GENTLEMAN BURCLAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3246, 16 June 1911, Page 7

GENTLEMAN BURCLAR.

CAPTURED AT NEW YORK

An extraordinary case has been disclosed by the action of the United States Government in seizing property to the value of £B,OOO belonging to Mr R. F. Cummings, of Tacoma, "Washington State. According to the Government lawyers Mr. Cummings, one of the most respected and popular citizens of Tacoma, is identical with Eddie Fay a notorious burglar, who a few- months ago was arrested and sentenced to ten years imprisonment at the Atlanta Convict Prison for a daring robbery at Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Cummings is a handsome and cultured gentleman and a member of the leading clubs at Tacoma. He was engaged to a wealthy girl of good family, and was supposed to have large business interests in the Eastern States which gave him an excuse for prolonged absence from home. When captured at New York Fay was claiming the possession at the Grand Central Station of trunks containing some £17,000 worth of- stamps taken from a safe at the Richmond Post Office. Of these stolen stamps over £3,000 worth were missing. Fay was fastidious even on burgling expeditions, as was proved by the presence in the trunks of a magnificent set of burglar’s tools, wrapped in tissue paper and enclosed in handsome leather cases. In his pockets there was found a directory of banks, with the habits of the janitors and the position of the safes exactly described. Months of research by Government agents led to the surprising allegation that Fay, after each successful expedition, was in the habit ,of retiring to Tacoma, where he resumed the habits of a gentleman of wealth. Leading hostesses in Tacoma, who had been speculating for several weeks on the mystery of Mr Cumming’s disappearance, declare they reoogrrse their favorite guest in the photographs of Eddie Fay.