Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-25
A BOLD RAIL WAY BANDIT.
He Stole a Locomotive in His Eff
forts to Escape.


Finally Captured After Leaving tho
Engine and Hiding in Swamp.
Rochester,, N. Y, Feb. 21.-1rain
No. 81, on the Central Hudson, is known
as the American Express Company's
Special. 1t runs every day in the year
between New York and Buffalo, and
carries only goods and property shipped
by that company. The express COM
pany pay the Central Hudson many
thousands of dollars yearly for the use
OF this train, and ii runs on the same
time and with the same privilege as the
limited expresses. The train leaves New
York at 0 O'Clock each evening and is
due in this city at 705 o'clock in the
morning. Nearly all the cars are run
through to Chicago, and contain the
most valuable express matter.
One car is known as the money car,
and in 1t is sent the specie from the
United States treasury for western
banks, as well as the money in process
of exchange between banks of New
York and the west.
Daniel +. McInnerney Of this city.
was in charge of the money car on the
trip Saturday night The train was
made up Of eight express cars and one
day coach for the accommodation of the
regular train crew. Only one messenger
was assigned to the money car, as the
work of billing was light. The other
cars had two messengers. The train
left Syracuse at 5 o'clock, this morning,
in charge Of Conductor Emil Lass Of
this city. The train was drawn by
engine 692, with Caleb Charry, engineer.
The coach was in the rear Of the train,
and the money car just ahead.
When the train was near Weedsport
the conductor, who was in the coach
with his two trainmen, though he heard
the air-whistle sound very family, it
was enough to arouse him to the belief
that something was wrong in the ex-
press car. Going out on the platform
Of the coach, he climbed on the rail,
and, looking 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. The messenger he could not see.
He went back, set the air-brakes, and
called his two trainmen. The three
stood leaning out from the platform,
looking along the sides Of the express
car.
ORDERED TO GO AHEAD.
Suddenly a mans form appeared in
the side door Of the express car, revolver
bullets whistled by their ears, and a
voice was heard commanding them TO
signal the engineer to go ahead or take
the consequences. The trainmen were
unarmed. The conductor told one of
his men to jump off, run back to Jordan
and telegraph along the line to Roches-
ter that they had train-robber on
board. This was done, and the con-
ductor signaled the engine to go ahead
full speed, thinking that the robber
would not dare to jump, and would be
captured at the next stop. The train
went to Port Byron. Here the brakes
were set again, and the conductor and
trainmen went to the express car.
The car showed signs of desperate
struggle. Money packages and jewelry
were lying scattered about, everything
in the car seemed stained with blood,
and Messenger McInneenry was lying
bleeding from several wounds and al
most unconscious. The robber was no.
where to be seen, and was supposed TO
have jumped and made good his escape.
Mclnnerney wanted to be brought on
to Rochester. A telegram for an ambu-
lance was sent on to Rochester, and the
train went on to Lyons, the next stop.
The news had spread all along the line
by this time, and the station ut Lyons
was all alive.
Among others in the crowd was a
well-dressed young man wearing gold
eye glasses and carrying a satchel slung
by strap over his shoulder. Now, it
so happened that the trainmen had
noticed this same young man at the
station at Syracuse before the train
pulled out, and 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 EXCITING CHASE.
An attempt was made to seize him,
but he pulled out two revolyers, 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 over the coal into the cab, drove
the engineer and firemen out with his
revolyers and started the engine. Con-
ductor Laass and one of the switchmen
procured a shotgun, freed the engine of
the express, and, with the fireman and
engineer started in pursuit Of the fugi-
tive.
1t will be remembered that the Cen
trail Hudson is a four-tracked road, and
the two engines, both going west, were
not on the same track. The express en-
CINE soon overlook the robber, who sud
denly reversed his engine, and let his
pursuers pass him, pouring a perfect
trail of pistol bullets into the cab as his
pursuers went by. Then the pursuers
stopped, and the pursued went ahead.
Another artillery duel ensued, the shot
gun taking part this time. No one was
hurt in either battle. About,t two miles
beyond, the robber found his engines
steam was giving out, so he jumped off
at cross-road and started across the
country, going south.
After an hours chase the man was
captured in swamp by sheriff posse
He was taken back to Lyons and lodged
in Jail. lie gave the name of William
Gross, said he was from New Mexico,
and had been boarding in Syracuse for
some time. He admitted that he was
the man who had attempted the train
robbery TO Chief of Detectives Hayden
of this city. He is believed to be the
much-wanted Oliver Curtis Perry, who
robbed Express Messenger Moore near
Utica this fall.
Ewes Daughters.
Marion Harland, on pages 1903 and AS
IF txffNrtr ltuf.tr III