The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-10-28
A PLOT DEFEATED.
ATTEMPT TO ROB PAYMAsrERs CAR
Details Of the Plan, Had the SuIpIsIOn That /
Telegraph Operator Of the Railway Company
Was Party to It-ArrsHt Of the ChIsr
COnIDIratsr Of the Gang Last EJSnIng.

New YoRx, October 27.-The TriJun
publishes the following details Of the at
tempt to rob the Paymaster's car Of thu
New York, Lake Erie 4 Western Railway
When the Treasurer, General Spencer, o.
the company, reached the telegraph Office
at Paterson, he found everything in con
fusion. Upon inquiry he learned that
that orders had been given to ground
every wire along the line, but on investi,
CATION the order was found to be bogus, II
was also stated that the Generals name
had been used in connection with an
order authorizing the delivery OF some
money from Paymaster White to a certain
person. The operator could not fully hear
everything going over the wires. General
Spencer Immediately suspected that the
plot was TO rob the paymaster's car. The
company some time ago decided to pay Its
employees with checks, and this was the last
time the paymaster was to pay the men
with cash. General Spencer tried to get
frustrating the plot, This, however,, did
not succeed, us the wires at Passaic were
grounded. The operator at that place had
received an order to ground all his wires,
the order being regularly signed with the
initialsOf J.,W. Holmes, Superintendent
OF Telegraph, The operator telegraphed on
u private wire 10 Harvey Lambert, the
operator at Paterson, the purport OF the
order. The latter concluded to ask Mr.,
Holmes, who lives In Paterson, by tele.
phone Mr.. Holmes expressed surprise
upon hearing OF his supposed order, de-
Claring that lie never issued It. Lambert
also told him that he had receiYedan order
to ground east wire No, !, In his office
tho wire connected with Jersey City. Mr..
Holmes Immediately gave orders to take
the grounded wire up. When Lambert did
80 he heard the following words sent over
the wire: "Pete and McCloud and the rest
Of the gang are here. Put all the paper
money In the bug. A horse and wagon will
await you at half-past ten At the ferry"
II Is suspected that battery was used In
the meadows below Rutherford Park, and
the wires were tapped. Communication
was cut off below PllssaiC, and so oil dis
patches sent from the train dispatcher ut
Jersey City were received and answercdby
the men on the meadows. Some one &C.
quainted with the system OF railroad tele.
graphy, 1t Is supposed, was in the plot, and
Il person well versed with General spen.
GERS movements. The operator at P0ssaic
knew that tho General was going to pater.
son and II message was sent over the
wires signed "BSW. s." he would think II
suspicious, Us General Spencer was not In
Jersey City. This, II is alleged, IL the reason
why tho PassaiC man was ordered to ground
his wires. While PaRsaic was cut Off the
man in the meadows telegraphed to Pay
master White; "Meet mo In Jersey City,
Bird W. Spencer" Later Il message came
to Il. o. Hill, Superintendent Of the road,
to hand over tho money to q man who
would Gull for It, but whose name was not
given. Mr.. Hill answered that he would
not do It, An answer came that he (Gen.
spenceD was under $5O, 600 bonds in New
York, and It was all right" mo one can
have the money except you come yourself" "
was the reply Of Mr., Hill. BY this time 1t
had been discovered that the wires had
been tampercd with, and the men in the
meadows, probably hearing that communi.
cation was held over the limo, departed.
The suspicion Is that line.man In the EN-.
ploy Of the telegraph company was lmpll.
Gated.
LArER-William ]. sipple was arrested
ut his home In Fourth street, Jersey City,
to-day, Us chief Of the Conspirators who
Monday night cut the wires OF the Erie
Railroad to rob the Paymaster's train. He
had been In the service OF the
road as an operator. The man In charge
Of the Bell House, at tho mouth Of the
tunnel, permitted him the use OF the
wires In the Bell House under the impres.
sion that he was still in the service Of the
company, for two hours. lie was identi.
fled as the man who separated the wires OH
Monday evening, and ono Of the dispatches
sent by the cOnspirators was found in his
pocket when arrested.