Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1892-02-26
DARE DEVIL ROBBER.
HOLDS UP A TRAIN ALONE ON
ANEW YORK RAILROAD.
HIS Pursuers He II Captured I'm a
Swamp.--A Stirring story.

Rochester, N. ", Special: the shoot
ing OF an express messenger on Central
Hudson train, the rifiing of valuable
safe, the fiigh. OF the robber on the engine
OF another train from which he drives the
crew at the point Of revolver. a running
fight from the engine cab for miles chased
by another engine filled with railway men,
and the final capture Of the desperate by a
sheriff's posse in u swamp after a wild
pursuit across the country, are some OF
tho sensational features of the most des-
perate attempt at train robbery in the
history OF tho Central Hudson railway.
and which cast in the shade AS an exhlbi-
ton OF GOODNESS and nerve the famous ex-
ploits OF the Jesse james band or other
outlaws OF western fame.
The American Express company's spec
ial, or money train on that road from
New York 10 Chicago had this experience
| on the night OF the 2lst. When the train
was near Weedsport the conductor heard u
signal from the money" Car which
aroused his suspicion. On looking through
the hole where the bell cord runs through
The car he saw man wearing u mask over
MS face. The ira was stopped and while
waiting Tor the robber to make his APP
| pearance the trainmen were ordered
| 10 so ahead, or be blown 10 Kingdom come
The trainmen were unarmed and thought
TO outwit the robber. They started the
train ahead at full speed having left che
man to telegraph the situation 10 the sta
tons along the line. When the train al
| rived at Fort Byron m investigation was
| make, but the roOber was no where TO be
seen, having evidently made his escape
while the train was in motion. The ex-
/ press car messenger was severely injured
IN several places and could not talk. At
| the next stop-Lyons- an enormous crowd
had gathered and in the throng the train
| men noticed young man carrying hand
satchel with strap and wearing gold eye
glasses. They remembered having seen
the same fellow ut Syracuse when the
train started out, and how he could
be at Lyons was mystery which
| they at once coupled with the
robbcr, and they attempted to seize him.
He Immediately drew two revolvers and
kept the crowd away while he backed over
| to the engine, pulled the coupling pin aud
leapng into the cab, pulled the throttle
and was away like the wind. The Hud
| son road Is u four track line AMI several
railroad men boarded another engine on
the next track and started in pursuit On
| overtaklng the robber he reversed his
| engine and allowed the others TO pass 1t
full speed, he sending shower OF bullets
in their midst as they whirled by. When
they had reversed he went ahead again
and again opened his batteries. Seeing
his steam giving out he got As far away as
poss bic and abandoned the engine. He
made farmer give up u horse At the
point OF pistol and when il was winded
| took aforse and cutter from another man
by threats. The alarm had been given,
however, aud the whole country was
aroused and the fellow was finally forced
10 give up TO the sheriff. He gave his
name as Cross. said he had been cowboy
and later a railroader. IL seems that his
scheme OF escape was worked by getting
on top OF the car and by fastening a
hooked rope he could let himself down st
the side door Of an express car or draw
| himself up. In this way he had escaped
| notice when the train was in motion and
had slipped down vt Lyons unnoticed.