Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-02-22
JESSE JAMES OUTDONE
By an Express RObber on the Central
Hudson Railroad.
A VERY NOVEL METHOD ADOPTED
To Gain an Entrance to the Car, and Still More
Daring Plan Of Escape Carried 0ut-A Young
Man With Gold Eyeglasses Does the Job.
Ran Away on an Engine.

Inc SDOOGlHR VI dH eApIoss uOsSChSOi
on Central Hudson train, the rifling OF
a valuable safe, the flight Of the robber
on the engine of another train from
which he drove the crew at the point OF
a revolver, a running fight from the en-
CINE cab for miles while being chased
by another engine filled with
railway men, and the final
capture of the desperate by Sheriffs
posse in q swamp after wild pursuit
across the country are some sensational
features of the most desperate attempt
at train robbery which cast in the shade
as an exhibition of GOODNESS and nerve
the famous exploits OF the Jesse James
band or other outlaws OF Western fame.
Train No. 81 leaves New York at 9
o'clock each evening and is due in this
city at : o'clock In the morning.
Daniel 7. McInery, OF this city, was
in charge Of the money car. When the
train was near Weedsport, the conductor
thought he heard the air whistle sound
very family. 1t was enough to arouse
him to the belief that something was
wrong in the express car.
Going out on the platform OF the
coach he climbed on the rail and, look
ing through the hole where the bell
cord comes through, he saw the upper
part of man whose face below the
eyes was concealed by red flannel
mask. He could not see the messenger.
He went back, set the air brake and
called his two trainmen. The three
stood leaning out from the platform
looking forward along the sides OF the
express car.
Suddenly a mans form appeared at
the side door of the express car. Re-
volyer bullets whstled past their ears,
and q voice was heard commanding
them to signal the engineer to go ahead
or take the consequences. The train
men were unarmed.
The conductor told one Of his men to
Jump off, run back TO Jordan, and tele-
graph to Rochester that they had
train robber on board. This was done
and the conductor signalled the en-
gineer to go ahead, thinking that the
robber would not dare jump, and would
be captured at the next stop. The
train stopped at Fort Byron, and the
conductor, with the trainmen, went
10 the express car The
car showed signs Of desperate strug-
gle. Money packages and jewellery
were lying scattered about, everything
I'm the car seemed stained with blood,
and Messenger McInerney was lying
bleeding from several wounds and al
most unconscious. The robber was no.
where to be seen, aud was supposed to
have jumped and made good his escape.
McInerney wanted 10 be brought on to
Rochester.
The news had spread all along the
line by this time and at Lyons, the next
stop, the station platform was crowded.
Among others in the crowd was we'll
dressed young man wearing gold eye
glasses and carrying a satchel strung by
strap over his shoulders.
1t so happened that the trainmen had
noticed this same young man at the
station at Syracuse before the train
pulled out aud they had not seen him
since, and the question OF what he was
doing at Lyons and how he got there at
once suggested itself. An attempt was
made to seize him, but he pulled out
two revolvers, held the crowd back and
backed across the yard until he reached
a coal train, the engine Of which had
steam up ready to pull out for the west.
He pulled the pin holding the tender to
the first car, climbed into the cab, drove
the engineer and fireman out with his
revolvers, pulled open the throttle and
started the engine.
Conductor Laass and one OF the
switchmen freed the engine of the
-;.l, ha Erov n
gineer started in pursuit OF the fugitive.
1t will be remembered that the Central
Hudson is four tracked road and the
two engines, though both going west,
were not on the same track. The
express engine soon overlook the
robber, who suddenly reversed his
engine and let his pursuers pass him,
pouring perfect shower of pistol bull
lets into the cab as his pursuers went by.
Then the pursuers stopped, and the
pursued went ahead. Another artillery
duel ensued, the pursuers having shot
gun with them and bringing 1t into use.
No one was hurt in either battle.
About two miles beyond the roooer
found his engines steam was giving out;
so he jumped off at cross road and
started across the country, going south.
He managed to terrorize farmer into
letting him have a horse and rode on
about two miles further south. Here
he procured q horse and cutter, per-
suading their owner, German farmer,
To entrust him with them by firing on
him.
The party on the express engine had
4
Wayne county had organized a posse,
which, under command OF Deputy
Collins, started in pursuit. Meantime
the farmers along the robbers line OF re-
treat had also turned out fully armed in
pursuit The runaway was sighted
about five miles south of Newark. The
roads are very bad and he had made
poor speed. He abandoned his rig and
ran across lots to Benton'S swamp. But
the swamp proved too full of water to be
penetrated, and the fugitive took up his
position behind stone wall and
faced his pursuers. After some
parley he surrendered 10 Deputy Sheriff
Collins. He was taken back to Lyons
and lodged in Jail, he gave the name
OF William Cross. He is believed to be
| the much wanted Oliver Curtis Berry,
who robbed express messenger Moore
near Utica last fall.
The story OF the attempt at robbery
as far as il can be gathered is this:
The express messenger will not talk.
Cross boarded the train when il
pulled out of Syracuse and climbed on
top of the express car. He was pro-
vided with hooked rope, fastening
the hook in the slight cornice OF the
roof on one side OF the car
| he let himself down onto the
/ -. .rd raetin0 hfs toaa on tho