Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-01-19
An Episode in q sleeping-Car.

at ten O'Clock in the evening on the Al
bany & Susquehanna connects at Bing-
hamton with express No. 8 on the Erie.
Through coaches are run over this route
from Boston, arriving in Buffalo at II 40
the following morning. Among the pas
sengers in one of the Pullman cars at
tached to this train last Saturday even
ing was Mr.. L. II. Holbrook, of Buffalo.
MIR. Holbrook had had hard days
travelling, and as soon as the train began
to climo about among the hills, he
climbed into his berth and wen. to sleep,
first having partially undressed and
placed his watch and loaded Smith &
Wesson under his pillow. The car was
quite well filled, among the passengers
being q commercial traveller bound for
HornellsviIle, lady for Buffalo and an
other lady for Cincinnati. Along in the
little hours of the night there came a
thump and bump, and a general shake
up, and then the car came to q stand
still. Everybody-except, possibly, the
lady for Buffalo and the lady for Gin
cinnati-thrust his head through the
curtains and asked, s'What's up?"
Nothing was up, except sleepy people,
but a string of freight cars had come
down a grade and made q wreck, and
the express had tried to climb over it.
They must lie there until things were
cleared, or walk So the man who
swears said ssblank the luck" and the
lady for somewhere or other said ssoh,
DEAR" and all went to sleep again. Just
as Mr.. HOlbrook was forgetting that
Buffalo was several hours farther off
than it should be, he felt, or saw, or
dreamed he felt or paw q hand lightly
brush his face, and then slip under his
pillow. Mr.. Holbrook is young man
who can do the right thing in an emer-
gency. He didn't stop to put on his
hat, or to button his-shoes. He simply
made a grab for his revolver, and
bounced into the aisle in an instant. His
berth was near the middle of the car,
and as he landed on his feet he saw a
man turning toward the side passage
leading around the ladies' toilet room
toward the end of the ear. In an instant
Holbrook had the drop on him. AS the
fellow turned he faced the little Smith
& Wesson, and as it was within six
inches of his nose he couldn't help see
ing that it was cooked, and the finger
that touched the trigger was ready for
duty.
"I'll trouble you for my watch, " said
Holbrook.
The fellow looked Mr.. Holbrook in
the eye and then looked the revolver in
the eye. Neither HolbIook nor weapon
looked friendly. He wilted into seat,
and handed over the watch. 'sTake
away that thing!" he begged, as the re-
volver continued to cover him. ssTake
it off, tell you, and let me go! don't
want your watch!'
By this time the car was awake.
Hold on, there!" sang out the COM
mercial traveller going to Hornellsville;
'smy watch is gone, tool"
"Oh, obi" squealed the lady going to
Cincinnati; s'my watch is gone, tool"
Really this was interesting. The fell
low begged and protested. He hadn't
touched their watches, and didn't want
TO disturb them. His regard for their
rest was not appreciated. The conduc-
tor appeared on the scene, but did not
interfere. Some of the gentlemen
crowded about Mr.. Holbrook to assist
him.
"Wait, gentlemen" says Mr.. Hol-
brook, s'this is my game, if you please
This to the thief: 81 want you to give
up those Watches"
"I tell you 1 haven't got 'em. You
will oblige me by calling off that wea-
pom"
The finger on the weapon was getting
very determined. ssThrow up your
hands!" shouted Holbrook, putting the
iron where even q near-sighted nose
couldn't help smelling it.
The mans arms went up at the word.
He grew pale, and the perspiration be-
nan Tn drOu from his face
"Now, boys, 60 through him." said
Holbrook. The pockets were examined,
and, sure enough, there was the little
gold watch over which the lady from
Cincinnati was excited. The other one
didn't appear.
"Pull off his boots" said our hero.
Better tuck in your shirt, -" said the
robber to Holbrook as the latter brought
the revolver nearer than ever. The ras-
cal was evidently an artist, and the sight
of half q dozen men in shirts and
drawers dancing about him may have
looked funny. But that revolver didn't,
and his bluff and protest were of no
avail. The other watch was found in a
bootleg. About $500 in money was dis
covered upon him, but as no one in the
car could find out that he had lost any,
it was not disturbed.
When Holbrook took off the revolver,
the fellow gathered strength enough to
slip out of the car, and was seen no
more. And they let him 60.
And then Holbrook, nervy fellow that
he is, began to shake. He was the hero
of the scene, and in spite of the undress
uniform of all parties, was congratula-
ted and applauded, as he deserved to
be. ssBut when it was all over" says
Mr.. Holbrook, "and got back into my
berth, 1 perspired and trembled as bad
ly as the thief had DONE"
The accident delayed the train so that
Mr.. Holbrook did not reach Buffalo I'M
til Sunday evening. For the rest of the
trip he was lion. The lady going to
Cincinnati insisted on pressing gener-
Gus bill into his hand, and the CONNER
cial traveller overwhelmed him with
favors. Well he might; his watch and
chain were worth $500.
l. -s<,E