The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1892-02-24
BOLD ANDDARING
Crime Of a Desperate on a New
York Central Train,
BATTLE IN AN EXPRESS CAF
Results in the WOunding of the Messen'
ger by Robber
HE STEALS AN ENGINE


no CHESTER, N. T., fen @.-Danlel
7. McInerney, messenger in the EN-.
ploy of the American Express Com.
pany, lies at his home in this city with
three bullet wounds on his person, the
result of an encounter with desperate
train robber The American Express
train which reached this city at 7:15 on
the New York Central railroad, left
Syracuse Sunday morning at 3 o'clock.
About half an hour after the train left
Syracuse, Messenger McInerney was
startled by the sound of breaking glass.
Before he conld discover it's cause a
masked man sprang through the win
dow and confronted him with re-
volver. McInerney drew his weapon
and both men fred at the same time.
McInerney missed his mark, but the
robber did not His bullet penetrated
McInerneys left hand and it was fol-
lowed by two Others one of which
entered his leg and the other grazed his
forehead. The robber knocked him
senseless with the butt Of his revolver
and went at the packages in the car.
Between Weedsport and Jordan, the
conductor, E. Laas, heard the air signal
sound. The conductor said There is
something wrong in the express car
ahead, where McIncrney is alone" He
and a brakeman accordingly went to
the platform between the two cars. The
conductor raped at the door, but re-
ceived no reply. Then he peered into
the car through the opening that the
bell rope ran through. He saw moth
ing Of McInerney, but saw strange
man standing in the car, over whose
head was drawn red hood Stepping
on the platform, the conductor said to
the brakeman: "There is something
wrong in there" and signalled for the
train to slow up. Both he and the
brakeman leuSed off the car and at the
same time the head OF the robber ap-
peared from the door Of the express car
and voice said; Oh you, shove
her ahead" and before either could re-
ply or dodge back bullet whizzed past
their ears Both sprang back into the
coach and the brakeman locked the
front door.
On arriving at Port Byron the con-
ductor set the brakes on his train and
jumped onto the depot platform and
called the telegraph operator Pres
emily Mclnerney appeared in the door
Of his car and called for help, saying
that he was wounded and was all alone
in the car On hearing this the con-
ductor supposed that the robber had be.
come frightened and left the train
while Il had been running slowly. An
other messenger was put in the car to
care for the wounded man till thg
should reach Lyons. The conductor
and his crew returned to the rear coach
and the train proceeded on its way. At
| Lyons Mclnerney was taken off and
cared for and then the train backed up
to take water The robber appeared
The stranger pointed brace of re-
volvcrs at the crowd and said: 80 no.
boys; keep easy and don't be in hur-
ry." He then backed up n little way,
keeping the crowd ut bay with his pis-
tolls then turned and ran across the
tracks to the express train, which was
on track ., and tried TO uncouple the
engine of that train. He could not do
Y, however, and crossed to track 8
where a coal train was standing. Leap
ing on the front car he uncoupled the
engine from the train. climbed over the
water tank and thrusting his revolvers
into the faces OF the startled engineer
and fireman he hissed: ''If you prefer
your lives to this engine, hide," and
they hid. Then he pulled the throttle
wide open and sailed away, whistling
as he came to the crossings with all the
accuracy OF an experienced engineer.
As soon as the conductor had recov-
cred from his surprise he uncoupled the
engine from his train and, taking with
him switchmen who had in the mean
time procured loaded shotgun, he
started in pursuit Near the canal
bridge between Newark and Lyons, the
fugitive saw that the light engine pur-
suing would soon overtake his heavier
one, so stopped his engine reversed it
and flew down the track TO meet his
pursuers They got down In the bot
tom Of the cab II was we'll they did
so, for as he flew past he let go two
shots through the window OF the cab,
while the switchman fred his gun at
the engine Of the robber The shots OF
neither pursuers nor pursued took effect
and the conductor reversed his engine
and backed after the fugitive.
Again the desperate reversed his en-
gine and came toward those who were
so'hotly pursuing him. Again those in
pursuit crouched in the bottom of the
cab Again the shots Of the desperate
man rang out and as before the balls
passed through the window OF the cab
and whistled harmlessly over the heads
Of those crouching at the bottom OF IL
The men on the pursuing engine con-
cluded that any further attempt at pur-
suit and capture OF the robber would
be worse than madness, so they went
back 10 Lyons The fugitive kept on,
but soon found that his steam was Civ
ing out and at Blue Cut, about two and
half miles east OF Newark, he left the
engine and ordored tie switchman sta
toned at the cut TO take the engine
back 10 Lyons and the command was
quickly obeyed
The chief OF police at Rochester was
notified OF the affair and a number of
officers went 10 Hue Cut and followed
the robber. who had impressed horse
and sleigh belonging TO farmer named
Beal into his service, after firing two
shots at Beal, who at first refused TO let
him have the outfit After driving about
four miles he left the road and entered
q swamp, where he was captured with
out struggle by the police. He got no
money from the express car.
Detectives 0Neil and Ennis have iden-
titled the robber as Perry, who il
wanted for the express robbery at
Utica last September There Is re-
ward OF 81, 900 offered for his capture by
the American Express Company.