Passaic City record., 1892-02-27
HELD UP THE FAST MAIL.
A Train Robbers Extraordin-
ary Flight and Capture.
The Dashing Chase He Led on a
Captured Locomotive.

A daring and unsuccessful attempt at the
robbery Of an express car was made on the
mail train on the Central-Hudson system,
known as the American Express Company's
special, and which runs every day in the
year between New York and Buffalo. 1t
carries only goo Is shipped by the express
company.
A man who boarded the train at Syra-
cuse, N. Y. ascended to the roof of the ex-
press car while the train was running be-
tween Port Byron and Lyons. and fired five
shots at the express messenger. The car
was in charge of Daniel T. McIuerny, of
Rochester. The robber secreted himself on
top OF the car at Syracuse, and suddenly ap-
peared to Messenger McInerny when the train
was near Weedsport.
He had a rope with a hook in the end of
It, and by this means let himself down from
the top of the car Then resting on his toes
on the ledge that runs around the car, he
smashed the glass of the side door, with his
revolver, covered the messenger. and
shouted to him to hold up his hands.
Instead of doing this McInerny reached for
the signal cord with one hand and for his re-
volver with the other. A bullet struck the
hand on the cord, but not beforei it had given
a slight signal.
Then McInerny fired at the robber and put
bullet through his coat Then the robber
shot the messenger twice. oncs in the right
leg and the other time grazing the left tenn
pie.
He climbed into the car and desperate
struggle took place, which did not end until
the train was stopped for the first time near
Weedsport.
It is thought that the robber climbed out
on top OF the cars and remained there
through the stop at Port Byron and until the
. n 0G<J r1nEtr L.
seen OF him at the former station, where the
cause OF that slight air-brake signal having
been investigated, McInerny had been found
wounded and alone in his car.
BY the time the train reached Lyons the
news of the robbery was generally known
along the road, an alarm having been sent
out from Port Byron. A crowd had col
lected, and in it the conductor recognized
young man whom he had seen hanging
about the train at Syracuse.
A tralnman also recognized the man, and
the two advanced on him. Then ensued
most exciting chase. The fellow drew a
brace of revolvers, kept the crowd at bay, ran
across to the express locomotive and tried
to uncouple it from the train Failing, he
ran to freight engine, uncoupled it.
covered the engineer and fireman with his
pistols and In moment was gliding rapidly
westward.
He was pursued with the express locomo.
tive on parallel track, and as the latter
gained on him he reversed and flew down
the track, firing into the cab of the express
engine as he met it.
One OF the pursuing party returned the
fire with shotgun, but no shots took effect.
Twice the chase, the reversal and the vain
shooting took place. Then the robber was
left to run away with his engine and other
means were adopted to finally catch him.
The fellow ran his machine two miles be-
yond Newark, where he abandoned the
engine and forced a switchman to take it
back to Lyons.
Striking across country, then the robber
terrorized a farmer into giving him horse,
which he drove until it was tired out.
Then he repeated his bulldozing on another
farmer, emphasizing his demand with two
revolver shots.
But the roads were poor and scarcely five
miles south of Newark he became aware
that a sherifrs posse and band or aroused
and armed farmers were close at his heels:
He deserted his rig and took to- Benton's
Swamp, where he was soon surrounded.
He saw the game was up and though heav-
lily armed, surrendered without resisting.
He is man of about twenty-five years.
five feet and half in height and weighing
perhaps 130 pounds.
About his person and in a satchel which he
left in the engine he had complete outfit
for all the purposes Of the robbery he
attempted. He got nothing from the car.
Mcinerny was taken to his home in Roch-
ester for treatment. The robber says he had
no intention of killing him.
The man who attempted to rob the express
car has been identified as Oliver C. Perry,
who was also connected with the train rob-
berry near Utica last fall.