Morris tribune., 1893-11-15
FIGHTING A ROBBER.
WAS 1T BRAVERY OR WAS 1T A CASE
or FooLHARDlNEssf

A Struggle With the Famous Ed Dalton
For the Possession of $1,000 Money
Package-A Telegrapher's Story of One
winter Nights Experience.
When read of adventures, there comes
to my mind my encounter with no.
torious outlaw of the name of Ed Dali
ton. For years he had robbed mail
coaches and waylald and murdered tray
elers who were belated and so unfor-
tunate as to meet him.
was employed by the Northern Pa
cific railway as telegraph operator. 1t
was in the latter part of the winter that
the most terrible storm broke upon that
section of the country that was ever
known. The wind blew a strong gale
from the northwest, and the air was full
of snow.
All trains were late, and had found
no time to leave my Office and take an ex-
press package of So, 900 to the bank for
safe keeping. The station was crowded
and our safe small, so that l usually de-
posted the company's money in the bank
mot liking to risk it in the office. l
had an order from the dispatcher not to
go to bed till after No. had passed.
This was the western bound limited,
due at Cameron at 10 minutes of IL.
1t was lonely night. The wires
hummed and sobbed in the wind as
though they could not withstand the fury
of the storm. had finished my work and
x,,oa e;44;,oos hole oc1oa,1 ,1oov fIo o+ovo
which was filled with coal and red as a
cherry, when sensation of some i'm
pending danger took possession of me-.
Trying to shake it off, walked to my
desk, threw open the key and asked
the operator on the might trick" at
Hudson how No. was.
''On time," clicked the instrument in
reply, and I stirred the fire, turned the
blaze Of my lamp higher and sat down
again.
For Is or 90 minutes sat listening to
the monotonous click 80 musical to the
operators ear, when became conscious
some one was looking through the win
dow, and thought of the express pack
age flashed through my mind. At the
same instant a crashing of glass was fol-
lowed by gruff voice saying:
s'Move and you are dead man!'
l did not stir, but l realized that l was
looking straight into a six shooter.
While was wondering how I could save
the money the robber broke out the rest
of the window pane and crawled in over
my desk.
Oh, for some way to reach my trusty
s'bul1dog," which was lying in full sight
under the ticket window. Useless wish!
Ordering me to rise, the rufian calmly
took my chair and proceeded to warm
his chilled members before cleaning
OUT the Office, all the while keeping the
revolver pointed at my head. CHANGING
around, he spied my pistol and coolly put
it in his pocket. AS he rose he said:
''Well, now am ready for business.
1 will just trouble you for that little
package with the red seals that is in your
safe"
was desperate enough to say any
thing and broke into loud, harsh laugh
as he finished.
"Was ever anything more luckyY'
cried, and my voice sounded like croak;
i'Why, my friend, have been waiting
for chance to rob the express company
for month, and if you are bound to
take the package we will divide the con-
tents and skip together"
He looked at me a moment with a
skeptical sheer.
HBosh! Don't talk stuff Whatever
you do be quick about it and look a little
out that you play me no trick, or I'll fin
ish you"
Iturned the combination and drew
the safe door open, making up my mind
to throw myself upon him if he moved
his revolver away for an instant, It did
not seem likely that opportunity would
favor me, but as I took the money from
the safe and handed it to him he lowered
his weapon.
The critical time had come! If Ishould
fail to oyerpower the fellow, it meant
death for me.
/ sprang upon him with the strength
of mailman, and so unexpected was the
movement that we both went sprawling
on the floor, the revolver discharging it
self harmlessly as we fell. The robber
soon struggled to his feet, and lifting
me completely from the floor forced me
through the ticket window.
But I had wrestled often while at col
lege, and as I crashed through the glass
1 whirled him around, throwing my left
foot back of his in such way that the
next instant found him on his head in
corner, Wild with excitement, I pinned
him to the floor, pulling my old nbull-
dog" from his pocket and changing the
situation by placing the muzzle against
his temple.
'Lie still, my FRIEND" painted, cor it
will be worse for your
At that very moment l heard the IA
miliar whistle of No. 4, which was ap-
the station, but would not
stop unless signaled. was master Of
the situation now. I could stretch out |
my left hand and touch the signal board,
and with q loud cry of triumph that |
sounded strange and savage in my own
ears turned it. heard the airbrakes
md escaping steam, and then the train
came to full stop, Directly afterward
The Office door opened, and the conduct
or came swinging his lantern and ex-
Decting his train orders.
7 suppose he understood the tableau
before him, but that was all I knew for
,ome time
When I became conscious of what was
yoing on around me, they had my rob-
Der bound hand and foot, and an eager
;rowd stood round my chair, praising
ny bravery and congratulating me on
aying the large sum of money and cap
uring the boldest robber west of Cam
ron, the famous Ed Dalton.
Was It bravery? Sometimes ! think
was fooihardiness, but it paid me
veil, for both railway and express COM