Los Angeles herald., 1892-09-04
DEPOT ROBBERS CAPTURED.
Constable Kerns of San Fernando Does
Some Good Work

Some Good Work "a
Constable ]. H. Kerns, of San Fer
nando, had busy day yesterday, and
succeeded in landing two tough charac-
ters in the county Jail, who, with two
companions, robbed the depot at Acton
at daylight yesterday morning.
The depot building at Acton is a
small one, and the four men. who are
all young fellows, let themselves in q
door by a false key. They succeeded in
finding $50 in coin, with which they de-
camped. They walked to Ravena, a
distance of several miles, and near that
place divided the little amount which
they had secured. Freight train No.
81, bound for Los Angeles, came along
in little while, and three OF them man
aged to secrete themselves on it, so that
when it left Ravenna they believed
themselves fixed for a safe ride to this
city. The fourth member OF the quar-
tette left his friends at Ravena, and
went off on his own hook.
The robbery was discovered early in
the morning, and the constable at Acton
at once started out to hunt for the burg
lars. He took tie precaution to wire
Constable Kerns at San Fernando,
which is thirty five miles from Acton,
towards Los Angeles, to be on the look
out. The telegram reached San Fer
nsndo before freight train No. 81, 80
that when it pulled into the station the
constable was there. When the train
stopped he asked the conductor if any
one was ON his train. and the conductor
had not seen any one. A search was
quietly made, and when the tool box
under the caboose was opened. there,
snugy coiled up, were two of the fell
lows. They were taken into custody
and the third one was found on the
trucks under the caboose. The trio
were very much astonished at the rap
idity with which they had been over
hauled, but displayed by their actions
familiarity with crime, which showed
that they were not new hands at the
business.
They gave their names as David Beas-
ley, who is about 20 years old; Henry
Johnson, who does not look over II, and
Harry Williams, who is about 19 years
old. All had smooth shaven faces, and,
when questioned, gave their places of
residence in different parts OF the east.
Constable Kerns held them until the
Santa Barbara passenger train came
along, when he started with his prison
ers for Los Angeles. He handcuffed
Beasley and the young man who gave
his name as Harry Williams together,
and Johnson was not handcuffed. The
constable from Acton came down on the
same train, and the two officers arrived
safely in the city wi h their men, at the
Arcade depot, at 9 80 O'Clock last night,
the train being late. The party was
in the smoking car at the front
end OF the train. and when
it stopped, Constable Kerns wait
ed until all the other passengers
had gone out of the car. Then he started
with the prisoners. When they reached
the platform of the smoker, ne was on
one side and the Acton constable on the
other. Williams suddenly slipped the
handcuff from his wrist and disappeared
like flash from the platform. Johnson,
who was not handcuffed, also sprang
off the platform in the same direction,
and was followed by the Acton officer,
who is something of sprinter himself,
and caught his man after hard race of
about a hundred yards. Beasley also
made an attempt to run, but Constable
Kerns grabbed him before he took
dozen steps. The two men were taken
to Jail and lodged safely behind the bars.
Williams, or W natever his name may
be, made good his escape in the dark
neHs, and no trace OF him was discovered
last night, although the police were
promptly notified and went to work on
the case. If he is in the city he will
probably be captured.
The young burglar slipped the hand
cuff with the ease that only could come
from practice and experience. 1t is the
belief of Constable Kerns that they are
accomplished crooks for such young men,
and it is fortunate that two of the fel-
lows have been captured.