The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-15
CHASED BY A LOCOMOTIVE.
PLUCKY BURGLARS CONFIsCATING
4 RAILROAD HIND CAR.

Their Niahi Filsht from Jusiicc-Tho Pur.uit-
Whit Bccnme Of the CHr-Tbe Jhievcn
Found In Bed-A Lively Connecticut Episode
For some time past the Waterman Mt the
watering station OF the Nsugatuck Railroad,
about thirty-tour miles from bridgeport Conn.,
has been ON the look out for persons who had,
on seyeral occasions, taken hand cars from the
sheds, and used them to travel from one part OF
the line TO another. A similar watch has been
kept by Onicers Egan end Duncan. several bur
Charles having been committed along the road
In the past few months.
On Sunday morning the two officers went
IN the road, and, avoiding the main line,
walked along the Fishkill track few
moments afterward they heard rumblinR
noise, as Of car passing over the main
line; but II was too distant for them TO
make any reasonable surmise as TO what 1t WAS.
Tho Waterman at Waterbury station, however,
not only heard the noise at about three
o'clock, but, running close to the track,
VIVA able to discern hand car, with
two or three men upon It, Apparently 1t was
loaded with some bulky packages. II vas
driven past at the utmost speed. As soon as tn,
officers returned be told them what he had seen,
and they went TO ,he resuehGe q, Mr. Sci,ni
that the men on the car were burglars, but ne
feared that some OF the emp yees Of the line
track" S esGsussfins the SUNDAY morning trains
practice of recklessly driving hand cars over the
line, and to punish the offenders. He ordered
that n locomotive be manned to give chase. .
Nearly an hour elapsed before the fire was well
under way, and the engine, with single car at
,sehed ready to start IN pursuit 0i ,ns 'n aad
another gentleman got into the car ana hngl-
neers Jonn BALDWIN and Henry McOariy
mounted the locomotive. Inc ENTERPRISE
was hazardous, for nothing could be seen
OF the hand car until the locomotive
upon It. and, moreover. there was the
danger that II the fugitives were burelars thev
might place upon the lne such an lmpeulmont
as must wreck the first train passing. The pur-
suera boweyer had no thought except to over
take their game, and the locomotive swept on
with constantly Increasing speed.
xnsonia ia the station next below Waterbury.
and the train approached IL at the rate OF nearly
forty miles an hour ne Nauod.gcS rousS "ns
almost impossible country on the left-a bad
place for the fugitives to be overtaken, and one
Offering out poor means oil escape ON either SIDE
of the track
About three miles from Ansonia the train
was rushing down a heavy grade ana around
curve. The engineers were leaning over the
sides Of the locomotive straining their eyes In
their efforts to penetrate the darkness. sud-
denly. only few wards IN front OF them, and
visible but for an instant In tue headlights
glare, the hand car without any one IN u.
There was no time TO shut on steam before the
engine struck the car.
but the hand car few into the air, smashed INTO
hunured pieces. Two Of the wheels were car
ried along upon the pilot OF the locomotive Tor
about forty rods. and then hurled far from the
track. The locomotive was stopped. and the
superintendent with his companions hurried
back to the place where theN had Overtaken the
hand car There was not enough OF 1t lett,
said one uf the pursuers, to make tootnpick
There were sixteen pieces Of woollen goods,
comprising several hundred yaius OF CT tbs,
stolen "a was slhseuuentIy certainet d, from the
linton Manufacturing Companys factory 1T
Wolcottvilie, about twenty miles north OF
Waterbury. The thieves had broken into the
Fact F.NNFN Az AM -
open the door of one of thc ilroad company >
car sheds thew had taken out the hand car, load
ed IL with the cloths ami started down the line.
After jumping from the hand car on hearing
the train Approaching, there was evidently one
must have crossed the Nangatuck river.
The locomotive, uniniured beyond the shl Al
Ansonis, and the snefiG and Deputy SncriI
David Tucker Of seymour. VITA q posse II
officers, started in pursuit STo s'ns the
had been oveitaken, the tracks Of the iuAitv"s
were distinctl, visible In the mud at Tue othe'
side but n short distance from tho bank the
ground was heavily timbered q. aud tie f"otprn''
could be traced no further. All through The
darkness the chase was unayanglY continued
and two hours after day irht the deputy sheriff
who had driven over twenty i've miles 81 grornu
three mer. of VIGOROUSLY BID rerut,ti ~. had
been seen on the previous ni-nt proving around
wocott,n SUSPICION pointed strongly to"ar,
Bob" Johnson. "Bili " u Wis, nd "ioun.
Bill" a son OF DAVIS. Deputy sheriff Tucker
and Maurice Drew went TO "A house ow ned b,
one Mat Ward, who Is unf1TUtabiy known To tue
police. Ii is about thirteen miles from Bridge
pOrt.
whether BOO johnson was there, Mptt ward
ans cred that he was, nd be went up stairs IL
bring him down. After "A long delay. Jonus on
came into the barroom dressed in lchi
llpaca coat. The Deputy Shetin smoke % fht
Dddity VI his wearing 50 thln garment
In suCa cold weather, ana he laid his othel
clothes were wet. Mucn to lioas" ds-ust
Mr. Tucker insisted on seeing the wet clothes
and going up stairs he found the DaYises
father anu son. In bed. ana three suits o
.lothes drying ut the fire
Tho sheriff arrested the three men and brough
them down stars, the o. ~ one VINO made an
show Of resistance being the elder Davis
Seeing the Deputy sheriff appro lchiug him, Ia
made "A motion with bis hand toward Ioa
don't you lay hand uuon me-" but the onire
Iezed him. murderOu5 looAing revolver va
taken from him.
The trio were arraiRned before the pre-idin.
Justice l Waterbury. and he'd on four separat
,harges--brsHkiLg into the Union Company
factory. stealing sixteen pieces OF cloth, break
ing into the raiirOad cOnpany's car house, an
stealing n hand Car. Each was committed II
default OF $50 n IL on each charge.
johnson rnd the elder Davis have long been
terror Ia the community. Young Davis wa
less feared. bat he too, Is fast earnin
L T putal ion for evil deeds. Four months az
constable tired To arrest his father
and tue IutliJn struck him a terrible blow WIKI
a billy cutting MS head open. lie then drew
pistol but tie officer seized II just as he pulle
the trigger the oll Rr.ziLg the TOD OF the con
stables finger. The latter then drew his owl
weapon and shot Davis through the back If tn
neck. and the arm.
Ign Johnson William Davis, md william Davis
Jr. and their res dence as Derry