The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-26
ROBBERS STORY.
Perry Tells Of Ills Success on the
Utica Express.
THE DROP ON THE MESSENGER.

THE BR0P ON THE MESSENGER.
The success or HIS FRS, Robbery on
the Central Impels Him to Return
and Renew the Attempt--Once m
Employe OF the Road. lie Chafed
Under Discipline.
LroNs. N. II. Feb. 60. oliver Curtis
Perry, the express robber, talked To an
interviewer. His ankles were ironed
and he was under the guard Of Pinker-
ton detective.
He said his early life in Syracuse was
not happy, He ran away from home
and went west, leading wild and reclx-
less life in Montana and Wyoming. Two
years ago he started back east with the
intention Of reforming. and got place
as trainman on the Central road. Curtis
continued:
About the middle Of September
went to work ON the Central. One
morning as stood by the platform Of a
coach of my train the trainmaster APP
preached me and upbraided me for al
lowing the belt of my uniform to be-
come unfastened. / fastened the belt.
but / chafed under the restrictions re-
sulting from the red tape Of the COM
pany, and there came up feelings OF re-
bellion which / was rable to overcome.
The more ! thought Of it the more
thought could not stand it. As / stood
there thinking saw the express boxes
loading up the train, and / thought Of
the wealth IN those safes in the express
car.
His First Train Robbery.
"This was about the middle Of Sep
TENDER, about four days before COM
mitted the Utica robbery. On the night
of the robbery ! jumped on the train at
Troy and went to Albany. As the train
pulled ont / jumped on the platform Of
the express car. All the tools I had
were two fine saws, one made to order,
jackknife and gimlet. We got to
Herkimer before had panel sawed
ont. Then along about Frankfort 1 tool,
the panel ont and pulled out large box
and put 1t on the platform.
II stood on this and tried to crawl
through the hole, but had to take off my
coat to do so. started In with both
hands before me, revolver In one hand
and another in my pocket. Icrawled
carefully along over the freight toward
the messenger, who was sitting sideways
in front Of his tafe, with his revolver
iying on sns safe.
Got the Drop ON the Messenger.
He was busy with his waybills. OF
course ran great chances of his looking
up, but was ready TO get the dropon him.
| reached out and seized his gun, and al
he stood up held my gun at the side 81
his head and discharged it. At the same
time commanded him to throw MP his
hands, saying that did not want to
harm him, as wanted the money. He
threw mp his hands, and told him to
step aside and outDof the way.
He did SO. and told him / wanted
the keys Of the safe. He started to give
them to me, and told him to keep them
and to unlock the safe, as he understood
it better than /. He did as / told him,
and threw the money packages and the
jewelry on the floor. ] told him to sort
the money packages and lay them by
themselves. told him to cut the sacks
and lay them to one side. Moore did
not want to do it. He started TO do SO,
but worked so slowly, and we We're 50
Iapl1ly nearing tne Utlca depot, that !
i lold I'LL " step aslde. ! iaid my guns
poen cockeu "a the moor racing MN, ana
began cittlng tne SACKS myself.
How He Escaped.
HE stood at a good safe distance. /
found that the money was in three sacks
in small packages. Besides these there
was 5000 package. This put in one
of the three canvas bags. The train
was now very near the Utica depot.
II took the bags and backed over the
freight with revolver in hand. then on
my knees to the hole, from which
dropped the bags to the platform. Il
backed out of the hole feet first. Just
before leaving the car / pulled the bell
cord twice to stop the train immedi-
ately. Either the air whistle did not
signal. When i saw h did not intend
to stop put foot on each Of the lower
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