Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-11-27
HAND TOHAND FIGHT
Despefsdoss Who Tned to Wreck
a Lake Shore Train
WERE CAPTURED At fLkHART.
Additional Particulars ef the Rattle
Between rrainmen asd Tramps fbr
Possession OF the Train

particulars have been learned Ia regard
% the attempt of train robbers To hold
up Lake Shore train. briefly toll in
this mornings dispatches. IL appears
that two attempts had been made to use
the last ten cars Of the train to carry out
dastardly attempt 10 wreck No II. the
New York fast express on the Lake
Shore road lt was. however. brought
10 an unsuccessful end by the resistance
Of the trainmen. who fought constant
battle during the run of ten miles from
Elkhart here. The frat section OF No
"a pulled out OF Elkhart last night at
1870. with orders 10 run 10 Ligonier
without stop All seemed we'll with the
train, but when about mile from
Elkhart. the conductor. John Hickok,
and two brakemen. were attacked by a
band composed of eight burly tramps
who IL has been since learned boarded
the train az Eikhart and had been con
cealed between the cars
Train Grew ovcrpowered.
They oysrpowered the crew and were
proceeding To disconnect the last two
cars when the crew. assisted by the en-.
glneer aud fireman. again secured con
troll OF the train. A second attempt was
made five miles further on. and from
that point into Goshen. run OF four
miles. desperate light was waged be
tween the robbers aud the crew until
the train reached the Goshen yards
The battle for the control of the train
was desperate for the last four miles.
and Conductor Hickok was badly
49, II.
OF the brakemen. who resides at Elk
hart The robbers secured four watches
and all the money belonging to the
crew. The engineer whistlcd for help.
and officers were quickly upon the
scene. The eight robbers. who were
upon the train when it arrived in the
Goshen yards. escaped.
Two Train Robbcrs Captured
Two were subsequently captured and
tho sheriff and posse are at present in
hot pursuit OF another. Henry thinner
man was arrested within the city limits
and later in the mdrning William Cone
was captured These two ara now ia
custody here. A posse OF officers and
Lake Shore dectives are securing the
surrounding country for the remaining
six. The plan OF the robbers was one
which would, had IL been successfully
carried out, incurred great loss OF life
and money. They were endeavoring 10
leave e,ghtor ten cars Of the freight on
the track into which they expected No.
II which was following close would
dash In the consequent wreck. il is
surmised that the wrecxers expected TO
get away with considerable booty from
the express car. The place where the
first attempt was made, one mile this
side Of Elkhardt. was one singularly
well adapted for that kind OF work. Ii
is a sparsely settled location and one of
the darkest places on the Lake Shore
road. There is a rather sharp curve
there as is also one not far from this
city.
Reward OF $4,000 offered
No II. the fast express, is the same
train which was so successfully looted
at kessler two mouths ago. and is a very
heavy train, never being made up OF less
than ten or eleven cars. The two at
tacks have aroused the Lake Shore Off
ciais. and every means possible is being
taken 10 apprehend the robbers in such
a summary manner as to discourage fu.
ture attempts OF the kind. President
John Newell came from Chicago at noon
today and was in conference with the
attorneys OF the road. A reward OF
$4,000 will I've posted all over the sur
rounding country for the arrest and coa.
viction OF the eight robbers. or 500 for
the arrest and conviction Of any one OF
them. Henry Zimmerman denies every
thing. saying that he came to Goshen
from Elkharton the plug" last night. but
the Inconsistency OF the stories he tells
is almost proof OF his guilt. The con
ductor OF the plug" swears that he was
not on the train last night. Zimmerman
also stated that he bought his ticket at
Eikhart and PAID - cents for IT, while
the regular fare 10 30 cents
stolen Money Found in His Shoe.
His home is In kendallsville and he
has been in the employ of the Chicago
a ST Paul road. In his shoe were found
four silver dollars which was the amount
taken from tho engineer. while Cone had
in his possession ell, the exact amount
~ which Conductor Hickok was re-
hevet Conc claims Benton Harbor As
his home aud clains he Is tramping TO
Fort Wayne IN search of employment
He does not state, however, why IL is
necessary 10 tramp with ti2 Ia his
pocket A singular feature of the affair
IL that none Of the gang carried weapons
u any kind. which would make IL sp.
pear that IL was gang 81 needy tramps
organized for tho most desperate and
. heartless kind ~ plundcr The two
Who are in custody will say little. They
are hard looking specimens of manhooa.
strong. hearty and desperate resistance
a - A