The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-12-01
FIGHT WITH TRAMpS
Trainmen Have a Running Battle
with a Gang.
A DASTARDLY ATTEMPT TO WRECK.
The Villains EDdeavor to Uncouple Freight
Cars So That the Express Might BE
Wrecked and They Could
Rob Victims.

GOSHEN, Ind, Nov. 27.-This city was
thrown into fever of excitement by
desperate attempt made, almost within
the city limits. to wreck the New York
fast express on the Lake Shore road,
which is due here at 1909 At II
o'clock a shrill whistling in the Lake
Shore yards and from the water works
plant, which is located very close to
the Lake Shore freight depot, brought
two of the night police and number
of citizens to the scene. They found
the first section of No. 90, the Chicago
and New York meat freight train, in
the yards and badly battered up train
crew.
1t was soon learned from the ap-
parently dazed crew that two attempts
had been made 10 use the last ten cars
of the train to carry out a dastardly
attempt to wreck No. II, the New York
fast express, on the Lake Shore road.
The city was quickly thrown into a
fever of excitement, as the attempt was
made on plan singularly new in the
annals of modern train robbery. 1t
was, however brought to an unsuccess-
full end by the resistance of the train
men who fought a constant battle dur
ing the run of ten miles from Elkhart
here.
The first of No. so pulled out of
E;khart at 1890. with orders to
run to Ligonier without stop. All
seemed well with the train, but when
about a mile from Elkhart the con-
ductor. John Hickolk, and two brake
men were attacked by gang composed
of eight burly tramps, who it is since
learned. boarded the train at Elkhart
and had been concealed between the
cars. They overpowered the crew and
were proceeding to disconnect the last
ten cars when the crew, assisted by the
engineer and fireman, again secured
control of the train. A second attempt
was made five miles further on, and
four miles, desperate fight was waged
between the eight robbers and the
crew.
Conductor Hickok. who knew the
imminent danger No II was in of
running into the freight, encour-
aged the brakemen and an ex-
ira conductor, Campbell, who hap
pened to be on the train, and they
waged a successful fight until the train
reached the Goshen yards. The battle
for the control of the train was desper-
ate for the last four miles and Conductor
Hickok was badly bruised and pum-
meled, as was also one of the brake
men, who resides at Elkhart. The rob-
bers secured four watches and all the
money belonging to the crew. The en-
gineer whistled for help and officers
were quickly upon the scene.
That the eight robbers who were up
on the train when it arrived in the
Goshen yards should have escaped
seems incredible, but such is the fact.
Owing to the dazed condition of the
crew and the ignorance of those here
as to the cause of stopping and alarm,
they all escaped. Two were subse-
quently captured and the sheriff and a
posse are at present in hot pursuit of
another. Henry Zimmerman was ar
rested within the city limits, and later
in the morning William Cone was
captured. These two are now in GUS
tody here. A posse of officers and Lake
Shore detectives are securing the sur
country for the remaining
siX
The plan of the robbers was one !
which, had it been successfully carried |
out. would have incurred great loss of |
life and money. They were endeavor-
ing to leave eight or ten cars of the
freight on the track. into which they |
expected No. II, which was following |
close after, would crash. In the con-
sequent wreck it is surmised that the
wreckers expected to get away with
Doodle from the express
ear. The place where the first attempt
was made, one mile this side of Elk
hart, was one singularly well adapted
for that kind of work. 1t is a sparsely |
settled locality and one of the darkest
places on the road.
The two attacks have aroused the
Lake Shore officials and every means
possible is being taken to apprehend
the robbers in such n summary man
1er as to discourage future attempts of
The kind. President John Newell
,ame from Chicago and was in confer
snce with the attorneys of the road.
Messrs. Baker and Miller. A reward
IF "a, 900 will be posted all over the sur
country for the arrest and
conviction of any one of them