The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-11-14
Ready For a FiGht-A Moving Arsenal
Men or Honor and VaIor-The
Train Robber


unlucky messengers. Since TIE dlys
when the James boys Aourished in all
their glory, train robberies have not
been numerous, but that OF Coolidge.
Kansas, on the Santa Fe road: the one
on the Rock Island, in northera lii
noise, where Nichols was killed, selling
his life so dearly that when the ca- was
entered ate: the crime It was found 10
be despatched with blood on the floor
ceiling and sides; the one on the
Wabash, in Indians, whicl baffi ID the
detectives, and now the present one will
live in the criminal annals .. The
country side by side with the most Ggs
perate in which the James boys figured.
Mr.. Horace Reed, of the American
Express Company, speaking Of the sub
lecJ yesterday, said Express lr-Ss-f-
gers, ss a general thing. are nFld in
marked respect by even their superiorS,
and with something of reverence and
awe by their interiors, clerks in company
offices, etc. and the ordinary pIohc
In The first place they are carefully
sflecl ed as to habits Of life, etc and are
then pla,ei under heavy bonds and
subjected 10 the most precise rules aud
regulations. Then they are men vnO
are constantly and momentarily expect
ing an assault, and, as old messengers
say. sleep SO hghtly-generally ,curled
up on the safe containing the valuabies
Entrusted to their care-t that the slightest
noise, outside OF that of the running OF
the train, fully Swakens them; and. as
remarked Yesterday, they are men with
great deal of honor though vaior
and pride better express the meaning
! iltended-aS they know they are
employed as much TO be ready for q
fight, and q desperate encounter at q
moments notice, as for anything else.
Among themselves the deepest disgrace
is that they should have been overcome
or yield their treasures without at least
Q mark or 8 woun that would testify
that their courage or fidelity had not
been at fault. This defense is always
possible, or should be, as one of the
strictest rules laid down TO be followed
| by the messenger. and that is as TO being
armed"
Several OF the companies require their
messengers 10 wear their reviewers in q
oelt about their waists, and in the case
of the American he is required 10 strap
his revolver about his waist az the city
Office before he goes 20 his car. and
before he takes charge Of his treasure.
| The rule to this extreme is not, how
ever, Endorsed by all of the companies.
Many allow their messengers 10 carry
/ their revolvrrs in their safes on going
on aud coming off a run. but all require
/ tue unlimbering of their batteries when
they ere actually placed in 8 position
when they by any possibility may be
called upon TO use them. This rule is,
| however. very frequently disregaried,
as the revolver strapped TO the waist IS
very cum bersome. and interferes with
| the messengers movements and COM
| fort when at work. and hence the
revolver is frequently hung on the side
/ of the car or laid on the safe. The mes
serger's strongest safeguard, however.
/ is the rule against admitting outsiders
/ TO the car. and some OF the companies
rieidly exclude even trainmen between
stations. In this connection Is found
/ one or the most peculiar features of the
present robbery. Expressmen say the
| plan IS one that has never been worked
/ before. and, though beginners are never
sent out by letter, is entirely feasible, as
messenger could very readily be
deceived into taking a man out on such
/ q letter as that with which Rockingham
was presented, and he could as readily
be excused for mistaklng even Q clumsy
forgery for a genuine letter, as his
chief so seldom addresses him directly
in writing, the usual course being
| through clerks. Still, when men are
! handed over to messengers 10 be shown
/ the ropes. il is never by letter. nut
always verbally, and by the official in
charge Of the messengers. Letters are
given to agents and others TO extend
courtesies, such as passes, etc, but
never TO ride in q car. There is, how
ever. no rule on this subject, only q law
of custom.
One of the most marked cases in which
q messenger was suspected was that of 8
man named XII caid, on the Wabash, .
| few wears ago. He was very generally
regarded as guilty, detectives who had
worked on the case sharing IN the belief +,
but as he had always been faithful, ana
there was no absolute proof against
him, he was continued in service, and is
in the employ of the same company 10
tdsy, his innocence having been clearly
proven by lucky but 81 cidental develop
ments. which were made later, when q
man named Holland attempted to throw
s woman over the bridge, thus attract
ing police attention. The rooms of the
man and woman were rearched, not
with any idea that Holland was 8 train
robber, but on general principles. The
search, however. disclosed money wrap
psrs and express wrappers, which gave
the only clew obtained to the robbery.
on account of which Kincaid had so
/ long under q cloud with all except the
officers of the company which continued
him in Its employ. Another case of
direct opposite character was that of the
ROBBERY which occurred near Peru, Ind.
on September 2S, 1883, the Pacific
Express Company being the victim. On
the arrival OF the rrain at Peru the doors
of the express and baggage cars were
found 10 BE- securely fastened, and on
an entrance being effected the express
messenger, Burt LOOMS, was discovered
on the floor bucked and gagged, and in
an unconscious condition. On revival
/ he said that several disguised men had
entered the car ut Roarne station. over
powered and bound him, opened the
I safe with the keys taken from hum and
/ then effected their escape, taking with
them all the money, Sl.700, that the
safe contained. The case was put in the
/ hands of Thomas Furlong, who IT once
suspected that the messenger himself
was one of the robbers, but the express
/