The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-08-29
THE TRAIN WRECKER'S CONFESSION.

THE TRUE STORY OF THE GRAVE DRovER' WHO
STOPPED TRAINS WITH RED LANTERN
HIS CAPTURE AND CONFESSION.
The arrest OF tho wrecker Adams Saturday night
at Buffalo has caused widespread interest railroad
circles aud has resulted in by the criminal
Of the details OF his terrible crime Tie Buffalo
Courier OF the 2.,h inst has tho following additional
Among the railroad officers investigating from the
start this wreckins Detective Hugh Baitcl of the
Central, Tor many years cJnnected with the Buffalo
force On readng the account Of the attempt TO wreck
the ut Fairport he made up his mind that
not He went 10 Rochester ia order
fret II the JOB at Fairport had been done
ner similar 10 the at North East. He
operations HIS next move was 10 lind who
the perperaior From the fact that tho "drover'
Adams Knew much about the last plan, aud,
the aetecllvc's mind Told such an Improbable anc
iimsy story, Batleis suspicious centred on him. The
detective returned TO Buffalo and learned that man
named George T. Adams mad formerly worked ~
brak tor the railroads. and what st'li more graft
he'd Ia. the fact that this Same Adams answered
ninutey 10 the description oi
THE 'pRovER" ADAMS
who had stopped the tram. On Thursday night H.
made discovery that Adams had been seen IN this
city eievcn O'Clock T. NJ, and for auaht he knew
WAS still here He learned that he was NJ place on
Seneca street, but missed him by fifteen minutes.
Then he FASTENED TO No police station and had do
scrpton Of the fellow teiesraphed to all the other pre-
cincts, with orders 10 arrest him on sight. Friday
n picture oil Adams, he went to BigdenH
gallery. Seneca street. and had num-
Der OF copies struck off, which were cir
cualed among the police 10 and in his capture The
original WAS not seen until yesterday afternoon De-
tween tour and nve O'clock Al that time ne was on
Nam street, Detective Batte being informed Of the
ac lett the Exchange street depot 10 arrest him. In
the meantime Messrs Watts aud Dieh, who were
stanuing the OF ana Main Streets hav-
ing just returned from tho part OF the city,
where They searching tor ADAMS, were mot ltte
surprised at seeing the man tncy wanted wax by them
81 tls wng mad
lne prisoner expressed surprise ana demanded 10
know Tor what ne had been unprecedented. He was
then taksn to Police Headquarters and locked up 10
one oil the private cells until after supper. Then hs
taken iuto Superintendent Byrnes Office, and. 10
the preence oil that oIhcia and Detectives Watts ana
Deui made the following sworn statement and conieS
sion-
STATEMENT OF THE wREcKER ADAMS
al think WAS born ia the State OF ONO, in place
called Ogdensburg. am twenty-three years Of age;
am laborer by occupation My parents are dead.
have sister and residing Buffalo Tho last
time worked was Tor the Lake Snore and Michigan
Southern Railroad, III the capacity OF brakeman; IT
is mouth SIX weeks since quit the employ OF this
road was what they called an extra brakeman.
worked ut farming III Cayuga this state before went
raroadns; worked at iai ming, think about two or
three Years; before that | sailed on tho lakes and
worked at various other things Am single man.
Have Oeou arrested twica the frst time, four hve
years ago, on suspicion OF grand larceny Upon an OK
animation was discouraged. The next time was ar
rested Tor nOn-payment Of board bill That was
also settled, ana | was discharged Was re.
arrested the first charge of grand larceny;
was convicted and sent 70 the Eric County Peniten.
tiary Tor ninety days. My picture was taken Tor tue
Ro.ues' Gallery three Jour years ago timo
ago Il think about lnonth) met tramp Al Ham,
burg, III this county, who asked me what was doing.
said Not anything; that could not find anything 10
do. He saiu Why don't you train oil the track
tear tuc track and then flag the TRAM by saving The
train would get position on the road: said did
not want tOdo It, We Sat and talked about one thing
aud another tor about an hour. Then came TO But
fao and stayed, think, about five days. Then went
View or North East; think it Lake View. Pulled
the pm out oil the switch ard threw
it over; then went back to iisg the
train; as passed by the station saw two young men,
and told them The switch wrong They said. Lcs
it go 10 hell got the switch light oil, but Was not in
time to flag the train which came along of
the track The engine and three or four behind
went oil. did not 90 to the wreck immediately.
When l got there | went slowing baggage from the
wreck to another train. There great deal OF
vcrsaon by The people there as to how the accident
las 1t was calicd occurred. The tram that was
wrecked was gong west and was train No. l. AS soon
the baggage was slowed returned TO Buffalo q
freight tram. Worked the dock lew Days, then
went TO Erie Came back on freight train to North
Eas riding on top OF the cars stopped at The station
spcli and thon went up TO the railroad tool
houses, got claw bar and wrench and threw the rail
out, then started back to get the switch light, bat
not in time to flag; the train went of the track;
the engine and Two cars went down the etnban kment
renamed at the station unlil daylight then went
up TO the wreck and stayed few moments, camc back
the hotel and stayed about an hour, then got
freight train and came TO Buffalo stayed in Buffalo
two three days. At This last wreck one man had his
leg broken he afterwards died. went from Buffalo
to Rochester, and from there to Fairport; went into
track about milo and half, where threw the end
OF rail- out and then went TO farmers house about
mile of, awoke the farmer and got rcd lantern and
tagged the tram the train stopped, the rail fixed
ana train went on returned TO the farmers house
for few moments and then came up to the CUT wscd
tor freight train but fell asleep and awOke at day.
heht got tho. freight train and came 10 Ro-
chester and thence TO Buffalo. The passengers
offered money, but at the suggestion
OF the conductor only accepted hlty cents II was last
sunday when got back TO Buffalo. l have been to
East Elma since. Got back from there. Thursday last
at Ema stopped at Mr. Bridgeman's. East night and
the night before slept barn the other side OF
Buffalo Creek, on the line 81 the Buffalo, New York
aud Philadelphia Railroad. In all these transactions
was alone. The Lake View wreck occurred about mid
Eght the North East wreck occurred about the SAND
time OF night, and the Fairport wreck occurred also
about midnight My object in these transactions was
TO employment from the road OF course, alter
/ had misplaced the SWITCH my plan was TO avert
accident by Notifying the train In time. Thus, as
thought, was placing the authorities under obiga
tions to me. "
George F. Adams Ia nov twenty three years OF age
and stands five feet Ave inches IN height With tho
exception of slight beard hts face is clean shaver.
From childhood up he has led rough and vagrans
ie and his appearance is proof OF the fact His only
the crme as he swears, Was to get employ
ment