The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-06-11
From Our Second Edition Of Sunday. ]
The Attempted Train Robbery.

The audacious attempt of the train-robbers
~as tho subject of conversation every where in
the city. yesterday. and . crowd was at the
depot when the train returned at noon with the
ARRAY Of night before last. One of
them was absent, however-Joe Ketcham,
the baggage master, who ut that time was under
going difficult surgical operation at his home
IN Cincinnati. The operation appeared TO
promise we'll, but late yesterday evening the
train-dispatcher Of the Big Four road received
the sad but not unexpected message: ''Ketcham
died at 4:45.r
was the object Of the crowds curiosity. The rear
windows were shattered, and there were various
bullet marks over 1T Conductor Letter aud
brakeman Stickel were on board, but the en-
eineer and fireman had left the train at the
yards dr. Letter said that the reports in this
mornings Journal and Cincinnati papers were
An the main correct. but that there
were some emissions. There appears
to have been but four robbers concerned in the
attack. although this is not positive. Moreover,
they did obtain entrance to the car Ketcham
and Zimmerman discovered them before the
engineer saw them. Zimmerman was the first
"a see the outline OF the mems forms In front of
the front door Look there. joe be said.
H. toward the front of the car,
taking with him . lamp. As be was
Afterwards able 70 explain he thought the men
were tramps- He ordered them of the car
and 40 he did so. they attempted to force the
door. and partly succeeded in doing So Ketch-
am hurled his lamp at them and they then
opened Ere upon him. he in the mean time
standing bravey up until shot down. They
fired fully fifteen shots into the car. thinner
man, Ia the mean time. fed through
IN order 10 procure helm. He
had no weapon except his revolver. which was
in the hip pocket of his pantaloons. over which
were . pair OF overalls tightly buttoned. 40
"a H.flx
manned In the bsgeace-car. As he rushed into
the smoking-car he found the conductor and
brakeman. and engineer James, who was going
TO Cincinnati in order to take out train wait
There are . lot of robbers in the
baegaescar, and they are killing
Ketcham.s The four men then turned toward
the baeeace-car, followed by three or four
passengers. At the door of the they halted
= moment. but the brakeman looking through
the door aud seeing or two men bending
over KetchmAn LED the way in. At their ap-
proach the robbers left the car. Ketcham OBJ
served their ent trance. and said fsebly TO the
brakeman, "Coms here. Joe; they'vs shot me
the way to Cincinnati. and was able to
tell much that had happened. He said that
when he first went TO the door he distinctly
heard one Of the robbers say. XIII him. and
don't do that" But the shots began coming.
After he bad fallen they rihed his pockets. TAX
ing out his keys. With these they went eagerly
20 the express safe. TO which they attempted to
At them. bat being the keys of the baeeagsman
and not the messenger, they Were unsuccessful,
and Kstcham heard them cursing overi II. They
left the keys In the safe and they are now in the
possession OF the brakeman.
The other hcro-more fortunate than Ketch-
am bot none the less hero-was James Boyd.
the engineer who had the five minutes death
strrRRls in the coa-tsndsr. Last night a he
lay exhausted BY two days work without any
sleep 90 ME house, No. 1913 Bates street. he told
journal rspor ter the details ~ they appear ia
his sccount given at Cincinnati lie got the
revolver away from bis assailant. and twice the
latter rescued 10 from him. The robber was
the larger and stronger o: the. two. but oil
through the struggle Boyd retained the vice.
ike grip upon the mans throat which he had
obsainsd ~ the outset Of the struggle Boyd was .
colder almost through the war, being finally
wounded - the battle Of the Wilderness. where
Ms knss-eap Was shot on. This ineApacitated
him Tor further service. and has disabled him
nors Or lees during life. II Was his knees
vhish drst bsxsn 20 weaken 10 ais terrible
nfrueelo on Friday night
y S<rnneo incideus IL eonnoetion with the