The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-12-22


THEY SPENT TWO WEEKS PRE-.
PAIRING FOR THEIR CEsPER-
ATE WORK.
Swrft Punishment Threatened b,
Intensely Indignant Citizens.
THOMAS COLLINS TELLS ALL ABOUT THE
I CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO ATTEMPT.
HUNTINGTON, w. VA, Dec. 14.-Bur>
rell Forgy, the wounded train robber
was taken from his home to the county
Jail this morning. Tom Collins was also
arrested this morning before daylight at
his home in Bradwick, on the Ohio side,
opposite this place. He was confronted
by Hon. Sam Matheson, who had the
fight with them OH the train. He imme-
diately recognized Collins, as he had
Forgy, and denounced him to his face
as one of the robbers Collins was at
once brought to this side and landed in
jail.
The evidence against these men is
growing stronger all the time. The coat
found near where the robbers left the
train with scorched bullet hole corre-
spending to the location of Forgy's
wound has been identified by Clothier
&. A. Northcott as one sold to Forgy
The coat also matches a vest sold to
Forgy at the same time. Forgy and
Collins were companions, and on Satur>
day were together in the hardware
store of Emmons & Hawkins inspecting
revolvers. There they met Jim Saun-
ders, fifteen>year>old boy, who told
them he had a navy revolver. Collins
was one of the two captured on the
train, and has been positively identified
| by the boy and a gunsmith who repairs
ed it.
Mr.. Mcbride, a railroad man, who was
on the train at the time of the trouble,
was taken into the Jail this morning,
and recognized the prisoners as the train
robbers. He is positive they are the
men.
| FORGY IS SILENT.
Burrell Forgy, who was arrested for
the train robbery here Tuesday morn
ing, keeps stiff upper lip and refuses
to say anything. He only insists that
his wound was made by shot from
prowlers about his premises. It now is
admitted by the police that there is no
| hole in the shoulder of the coat they
found corresponding to his wound. A
! vest taken from his house corresponds
with the coat, and both were identified
as having been sold to him two months
| ing store. The coat found where the
| robbers left the train was taken to For,
gy's home by Constable Wilson, and
Forgy said it was his. His wife corrob-
| Grated the statement. When told where
it had been found Mrs. Forgy said it had
| been worn that night by Tom Collins,
| who lived opposite this place in Ohio.
| This morning Policeman Staley went
| to Collins house and under pretense of
needing him as a witness brought him
| to Huntington, where he was immedi-
ately arrested and incarcerated he
all. Constable Wilson told him that
Mrs. Forgy aaid he had worn the coat
| dropped by the train robber.
COLLINS CONFEsSES.
This afternoon Collins sent for the
constable and asked him to repeat what
Mrs. Forgy said. After hearing it again
he seemed deeply affected, and said he
| was ready to tell the whole truth about
the affair. He knew that the pistol
| taken from him on the train had been
positively identified by the Saunders
boy, of whom he bought it.. and by the
gunsmith who had repaired it. He also
| knew that he had been identified by Mr..
Matheson and Mr. Thompson, passengers
| on the train. The latter had also said
that when they came to examine Collins
they would find he had been shot in the
| leg. Though he had never limped in
his steps, the fresh wound. was found
large enough to run the finger through
in the inner fleshy part Of theIleft thigh.
In the face of these facts, Collins said
it was no use to fight the matter, and he
proposed to make a clean breast of it,
and wanted his trial as soon rs possible.
Collins story is in substance, as follows:
ut was Forgy and who attempted
the robbery of the train. He was the
rinsleader and first to propose the job
was reluctant and he overpersuaded
me into it. We had been planning the
robbery for two weeks and fixed upon
Tuesday morning to carry it out. We
procured weapons and armed ourselves
heavily. He thought we could get
through without trouble. Mrs. Forgy
fixed our masks and sewed them in the
front edges of our hats. She told me
she did not want her husband to engage
in such business as that we were enter>
ing on. He insisted, however. We went
to the passenger depot shortly before
midnight and waited around for No. 4.
AS it started out we boarded the coach
in front of the sleeper. We adjusted our
masks in the vestibule. Forgy passed
rapidly through the car to the farther
end, brandishing a revolver in each
hand and warning the passengers to
keep still. AS he went there was no
trouble, but when he reached the other
end OF the car l saw German jump on
his back and hurl him down. There was
a struggle and confusion, and l heard
several shots fired. l hesitated q little
and then ran to his help. AS came up
to him fired. l don't know whether
hit the German or not, but think my
ball won't into the floor AS the firing
occurred felt the sting of a bullet and
knew that had been shot A deathly
sickness came over me, and then drop
ped my pistols and started for the door.
A passenger, Mr.. Matheson, grabbed me
and said: You can't get off, told him
to let me aft; that / was shot. Then
ducked under him in some way and got
out 1t all appears like a dream to me
now. As jumped to the ground pull