Connecticut western news., 1892-02-25
BOLD PIECE OF WORK.
A DARING TRAIN ROBBER CAUGHT
 AFTER A HOT CHASE.

Messenger, Robbed the Money Packages,
 Bluned the Trainmen and Then Stole
 an Engine to Make His Escape.
 LYONS, Feb. 22.-When the solid express train No. S1, on the New York Central rail road, reached here from the east J. D. Mo Inerney, one of the express messengers, was found badly wounded in his car. He told remarkable story.
 A few miles west of Jordan, ten miles west of Syracuse, small man with full beard let himself down from the top of the express car, of which McInerney was the sole occupant, by means of a rope and grap- bling hook, broke the window, entered the car, and as the frightened messenger pulled the bell rope fired three shots at him, which took effect in the messengers right hand, arm and legs.
 The train came to a standstill and the crew entered the car to see what was the matter. In the meantime the highwayman had se- cured a package contaiSAg, it is reported, &5, 900 and got out of the car. He kept the crowd at bay with two revQlvers, and after
 
 dan to telegraph for assistance the train proceeded.
 As a crowd at the station at Lyons was discussing this remarkable incident on the arrival of the train one of the railroad men suddenly recognized bystander as the rob Der.
 While Conductor Laass was looking over his train just previous to it's pulling out of Syracuse, he had seen a man lettering near "A 5ol ,al &lof fao & new one around the depot to him, but he supposed that it was some one on duty there and so thought nothing of it. Now as the station agent recognized the man in the crowd, he turned around and found him. self face to face with the same individual.
 He Stole an Engine.
 The man had evidently gotten of the further side of the train while it stood at the depot, had walked around both train and station, come down the street as If from the town, and was now leaning coolly and carelessly against the building. Turn ing to the brakeman, who stood near, MT. Laass said, Didn't we see this man in Syracusef' to which the brakeman replied, "Yes, that's him; that's your man, boys" With that all made 8 rush for him, but the stranger, pointing brace of revolvers at the crowd, said, "Oh, no, boys; keep easy, and don't be in hurry"
 He then ran across the track to the ex- press train which was on track 9 and tried to uncouple the engine of that train. He could not do it, however, and crossed to track 8, where a coal train, drawn by a heavy "hog" engine was standing. Leaping on the front car he uncoupled the engine from the train, climbed over the water tank and thrusting his revolvers in the faces of the startled engineer and fireman, he hissed:
 "n you prefer your lives to this engine hide" and they hid. Then he pulled the throttle wide open and sailed away, whist ling as he came to the crossings with all the accuracy of an experienced engineer.
 As soon as the conductor had recovered from his surprise he uncoupled the engine from his train, and, taking with him a switchman who had in the meantime pro cured a loaded double barreled shotgun, he started Tn pursuit.
 Near the canal bridge, between Newark and Lyons, the fugitive saw that the light engine pursuing would soon overtake his heavier one, % he stopped his engine, re- versed it and flew down the track to meet his pursuers. They saw him coming and got down in the bottom of the cab. It was well they did so, for as he flew past he let go two shots through the window of the cab while the switchman discharged one of
  engine of the robber.
 The shots of neither pursuers or pursued, however, took effect, and the conductor re. versed his engine and backed after the flee ing fugitive. Again the desperado reversed his engine and came toward those who were so hotly pursuing him. Again those in pursuit crouched in the bottom of the cab Again the shots of the desperate man rang out, and as before, the balls passed through the window of the cab and whistled harmlessly over the heads of those crouching at the bottom of it.
 Run Down at Last.
 The switchman fired his last remaining .narge, but from his crouching position his aim at the fast flying engine could but be inaccurate and the shot was but random one and the bullets rattled without avail against the iron sides of the rapidly passing iron monster. On up the road the engine, bearing the daring desperado, flew, carry ing him each moment further away from his pursuers.
 The men on the pursuing engine held a council of war and concluded that unaided as they were any further attempt at pursuit and capture of the robber would be worse than madness, for he was well armed and past experience had taught them that he earned hls weapons for use and would use them if the emergency required, so they backed their engine to Lyons.
 The fugitiy Q kept on, but soon found that his steam was giving out, and at Blue Cut, about two miles east of Newark, he desert ed the engine and ordered the switchman stationed at the cut at the point of his re- volver, to take the engine back to Lyons, and the command was quickly obeyed. The robber then struck of into the country.
 Officers from Lyons came up with the fel- low as he was sitting on log on the edge of a swamp seven miles southwest from here, with his revolvers st his side. He surren- dered to Deputy Sheriff Collins without showing fight and was brought to the Lyons jail
 BDetective O'Neill of the New York Gen. tral railroad, and Detective Ennis, of Syra- cuse, visited Lyons and identified the rob Der as Perry, who is wanted for the express robbery at Utica, committed last Septem- Der. There is a reward of s1 900 offered for his capture by the American Express com pany.