The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-04-18

Marshal Blackburn received the following
telegram:
TsKLwA, III, Apri! II, 1877.
City Marshal Rock Island.
Arrest brakemen on first No. z. Robbed me at
Tiskilwa. I come passenger, j. B. NORRIS
Capt Blackburn understood this as
meaning to arrest the brakesmen on freight
train No. 7 on the G. r. /. & ?. road,
Oscar Cole conductor, which arrived in
this city, from the east, about o'clock this
morning, and at that hour he proceeded
to Brookss Crossing, in company with
Policeman Metsch, and the two officers
boarded the train there and arrested Seth
Webster and Charles FL. Virgins, the
brakemen. They were taken to the mar
shaPs office and searched, A Smith Il
Wesson revolver NO. % cartridge) and a
number of trinkets were found on Web
ster, and silver watch, worth about SIS,
and a number of other things were found
on Virgins. They were taken to Jail.
A few minutes afterward two men cal
led at the city marshal's Office and said
they had been robbed by the brakemen on
freight train No. 7. One of them, who
gave his name as Louis Elsheimer, from
New York, and bound for Solmon City,
Dixon county. Kansas said he had been
robbed of a revolver-and described the
revolver taken from Webster. His part
ner, Peter W. Palmer, from South Haven,
Mich, and also bound for Kansas. said he
had lost silver watch, and other things,
and described the articles taken from
Virgins. Both men appear to be honest,
hard working young fellows, and their
account of the robbery is about as follows:
Webster and Virgins invited them to get
on their train and ride to this city. They
accepted the invitation with thanks, and
jnmped into box car. Just east of Iis.
kilwa Webster and Virgins entered the
car, the former having a bar of iron 10 bis
hand, and he compelled Elsheimer to hold
up his hands until Virgins went through
his pockets and relieved him of his revol.
yer and number of other things. Web
ster then took the revolver and presenting
it at the head of Palmer and several other
occupants of the car, compelled them tC
hold up their hands until Virgins robbed
| them. They were then put off the traiI
at Tiskilwa. Morris was probably one o
the victims, but he has not yet arrived
Elsheimer and Palmer, however, jumped
on another freight trail and arrived here
few minutes after No. I, and they imme
diatly made their complaint to the police
Oscar Cole, the conductor, was ais
arrested by Deputy Black burn, as it wa
thought be was party to the robbery or
at least, knew that it had been committed
| 1t is said that it has been the practic
of train men, and especially brakemen
whenever they caught anybody stealing ;
ride to search them and take everything
of value they could fnd-and ii is not un
frequently the case that train men cal
,, be heard Dragging of their having "gon
through tramp and taken more none,
from him than it would have cost him ha'
he bought a ticket But this invitation
dodge to catch victims appears to be
new thing.
Webster and Virgins were brough
; before Justice Hayden this forenoon
charged with robbery and larceny, anC
after hearing the evidence, were hel
4 under 5000 bonds to await further exam
= ination on the same charge upon the arri
f val of Mr.. Morris, who sent the Telegram
!, The evidence did not appear to be quit
d as strong as to violence as was first r
a ported.
e Virgins has a gold watch worth SIT,
e which he says he has carried for fOr
b years, but jewelers. say that the watch is
e new one and has not been used six month
e looks like it just came from the factor
l. Cole has been discharged from custod
J. but Virgins aud Webster are in Jail.