Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-15
CONFESSION OF A TRAIN RoBBER.

CONFESSION OF A TRAIN ROBBER.
Tom Collins Tells Of the Attempt Of forxy
and Himself.
The capture Of the men who attempted to
rob Chesapeake and Ohio railway train on
Tuesday night was announced in yesterday 4
STAR. They gave their names Is Burrell Forgy
and Tom Collins. Sam Matheson Of Hunting
ton, W. Va, who had the fight with them on
the train, Immediately recognized Collins, a.
he had Forgy: and denounced him to his face
rs one Of the robbers. Collins was landed in
Jail
Collins sent for the constable yesterday after
noon and said he was ready to tell the whole
truth about the affair. He knew that the pistol
taken from him on the train had been posi-
lively identified BY the Saunders boy, of whom
he bought it. and by the gunsmith who had re-
paired 1t. He also knew that he had been iden-
tilted by Mr.. Matheson and Mr.. Thompson,
passengers on the train. The latter had also
said that when they came to examine Collins
they would find that he had been shot in the
leg. Though he had never limped in his steps the
fresh wound was found large enough to run the
finger through in the inner fieshy part of the
left thigh.
In the face of these facts Collins said It was
no use to fight the matter, and he proposed to
soon as possible Collins story is, in substance,
as follows:
1T was Forgy and l who attempted the rob-
berry of the train. He was the ringleader and
the first to propose the job. L was reluctant
and he overpersuaded me into 1t. We had
been planning the robbery for two weeks and
fixed upon Tuesday morning to carry it out
We procured weapons and armed ourselves
heavily. He thought we could get through
without trouble. Mrs. Forgy fixed our masks
and sewed them in the front edges of our hats.
She told me she did not want her husband to
engage In such business that We were en-
tering on. He insisted, however. We went
to the passenger depot shortly before midnight
and waited around for No. 4. As it started out
we boarded the coach in front Of the sleeper.
We adjusted our masks in the vestibule. Forgy
passed rapidly through the car to the farther
end, brandishing a revolver in each hand and
warning the passengers to keep still. As
he went there was no trouble, but when
he reached the other end of the car saw
German jump on his back and hurl him
down. There was struggle and confusion,
and heard several shots fired. l hesitated
little and then ran to his help As came up
to him fired. don't know whether hit the
German or not, but l think my ball went into
the floor. As the firing occurred / felt the
sting of bullet and knew that had been shot.
deathly sickness came over me, and then
dropped my pistols and started for the door.
passenger, Mr.. Matheson, grabbed me and said
You can't get off" l told him to let me off,
that was shot. Then I ducked under him in
some way and got out. 1t all appears like
dream to me now. As jumped to the ground
pulled OIL my wig and Forgy's coat which
was wearing because of the rain. Ny only
thought was to escape to my home. across the
river, and l ran with all my might through
swamps and brier patches to the river bank.
That is how got so terribly scratched up"
Collins showed how his hands and clothing
had been terribly raked by the briers.
AFTER reaching home piled into bed with
my brother. Next morning l told mother 1
had cramps and wanted turpentine. She got
me some and / took drop or two to deceive
her. then went out to the water closet and
poured the balance into my wound. l then
tore OF one leg of my drawers and bound tine
wound up. Mother has no idea yet that l was
shot. 1t was Forgy's coat wore and he had on
an old overcoat."
Collins made no reference to anv other par
ties being implicated in the affair but it is gem
orally believed there were one or two others
whose hearts failed them at the critical mo-
ment.
The two men waived examination Yesterday
afternoon before Squire TAYLOR. who called
to their cells, it being considered unsafe to take
the prisoners ont.
United States Marshal A. B. White, who was
on the train when the trouble occurred. identi-
fies Collins as the smaller man of the two He
thinks that it Forgy who shot the German.
as he heard three shots before Collins reached
the scene of the struggle and fired. He saw
Collins pull the bell cord to stop the train and
saw Alatheson attempt to stop Collins as he
left the car. His version of the affair strongly
corroborates that of Collins and leaves no doubt
as TO the truth OF that part of his story.
The police have searched the Forgy premises
without being able to find the overcoat he wore
which must bear the marks of the bullet that
wounded him. His wife has probably destroyed
it. His pistols and hat are also missing. Geo.
Saunders, fifteen year-old boy, identities
Collins as the IMAM to whom ne sold one of the
revolvers captured from the robbers
Mr.. Matheson identifies both Forgy and Col
Inns as the desperadOes he had the encouut ter
with on the train.
Forgy comes Of good Ohio family. some of
whom have borne prominent PARTS in local
politics. His father, respectable and we'll
TODD farmer, is doing what he can for has son.
Collins had never been considered a bad boz.
but comes of race of West Yirginans noted
for murderous vendettns, and is said to inherit
their nerve. He is about twenty years old
while Forgy is seven eight years his senior
Both have had too much taste for blood-and-
thunder literature, and are supposed to belong
to an organized band of law breakers who have
been infesting the community for year or
more. 1t Is a desire TO break up this band,
which has been holding up citizens almost
nightly, that intensities the feeling for lynch
law.