The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-02-26
A ROBBERS STORY.
Perry Tells Of His Success on the
Utica Express.
THE DROP" ON THE MESSENGER.


the Central Impels Him &c Return
and Renew the attcmpt--Once an
Einployc of the Road. lie Chafcd
Under Discipline.
Lyons. N. Y, Feb 2G.-Cliver Curtis
Perry. the express robber. talked tc an
interviewer His ankles were ironed
and he was under the guard Of Pinker.
tor detective
He said his early life in Syracuse was
not happy, He ran away from home
and went west, leading wild and reck.
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 I
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 NJ
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 III able 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 ni
the wealth in those safes in the express
car.
His First Train Robbery.
"This was about the middle of Sep
tember, about four days before | com
mitted the Utica robbery On the night
nf tbe rphbary I i11,pppJ M, tb,s truit, ut
Troy and went to Albany. As The train
pulled out jumped on the platform Of
the express car. All the tools l had
were two fine saws, one made to order,
lackknife and gimlet. We got to
Herkimer before | had panel sawed
out. Then along about Frankfort took
the panel out and pulled out large box
and put it on the platform.
II stood on this and tried to crawl
through the hole, but had to take off my
coat to do SO. l started in with both
hands before me, revolver in one hand
and another in my pocket. | crawled
carefully along over the freight toward
the messenger, who was sitting sideways
in front of his safe, with his revolver
lying on the safe.
Got the Drop" on the Messenger
He was busy with his waybills OF
course | ran great chances of his looking
np,but was ready to get the drop on him.
reached ont and seized his gun, aud as
he stood up held my gun at the side of
his head and discharged it. AT the same
time ccsmande1-rfnl to throw up his
: hands, nying that | did not want to
harm him, as wanted the money. He
threw up his hands, and / told him to
step aside and out of the way.
'tHe 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
sit bettersthan l. He did MS / 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 SO
rapidly nearing the Utica depot, that ]
told him to step aside. | laid my guns
both cooked on the floor facing him, and
began cutting the sacks myself
How He Escaped.
He stood at good safe distance. l
found that the money was in three sacks
in small packages. Besides these there
was $1,000 package. This put in one
of the three canvas bags. The train
was now very near the Utica depot.
Lo'5h bjie DdE5S ililI DdGktu over the
freight with revolver in hand, then on
my knees to the hole, from which /
dropped the bags to the platform. ]
backed out of the hole feet first. Just
before leaving the car pulled the bell
cord twice to stop the train ilnmedi
ately. Either the air whistle did not
work or the engineer did not heed my
signal. When | saw he did not intend
to stop put foot on each of the lower
steps Of the ears and swung under and
cut the air hose | jumped off on the
north side of the tlain and ran down
the bank. l took circle around in the
lot and came back ON the track one
. eighth of a mile away. walked south
until | struck the West Shore tracks"
Emboidened by Success.
Perry lay in cave all day. He would
not say where he went after TINT, but
said he had been in New Orleans and
Canada. He said: My success led me
20 desire more. | kept watch of the do.
sectiyes and knew all their operations,
'tSince | came east again have been
In New York city, Albany and Syra-
suse. | have ridden over the Central
several times with the same crew |
worked WITH
And none of your old associates
eecognized your"
mo, indeed. My disguise was too
complete. had grown full beard and
had my colored gold trimmed eye
glasses.
Perry's story about the latest robbery
contains no new details.