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Show CAPTURE OF A CRIMINAL. Catching a highwayman and a murderer. New York, Oct. 4.-The Herald's Milwaukee special says: The news of a very important arrest was received at police headquarters yesterday, the capture being effected in Indiana. On Sept. 1st, 1879, one of Wells, Fargo & Co.'s coaches was stopped by three men at Moore's Flat, Southern California, the stage messenger (William F. Cummings) resisted the orders of the desperadoes who made an attack, and was shot dead by one of them. The three men escaped with their plunder which included two bars of gold bullion valued at $7,000. Wells, Fargo & Co. strained every nerve to capture the thieves, but for a long time their efforts were unsuccessful. Three weeks ago, however, a man was arrested in St. Louis for burglary; he gave the name of John C. Patterson. The Pacific Coast authorities were communicated with, as it had been learned that he was from that section, and Capt. J. W. Lees, of the detective force at San Francisco, with Capt. Hull, formerly deputy warden at San Quentin Penitentiary and now one of Wells, Fargo & Co.'s detectives, came East. They recognized the alleged Patterson as being John T. Collins, a notorious scoundrel who had served his time at Quentin and one of the Moore's Flat highwaymen. They became satisfied that the actual murderer of the express messenger was to be found in Chicago or in this city. They went to Chicago, on Saturday and on Sunday, in company with Billy Pinkerton, visited the jail and looked through that institution. They failed to find him, but learned that, about a year ago, he had been seen at Union City, Ind. and so they took the train for that place on Sunday night. Monday morning they succeeded in arresting Charles Dorsey, alias Moore, the leader of the band of highwaymen and murderer of the messenger. The murderer has been for years a noted criminal. He was three times sentenced to San Quentin for terms of two, three, and fifteen years respectively, and was discharged the last time in November, 1878, less than a year before the robbery and murder. It is said that he has during the past two years operated as the leader of a gang of burglars and highwaymen who have operated extensively in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana, and who has done some big work in these States. |