Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-22

DESPERATE FIGHT IN A CAR,

ROCHESTER, N. Y, Feb. Clone of the
most daring express robberies in the his
tory of this section was perpetrated on the
| Central Hudson road near Woodsport this
morning. This tram carries immense sums
| of money, one car being known as the
"money" cars, containing specie from
| the United States treasury for
! Western banks The robber he'd been dis
| covered in the express ear by the conduc-
| tor, and the latter had signalled the engi-
neer to go ahead at full speed. but at Fort
Byron the brakes were set in an unac-
countable way, and when the conductor
went to the express car he found
| signs of a desperate struggle. Money,
packages aud iewelry were lying scattered
about and everything in the car was stained
with blood and messenger McInery was
| lying bleeding from several wounds and al
most unconscious. The robber was no
where to be seen and was supposed to
have jumped ard made good his escape.
The news had spread all along the line
by this time and the station at Lyons was
all alive. Among others in the crowd was
well-dressed young man wearing eye
glasses and carrying satchel slung
over his shoulder. Now it hap
pened that the trainmen had noticed the
young man at the station at Syracuse be-
fore the train started out and they had not
seen him since, and the question what lie
was doing at Lyons at once suggested itself.
An attempt to arrest him was made, but he
pulled two revolvers, held the crowd back
and backed across the yard, jumped on an
engine standing by, run the engineer and
fireman off, and pulling the throttle started
west on one of the four tracks of the Cen
trail Hudson road.
Conductor Laes of the express train un-
coupled his engine and started in pursuit
on an adjoining track.
The express engine soon overlook the
robber, who suddenly reversed his engine
and let his pursuers pass him, pouring
perfect rain of pistol bullets in the cab as
his pursuers went by. Then the pursuers
stopped and the pursued went ahead.
Another artillery duel ensued, shotgun
taking part this time. No one was hurt III
either battle About seven miles farther
on the robber found his steam going out Of
the engine. He dropped of at the cross
road and started across the country, going
south
The sheriff Of Wayne county organized
posse and started in pursuit The run
away was sighted about five miles south of
Newark in a swamp which proved to be
aud the fugitive took up his position
behind a stone wall and faced his pursuers.
After some parley he surrendered to Dep
uty Sheriff Collins. He gave the name Of
William Cross, and said he was from New
Mexico. He admitted he was the man who
attempted the train robbery.
THE STORY
Of the attempt at robbery, as far as it can
be gathered, is this:
Cross boarded the train when it pulled
out Of Syracuse and climbed on top of the
express. He was provided with a hooked
rope. Fastening it in slight cornice
of the roof on one side of the car
he let himself down on the other
and rested his toes on the ledge that runs
across the car, looked in the glass of the
side door and saw the express messenger
in front of one of the sases which was open
making up his bills. He smashed the glass
with his revolver, covered the messenger,
and shouted to him to hold ap his hands.
Instead of doing so McInery reached for the
signal cord with one hand and his revolver
with the other.
A bullet smashed his hand, cut not be-
fore the signal had been given that arouse d
the conductor. Then MeInery fired on the
robber and put bullet through his coat. s
Then the robber shot the mes
senger twice, once in the right
leg and once in the left leg. He fcIimbed in
the car and at once a desperate struggle
took place, which did not end until the
train stopped for the first time near Eas-
port. 1t is evident the robber had climbed
cut on the car and remained there.