The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-02-27
BOLD ROBBER,
Single Handed, Boarded Train, Shot
a Messenger,
Rined Safe and For Time Disappear
ed-IIe Took Possession of an Engine,
and Was Followed by Trainmen on
Another, Captured and Jailed.

ROCHESTER, N. Y, Feb % Train
81, on the Central Hudson, is known as
the American Express Co. s special. 1t
runs every day in the year be-
tween New York and Buffalo, and car.
ries only goods and property shipped |
by that company. The load of wealth |
sent out from New York on this train |
is usually greater on Saturday evening |
than on the other days and often |
amounts to more than million dollars
in addition to jewelry and other valu-
ables
When the train was near Weedsport |
the conductor, who was in the coach |
with his two trainmen, thought he
heard the air-whistle sound very faint
ly. 1t was enough to arouse him to
the belief that something was wrong in
the express car.
Going out on the platform Of the
coach he climbed on the rail. and looked
through the hole where the bell.cord
comes through he saw the upper part
of man whose face below the eyes
was concealed by red flannel mask.
The messenger he could not see. He
went back, set the air-brakcs. and
called his two trainmen. The three
stood leaning out from the platform
looking forward along the sides
of the express car. Suddenly 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 en-
gineer to go ahead or take the conse-
armed. The conductor told one of his
men to jump off, run back to Jor-
dan and telegraph along the line
to Rochester that they had
train robber on board. This was
done, and the conductor signalled the
engineer to go, ahead at full speed,
thinking that the robber would not dare
jump and would be captured at the next
stop. The train went to Ft. Byron.
Here the brakes were set again and the
conductor and trainmen went to the
express car.
The car showed signs of a desperate
struggle. Money packages and jewelry
were lying scattered about, everything
and Messenger McInenery was lying,
most unconscious. The robber was no.
where to be seen, and was supposed to
have jumped and made good his escape,
The news spread all along the line by
this time, and the station at Lyons was
all alive. Among others in the crowd
was wcll-drcsacd young man wearing
| eyeglasses and carrying satchel
slrng by n strap over his shoulder.
Now, it so happe ned that the train
men had noticed this same young man
at the station at Syracuse before the
train pulled out and had not seen him
since and the question of what he was
doing ut Lyons and how he got there
ut once suggested itself. An attempt
was made to seize him, but he
pulled out two revolvcrs held the
crowd back and backed across the yard
until he reached a coal train, the engine
of which had steam up, ready to pull
out for the west. IIc pulled the pin
holding the tender to the first car,
climbed over the coal into the cab,
drove the engineer and fireman ont
with his revolvers pulled open the
throttle and started the engine.
Conductor Laas and one of the switch.
men procured a shotgun, freed the en-
, ginc of the express, and with the fire
! man and the engineer started in pursuit.
of the fugitive. 1t will lie remem
bercd that the Central Hudson is
four tracked road, and the engines
J though both going west, were no
/, on the same track. The express en-
gine soon overlook the robber, whC
suddenly reversed his engine and lie
his pursucrs pass him, pouring per
feet ira = of pistol bullets into the cal
as his pursuers went by. Thel
the pursuers stopped and the pur
sued went ahead. Another artil
lery duel ensued, the shotgun
n taking part this time. No on,
e was hurt in either battle About tw
3 miles beyond the robber found his en-
n gine's steam was giving out SO h
s jumped off at crossroad and starte
o across the country, going south. IL
u managed to terrorize farmer into let
k ting him have n horse and rode on abou
j. two miles further south. Here he Pre-
u Cured n horse and cutter persuad
n ing their owner, q German farmer
l. to entrust him with them by firing o
him.
The party in the express engine ha
returned to Lyons, where the sheriff c
= Wayne county had organized possC
which, under command of Deputy She
D iff Collins, started in pursuit. Near
e time the farmers along the robbers lin
Or of retreat had also turned ont full
n armed in pursuit. The runaway wa
n sighted five miles south of Newark
,e The roads are very bad, and he mad
/, poor speed He abandoned his rig an
e ran across lots to Boston Swamp, III
v. the swamp proved too full of water
N be penetrated, and the fugitive too
,e up his position behind stone wall an
X faced his pursuers. After some pa
n- ley he surrendered to Deput
ia Sheriff Collins He was t
10 ken back to Lyons and lodge
is in Jail. He gave the name Of VIZ
Cross; said he was from New Mexico.
The Ship Canal.
G. ZANEsvILLE, O., Feb, 22.-The boa
re of trade has determined to invite Il
IL cooperation of organized commcrci
as bodies and officers of municipalities
lie the Muskingum valley and along Il
C. Ohio canal, between Dresden al
I'D Cleveland, in favor of the ship can
tn project Not much stock, however,
ce taken in the proposed channel twen
In feet deep. Capt, Dana Scott, who
by building q new boat for the MuslSingu
to river trade, is of the opinion that
81. N Y,ipn faat In, daptb will nnSNy