Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-16
BOLD ROBBERY
In New York-A Street-Car LOado d
with Eleven Armed and Equipped
Members OF the Eleventh Reg
iment Cleaned Out by Five
Desperate Robbers.


with passen gers. In tee front part were a
number of Germans and their wives, return
ing from a picnic. They were laxative and
attracted the attention Of the ether passen-
gers Near TIE rear entrance Of the car sat
]. w. Iafetra, conductors receiver for the
Third avenue railroad company, AZ the Har-
lem depot, who was on MS way to the mann
dept at Sixty fifth street He carried = large
account book ana i satchel containing about
one hundred dollars In silver. Mr.. Lafetra
attention had been attracted TO tue otner emu
of the car. He was suddenly stunned 10y
blow on his head. He recovered almost IN
medlately, and on turning his head, saw
three rough looking men with drawn revolv-
ers confronting him. One OF the men tugged
at the satchel, but Mr.. Lafetra chung 10 1t
with both hands. The ruffians then shOwered
blows en- his head and face, compelling nm TO
relax his hold. Then, seizng the satchel,
the robbers rushed from the car. Before the
attack on Mr. Lafetra was made, a wagon
containing four men was observed 10 be
keeping close beside the car. Nothing sus-
picious was noticed, however, uEil, tie caV
reached Ninety-fourth street. len two
men who had been inside the Car stepped out
on the rear platform. where the conductor,
Charles Orr, and another gentleman, were
standing They drew revolvers and, before
a worI could be uttered, pointed them at the
heads of the conductor and his companion,
threatening to blow their brains cut if they
moved or spoke. While the two men stood
guard on the rear platform three Of the men
in the wagon sprang out and entered the
car 10 attack Mr.. LIfetra. As soon as the
robbery had been completed, the five ruff
ans got into the wagon and were driven off
rapidly through Ninety third street, IN the
direction OF Second avenue. The driver OF
the car and several men on the front plat
form ignorant of the affair until after
the robbery committed. Mr.. Lafctra
was seriously injured by the rutfians' blows.
Yesterday he was unable to leave his house.
Much Indignation was at first expressed by
the officials of the Third avenue railroad
company because the men in the car did not
interfere to prevent the robbery, especially as
| some of the Germans present were members
of the Eleventh regiment, and carried arms
with them. Their lack of action was ex.
planned by the fact that few persons in the
car noticed the assault until the robbers
were making their escape.
The Tribune speaks editorially of the above
| transaction: The story of the. robbery of q
Third avenue car on Monday evening seems
almost incredible. The deed was done at the
early hour of ten O'Clock. On the vehicle
were eleven soldiers of the Eleventh regI-
ment, armed with sabers. Among the pas
sengers there must have been many able
bodied men. Yet the villains who invaded
the car had every thing their own way. The
collector and the conductor OF the company
were terribly beaten. The scoundrels went
OH ITlQmplanIly with lQSlr BOOTY. MS Is,
perhaps, the hrSt instance IN the annals OF
crime of vehicle under a strong military
guard-fOr so 1T happened to be-eaptured
and plundered without any resistance worth
mentioning. Every body ran away who could
get away, except the hIghwaymeD, who de-
parted quite at their leisure, and Mr.. Orr, the
conductor, who behaved very well. The rave
but beery warriors of the Eleventh are erti-
tied to the special attention of their military
superlors. Their idea that a soldiers
duty is to attend festivals, wear 4 uni
form, and fill himself with beer, is hardly
one which will win for them undying
renown. As for policemen, the old rule
held good. They were not to be found when
they were wanted. The worst Of this aston
ishing transaction is that it shows villains
how easily they can perpetrate crime of the
most audaclous character. The best of it Is,
that it has demonstrated the necessity of
some system for the protection of passengers
on the street railways. Heretofore, on some
OF our roads, there has been none worth
mentioning; and travellers, particularly at
night, have been exposed to all manner of
annoyances and outrages-to the insults of
drunkards and women Of the town, and TO
the depredatiozs of pickDOcAets Complaints
have from time to time been made, but they
have produced no reformation. Naturally,
therefore, thieves, casting about for prOhta-
bic Job, hit upon this plan of creating Il panic,
and OF carrying off the companys cash.
They must have known the road perfectly
well, and they devised the scheme according
to their knowledge. The Third avenue
company is the party pluudered and assailed
In the person of Its servants. It must tax
some measures for the future protection
OF its own interests and property, however
little it may regard the comfort and cash of
the public. The arrest and condign punish
ment of these criminals Is of prime Impor-
lance. All the resources ofthe detective force
should be at once employed IL the effort 10
arrest these offenders. Thousands of respect
able persons ride upon our street railways
after dark every night, and It will he hardly
comfortable Tor them to feel that IN doing so
they risk not merely money but lie. No case
Of murder ever called in this city more loudly
for prompt police action than this one OF rob-
berry, which might easily have been one of
murder also. The public will be treasured to
hear that it has been succe ssfully worked
up"
Uncle JOe's Talk with the Boys.
New York Tribune: | would speak an
earnest word to those boys who are thinking
of leaving home. You are anxious to push
out for yourselves. In many instances there
are younger brothers in the family, and you
think the farm hardly large enough for all
Those who live in the east are anxious to 20
west, and those who live In what Is termed
the west desire to go still further toward the
setting sun. At any rate, as you look at it,
you get as far as possible away from home.
No doubt many young men have done as
well, if not better, by casting themselves
among strangers; they have worked harder,
and denied themselves more than they would
have done at home. But it is a very i'm
portant step, and one which will pay you to
look all over before you take it. If you in
tend to go among friends of your family, or
with company of your towns people, it will
make 1t much better; but to start out all
alone and throw yourselves among strangers
in strange State, is a hard row to hoe"
1t is true, you may be successful, but the
chances are all against you, and it is quite
likely you will hear the cry of ''hard times"
no matter which way you travel. Taking it
all In all, as things stand now, there Is
little difference 10 favor of one part
of the country over another. The man who
works an eastern farm will have many days
OF hard labor IN the course of the year on
land that don't yield much, but, on the other
hand, he has good market, and can sell at
a fair price all from the farm he wishes to
sell; he will live well and his home will
be as pleasant and well furnished as that of
the western farmer; the chances of his chill
dren getting good education are as fair, if
not better, than In many parts of the west.
The only advantage there seems to be is til 1t
If you have little money left when you are
at your journeys end, and know how to take
care of 1t, you can do more with it than at
must go to work foI any one who will hire
your time, you will find that in order to get
into the condition you wish to be VIII require
much hard work and self-denial. And when.
in future years, you visit your old home, you
may be likely to find that those Of your early
companions who remained there have done
about as well, and somehow, you viii be apt
to think, have Jared little better. Doubt
less much of this changing about IN our
country is owing In a great meas
ure to our restless disposition. Mr..
Greeley remarked, while making his overland
Journey to California, as he passed many en-
igrants to that Eldorado, and about as many
coming back, that he dldn't think there was
another such restless, uneasy people on the
face of the globe. To the boy who has be-
come dissatisfied with his home and its
wholesome restraints; who thinks he IS him
dered from being all ne could be; who thinks
the family are no help to him; who speaks Of
his father and mother as ''oId man" and ''old
woman" who Is determined to leave home
whether they are willing or not-allow me to
say, IN all kindness, you are getting yourself
into bad shape. Such thoughts are poison;
if you continue to cherish them no one Will
suffer more than yourself. Nothing, ALSO