The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-09
CRIMINAL AND ACCIDENTAL
The Brilliant Scheme of Couple of
Southern Railroad Men.
Milwaukee SaloOnists Threaten the Mayor
Lynching of a Rape Demon-Several
Fatal Accidents.
THE CRIMINAL RECORD.
Major WATSON Confesses to Having Robbed
Himself of S24, 900.

Himself of S24, 900.
SAN ANTONIO, Tex, May S-Quite a sensa-
ton was created in this city by the confess
sion of Major WATSON, the paymaster alleged
to have been robbed of So, 900 on a train near
Fort Worth, that the whole transaction was
fraud to cover his short account with the
government Wasson is now here at head
quarters under arrest having failed to obtain
clew to the robbers. WATSON was ordered
here to turn over the balance of the funds in
his hands to Chief Paymaster Terrell and
settle his accounts. The examination
by Colonel Terrell exhibited shortages
OF about $780, WATSON confessed that
this was his deficit, but claimed to have
made UP the amount and been robbed of
S24 600. Further questioned, he finally
made clear breast of the whole affair, that
ne had put up the job to cover his evil do
ings. He was Immediately placed under ar
rest at headquarters with scanty supply
| of necessaries and heavily guarded by sol
| diers. 1t is said his Iowa bondsmen are good
for the Indebtedness to the government for
the $500. He has designated the hiding
place of the remaining $18,5OO, and officers
went for it. A list of officers for the court
martial have been made for the trial, which
will occurr quite soon.
Arrest of Two Southern Railroad Men for
RObbing Passengers Trunks.
ST. LOUIS, May SC. E. Cragan, baggage
master, and William Herzog, brakeman on
the run from Longview to Texarkana on
the International e. Great Northern, are now
lodged in Jail at Longview, and will be pros
ecuted for series of systematic robberies of
baggage extending over the past year or two.
The Missouri Pacific company has paid be-
tween 81, 900 and $1,000 to passengers as in
demnity for losses sustained by pilfering from
trunks, but then the secret service police we're
unable to ferret out the perpetrators. Alfred
r. Conklin, attorney, of New York, was
one of the sufferers, he having been robbed
of jewelry, ETC., to a considerable amount
The latest victim was Circuit Attorney Har-
ris, of this city, who lately returned from q
Texas trip He found his trunk had been
plundered, and reported it. Detectives were
sent out and the investigation narrowed
down to the run between Laredo and Texar-
kama. 1t was invariably the trunks of pas
sengers to remote Northern and Eastern
points that had been ransacked. 1t was as
certained that Herzog and Cragin, baggage
masters on the same train, roomed together
at Longview. Both are old railroad men,
formerly from Chicago, where the father of
one of the accused is now connected with
the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy rail-
road. Gaining access to the suspected mems
apartments, the detective found two very
large trunks with intricately constructed
locks. To catch them in the act of pilferng
baggage was next to impossible, for the
baggage master had access to the trunks at
times when he could not be observed. 1t was
risky business to break open the railroaders
monstrous trunks without more conclusive
evidence than had been obtained, and sew
eral keys failed to unlock them One of
the operators took room directly opposite
and fegning sickness remained to watch
while the other went to Dallas and pro-
cured locksmith The trunks were I'M
locked, and both were found packed with
valuables of every description. The missing
articles of Mr.. Conklin were
found, with Mr.. Harris's dia-
mond stud and other things that had been
taken from his luggage 1t was the brake
mans share IN the conspiracy TO gain all the
information he could from passengers, and
then tell the baggageman what trunks could
be expected to yield valuable plumber.