
N real estate dealer for the last time NOR
IN than year ago, striking on, into tn
D Fast on one of his customary iarnts 4
look after his interests" He lande'
-. In Richu with two Eastern DllSincS
10 associates" who knew more about pick
Id ing locks and skeleton keys than they di
about the prices Of Western land,
y The three entered the Richmond pos
10 ONCE through a back door. set u scree
" in from, Of window looking out upon tn
Virginia city's main business thorough
fare, and working hehind il and under ,h
glare OF an electric liC"t, proceeded I
is crack two oi the big SAFES. The plung