The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-02-22
The Robber Drives Out Crew, Seizes
the Engine and Flies.
Another Engine With Armed Men Pur-
sues-Highwayman Takes Refuge in
Swamp, but . SheriG7s Posse
Effects His Capture.

ning fight from the engine for miles, fol-
lowed by another engine filled with rail-
way men, and the final capture Of the des-
perado by sheriff's posse in a swamp,
after wild pursuit across the country, are
some OF the sensational features of the
most desperate attempt at train robbery in
the history of the Central railway, and
which cast in the shade as an exhibition
OF coolness and nerve the famous exploits
OF the Jesse James band or other outlaws
of Western fame.
The American Express Company's
special between New York and Buffalo
carried only goods shipped by that COM
pany. Nearly all the cars run through to
Chicago, and contain the most valuable
express matter. One car known as the
money car" contains specie from the
United States treasury for Western banks
and money in process of exchange between
the banks of New York and the West.
The load of wealth sent out from New
York on this train is usually greater on
Saturday evening than on other days and
often amounts to more than a million
dollars. IN addition to jewelry and other
valuables. The most trusted messengers
are placed in charge of this car. Only one
messenger, Daniel T. McInery. was as
signed to the money car Saturday night
as the work OF billing was light. The other
cars had two messengers. The train left
Syracuse at 5 o'clock this morning in
charge of Conductor Emil Lass, with
Caleb Cherry as engineer. The coach was
In the rear of the train and the money car
was just ahead.
When the train was near Westport the
conductor thought he heard the air whistle
sound very family. 1t aroused him to be-
heve that something was wrong on the
express car. Going out on the platform
he climbed into the car and, looking
through the hole which the belIcord comes
through, he saw the upper part of man
whose face below was concealed by red
flannel mask. The messenger he could
not see. He went back and set the air
brake and called his two trainmen.
Suddenly a mans form appeared at the
side door of the express car. Revolver
bullets whistled past their ears and voice
was heard commanding them to signal
the engineer to go ahead or take the con-
sequences. The trainmen were unarmed.
The conductor told one of his men to
jump off and run back to Jordan and tele-
graph along the line to Rochester that
they had train robber on board. This
was done and the conductor signaled the
engineer to go ahead at full speed, think
ing that the robber would not dare to
jump and that he would be captured at
the next stop.
The train went to Fort Byron. Here
brakes were set again and the conductor
and trainmen went to the express car.
The car showed signs of desperate
struggle. Money packages and jewelry
were lying scattered about. Everything
in the car was stained with blood and
Messenger McInery was lying bleeding
from several wounds and almost uncon-
scious. The robber was nowhere to be
seen and it is supposed that he jumped
from the car and made his escape. The
train went on to Lyons.
The news had spread all along the life
by this time, and the station at Lyons was
all alive. u
Among others in the crowd was well
dressed young man, wearing gold eye
glasses and carrying satchel slung over
his shoulder. 1t happened that the train
men noticed the young man at Syracuse
before the train started, ana they lad not
seen him since. and the question as to
what he was doing at Lyons at once sug-
gested itself.
An attempt to arrest him was made, but
but he pulled two revolvers, neld the
crowd back, and backed across the yard
until he reached the coal train, the engine
of which had steam up and ready to pull
out for the West. lie pulled the pin hold
ing the tender to the first car. climbed over
the coal INTO the cab. drove the engineer
and firemen out with revolvers, pulled
open the throttle and started the en-
gine.
Conductor Lass and one of the switch
men procured shotgun, freed the engine
of the express, and with the fireman and
engineer started in pursuit of the fugitive
The Central Hudson is a four-tracked
road, and the engines, though going west,
were not on the same track. The express
engine soon overlook the robber, who sud
denly reversed his engine and let his pur-
suers pass him, pouring perfect shower
of bullets into the cab as the pursuers
went by. Then his pursuers stopped and
the pursued went ahead. Another artil-
lery duel ensued, the shotgun taking part
this time. No one was hurt in either bat
tie. About seven miles further on the rob-
Der found steam going out of the engine
He dropped off at cross-road and started
across the country, going south. He man
aged to terrorize a farmer into letting him
have horse, and rode on about two miles.
Here he procured another horse.
The party in the express engine had re-
turned TO Lyons, where the sheriff of
Wayne county organized a posse, which,
under the command of a deputy, started
in pursuit Meantime the farmers along
the robbers line of retreat also turned out,
fully armed, in pursuit.
The runaway was sighted about five
miles south of Newark He rode so yery
badly that he made poor speed. He aban-
doned the horse and ran across the lots to
Benton's swamp, but the swamp proved
too full OF water to be penetrated, and the
fugitive took up position behind a stone
wall and faced his pursuers. After some
parley he surrendered to Deputy Sheriff
Collins. He was taken back 20 Lyons and
lodged in Jail.
He gave the name of William Cross and
said he was from New Mexico and had
been boarding in Syracuse some time. He
admitted that he was the man who at
tempted the train robbery TO Chief OF De-
tectiyes Hayden, OF this city, who had
been wired for. He is believed TO be the
much-wanted Oliver Curtis Perry. who