Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-08-21


II O'Clock Messrs. Sexton and Holmes
called on Harson at his home east of
Brooks crossing. and he told very
much the same kind of yarn as Mrs.
Chandler had Of the overheard con-
Versation among the train wreckers
under the tree in Riverview park.
Gives Names OF the Wreckers
In her second interview with the
chief and with Detective Holmes the
woman repre- scented having COM
municated with the wreckers. ana
had learned heir true names and
plans. Jack Mckinley, the head.
was otherwise West Reddig. while
Wolf was the alias for Ed. Kline.
while Jim Bell was another for whom
an alias had previously been given.
She said they had gone down near
Muscatine where they were holding
out and would probably attempt a
rosbery. Detective Holmes put in
the next day il Muscatine and salts
fed himself that no such people were
there. and that there would be no
cause for any alarm in that neighbor-
hood.
Swallowed the Pair.
Satisfied now as Sexton and
Holmes were that the woman would
bear watching. and was not telling
all she knew, Holmes determined to
cultivate her friendship, learn all he
could personally, while at the same
time to have her as well as her pal.
Harson, constantly shadowed. In
furtherance Of this idea Detective
Gray arrived on the 10th. and on the
18th Detective Price came. These
latter two men were assigned to the
duty OF watching the couple. while
Holmes and Sexton continued to re-
ceive the stories she brought to them
from the train-wrcckers whose conf
dence she pretended to have. The
first attempted wreck she told was
to occur last Tuesday night. the
scheme being to ditch the 9:O5 cX-
press. She explained how the work
was TO be done; said she and her pal
would he on hand and turn up the
robbers as soon a. they put the logs
on the track, but she desired that
Chief Sexton and Detective Holmes
drive up about O'Clock that
they might remove the obstruction
before the train came in contact with
it. The officers agreed to be on hand
rs matter Of course. But unknown
to the woman they also had some one
else on hand to see what Mrs. Chand-
Ter and her friend. Harson, were do
ing. while the logs were placed on
the rails and also to be there in
case they needed any assistance in
arrcStiug the robbers Early in
the evening q carriage was secured
ut Staasscn stable. placed in charge
Of Fred himself who was sworn to
secrecy. and Detectives Gray and
Price and Police Officer Etzel were
driven up east OF Rivcrview park
where the carriage was left while the
officers concealed themselves near
where the proposed wreck was TO
occur, and awaited Developments,
Chief Sexton and Detective Holmes
driving up and appearing on the
scene nj 9 o'clock a per agreement
But there was no attempt II wreck
that night. as it rained. and Officer
Etzcl cought cold with which he
has been laid up since. The woman
made explanations next day and said
the attempt might be made any
night. so every night thereafter the
program 1of Tuesday night was car
ried out by the police and detectives.
Officer Crompton going up in Etzel's
place. This was kept mp until Friday
when Mrs. Chandler made visit to
the ARGUS office with the appended
communication which she desired
published
Train Robbers Outwitted''
Last night daring attempt was
made to wreck the O'Clock passen-
ger just east of Moline. 1t appears
our daring little CHIEF of police has
been working on the sly with one of
the Rock Islands detectives. They
have had a woman wo king collect
ing evidence, and last nights work
proves her both courageous and grit
tv. as TODAY she carries helpless
arm as her encounter with train rob
bers. The officers had their plans
all land. but by some misunderstand-
lHO HDl vi lilt Sttilt tbb lilt " Ctitbn
the men. As the woman knew where
it was to occur, the officers thought
best for her to take the lead. She
did it. and but for plucky man she
had with her would today be dead; as
it is, they cut through her entire
clothing. just grazing the skin near
the heart This will perhaps scare
her out a well as the robbers. The
chief thin ks there will be no further
attempt near here on account of this
scrape."
To sus- ain this story Mrs. Chand-
Ter exhibited a number of cuts i'll her
dress near the shoulder and also held
her left arm as if crippled. BY way
of explanation she told OF her en-
counter with robbers the night be-
fore as they were about to place the
tie on the track. and said the object