Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-09

u3SN% outward appearances
NSAEEsS Brady would have
passed for one Of the
Virginia farmers wait
ing for his train to back into the depot, but ap-
pearances would have been at fault in this in
stance, as he is one of the shrewdest and most
daring railroad detectives employed by any of
the big railroad corporations. Brady is a mus
cular fellow, standing full six feet in his stock
ings, we'll tanned by the sun and possesses q
spirit that is only at rest when on the scent Of
train robbers and tramps. He has been in the
thief-catching business for railroads for the
past fifteen years and has had an experience
varied enough and thrilling to easily fill out the
covers of several sensational novels.
Brady is good talker, but modest and hard
to draw into conversation wherein he figures
as the most conspicuous character. A STAR re-
porter had known Brady, first as a railroad
brakeman, then as a fiagman and finally in the
railroad business as conductor. The work of
the latter position was distasteful to Brady and
after the great railroad strikes of 1877 he
drifted into the detective business as a special
officer. Before many months had elapsed Brady
had made a name for himself and the tramps
that infested the main line of the Pennsylvania
road held him in decided reverence and summed
him to the uttermost possibility.
HIS FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH TRAIN ROBBERS.
About the first attempted train robbery and
the only one that ever occurred on that road
occurred about six months after Brady's accept
ance OF his new position. In some way the
company gained knowledge of the contem-
plated robbery and sent Brady to run the BAN
dts down if possible. Something like Sl0O, 900
in gold and notes was what the robbers were
after and an unfaithful express messenger was
the originator Of the plot. The plan of the
robbers was to flag the train at lonely spot on
the road, about forty miles west Of Harrisburg,
and after successful raid on the express car
take refuge among the many abandoned minesin
the Huntington and Broadtop coal district, some
twenty miles inland. Brady secured the assist
ance Of another Especial" and both disguised
themselves as tramps and, not forgetting to arm
themselves, rode on the buffers between the
two express cars west from Harrisburg. The
train was fast one, and as it was in the dead of
winter the two men suffered considerably from
the cold
As the train approached the spot designated
shrill blast from the locomotive whistle
warned the men to be on their guard and sub
stantiated the warning given to the company
As the train stopped Brady observed two men
mount the engine, and he and his assistant de-
cided it was time to act. Dashing up to the
locomotive Brady called out to the men to
throw up their hands, request that the engi-
neer and fireman were on the point Of acceding
to at the point of the robbers revolvers
Brady's reply was a shot from one Of the rob-
ber's revolvers that took off part of his right
ear and marked him for life. Both officers fired
point blank at tine two bandits, but for some
reason their shots seemed to have no effect.
Gaining the ground on the opposite side of the
engine from the officers the robbers gained
about twenty yards start before Brady and his
companion discovered their movements
Back they rushed toward the rear end Of the
train and the four men turned the last car at
hn rnata oy.1 a4n Nl fn,a - g..
the revolvers cracked and Brady's companion
dropped to the ground with groan and Brady
received bullet in the right shoulder that dis
abled him. The robbers backed off and disap-
peared in clump of woods near by. Both
officers we're in the hospital for several weeks
escaped and were never afterward appre-
hended.
Brady said at the time that the thing that
puzzled him the most was the fact that he
could down" none of the robbers. He car
ried 4S-caliber revolver of the best pattern
and when he had fired at them in both instances
had stood only three yards apart. The mystery
was cleared up the next day when two breast
and head plates of steel were found alongside
the track. The plates extended from the waist
to the top Of the head and were about three
quarters Of an inch thick. Holes for eyes had
been cut in them and straps were riveted On to
hold them fast at the waist and neck.
WITH The flNhEhTOSS IN THE WEST.
The recalling of the above exciting incident
in Brady's career brought smile to his face
and far-away look into his eyes, He seemed
to be going over his inaugural fight with train
robbers once more, and became quite commu-
NEGATIVE as details of the past ten years of his
life we're asked for.
"After serving the Pennsylvania company for
about two years" said Brady, upon the main
stem, drifted into the service of the Pinkertons,
and for six years covered the country west of Chi
cago. For the last two years have been back
with the Pennsylvania railroad and am well
satisfied to leave the western country to younger
and more ambitious aspirants for fame in the
role Of a railroad detective.
"My six years on the western roads have
been at times dull and hfeless and then again
SO chuck full Of exciting incidents as to make
the blood tingle in my veins even yet.
I'm the east here the story of q train rob-
berry seems almost incredible That two
men should walk into a crowded car contain
ing, say, forty men, two-thirds of whom, ac-
cording to western usage, are armed. and after
holding up each one separately, escape un-
molested, is tale that is almost beyond COM
prehension. But incidents of that Sort you
know, were quite frequent, but owing to dill
gent and successful pursuit have become
isolated cases at present. My first experience
with tain robbers, about which you were Just
talking, learned me a lesson, and that is not to
attempt to capture them single-haaded or even
with equal numbers. A train robber is as good
as any six men if he can keep them in front of
him, and he generally manages to do this
Travellers on western roads if they be citizens
of that country know this and gene rally take
matters easy, leaving the fighting to be done
by their more reckless companion from the
effete east. have been ordered out on dozen
cases of this kind and in every instance 1 have
found the wounded or dead body of the reck-
less easterner lying in the little station whereat
! was to begin my investigation and start in
pursuit. The robbers invariably wear steel
plates under their clothes and frequently up to
the tops of their heads. They are bullet proof,
and the bullets glancing off become more
dangerous to the other passengers than the
robbers. Couple with this q remarkable pro-
fciency with the revolver and 1t can be easily
seen how great the odds are against any one
fighting train robber when he has made his
preparations for attack and defense.
81 cannot help having an admiration for such
bold thieves, although must hunt and kill
them II necessary. Not that l approve steal
ing in any form, but IL one Is bound to loot q
strong box IL il certainly more manly to do 1t
at the point of pistol than to sneak into the
victims confidence and then betray it
THE ROBBERY OF PRESIDENT MorRAFr.
"The pluckiest robber ever heard Of" con-
tinued Brady, twas the one who made Presi-
dent Dan. Mofatt give up e2i, 900 about three
years ago out in Denver Col. had been or
dered out toward the Pacific coast ON several
stage robberies and arrived in Denver the day