The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-14
THE Big TRAIN ROBBERY.
Oluclal Statements Made by The Crew Of
The Train.
THERE SNO CLgW As TO THE BANDITS
Can't. Bird,ong and Engineer u"i"S"e'
ma, All in their Power-The ioss
About twenty-five Thousand

Ny,ik around q corner some pIestG ~,
""iiH.,lt ""i nirnt on Broad street, anu uii
tour forehead against gaWnins , rt''y- 49,
rr.J i'm me hand Of DurIy hsnMaS
@ @pa'i ,,,bo invites you to turn over 70 MN
,''l'' ,D,'r' diamond pin and watch, ana you
couId Not suffer greater SUI pr s,e,, la0 ~ ~
tlat which sent c0id cillts ~ ymni,oer e..
slan4l column OF Locomotive EhsHle,SI
1iy GalIagbcr of Richmond. on the
1I.ssIon OF the train robbery at aqua
creek on Friday night. c.,,...,ou 90
Tho familiar suggestion TO Galiagher 10
.11i her 20. was changed TO the admonl-
,,on 10 shut her off, Gallagher, ana
GaUagncr shut her oft.
Frank Gallagher is a stout man, OF
Middle age who has been in he employ
of lie Richmond, Fredericksburg and
po.cnIc foG many years. He is known
rs a cOOl-headed, nerVy man, ana mas
had many trying experiences while ini on on
novelty ne has enjoyed for some time.
OVER THE DRAW.
lie answered the signal Of the draw
bridge tender that all was right, passed
over the structure, and was watching the
track ahead while getting his train under
speed, when he saw his fireman, who Is
q muldtto man, drop his shovel, throw up
MS lands. and cry for mercy. He turned
his head quickly, and his temple came IN
contact with the barrel Of big revolver,
and the stern command quickly came,
shut her off,
Standing over him was a stout broad
shouldered man, I'm r. SlOuch hat, win a
red bandana handkerchief tied across his
nose, below the eyes, hanging down over
his face, who might be taken for a
cattle-drover or farmer, ana behlhd
him was another Of the same character.
Frank Gallagher looked into those glis-
tening eyes. and along the polished barrel
OF the revolver, which reflected the bril-
liant light OF the moon, and saw that the
man behind II meant business to me
death, If need be. and Ike a wise man,
he quietly and coolly obeyed his COM
mands.
OFFICIAL TTAMINATION.
Major Myers. the president of the read
held an examination Of the occurrence IN
his office at the Byrd-street station yes
terday afternoon at o'clock. The CON
ductor engineer and fiagman were ask
ed 10 tell their experiences, in the pres
ence Of Mr.. W c. Preston, counsel or
the company officers Of the road end
representatives, Of the morning daihes
THE ENGINEER's STORY.
The engineer was the first TO tell his
story. and he did IL without embellish-
ment or waste of words
He said he and tile fireman were order
ed 10 the ground, marched to the side Of
the express car and made to take seats on
the bank In the side OF the cut when
the robbers commenced firing towards the
rear of the train from the shelter OF
the trucks under the cars, so that II
would have been impossible for them to
have been reached by persons on the train
without getting off the train. While sit
ting there, Captain Birdsong, the con-
duCtor came on the front platform of the
smoking-car. and called to some one TO
bring him his Winchester. He went back
into the train and afterwards came OUT
with a pistol in his hand, and taking the
engineer for one of the robbers, was
about 90 shoot him, when the engineer
tod him not 10 shoot, that II was he,
calling mis- own name lie also tod the
conductor to go back into the car, or he
would be shot The robbers then called 10
the engineer. and made his life the penal
" II hc allowed any one TO come on the
lie could only hear the robbery of the
express car going on, as his head was
turned another way and he was covered
with Winchester having been pre-
Viously admOnished not to look back
wards
QUICK woRT.
only about twenty minutes was oc-
cupied in the work, when the engineer
and fireman were ordered back 10 the
locomotive The fireman was ordered to
fire the boiler Gallagher asked TO b.
allowed to pump water into the boiler,
because the engine was getting too hot,
but was refused. He, however, managed
TO open the injector and turned the
water on 70 the hre-boX, smotheriug the
fire.
They then made the fireman cut the
engine loose. and ordered him 70 move
up few feet, which he did. lie wa
then allowed to get off the engine, and
the robbers threw something white into
the cab Of considerable size, he could
not see what He returned to the tram
and while gone the robbers pulled the
throttle and left with the engine.
He was told by section-hand that
the engine was stopped at Lundys road
crossing, a mile from the scene of the
robbing and was then started on its wild
career.
THE coNDUcToR's sIoRY.
Captain Blrdsong was next asked to tell
his experience. which he did i'm a very
modest way, although he is the hero Of
the AFFAIR.
lie Was in the rear Of the smoking
car looking over his tickets, which he
lad On a seat. when the firing commenced
He went To the front platform OF the
car and there met Charles MunfOrd,
the colored porter OF the train. who had
gone forward 10 see what was the mat
ter and vas run IN 10y the robbers shoot
ing at him. lie only saw one man, who
came back opposite the car and fred
one shot in the air with a pistol. Cap
tain Birdsong says he was standing in the
moonlight and he thinks he would know
him if he could see him again.
II was then that he called for his I'M
aginary Winchester for the purpose OF
intimi1ating the robbers. He returned
ugly was going on. but 10 Keep their seats,
and II they had nothing else, to draw
their knives for defence. lie could find
only one pistol on the train, and, taking
that. he stood at the front door OF the
ladies car. with the determination of
shooting the first man who tried to enter.
In reply TO a question, Captain Bird
song said the passengers obeyed his in
functions readily, and showed very little
fear and that the ladies, apparently, were
not bit scared.
After the robbers left with the engine
the passengers got out and walked about
the scene. Captain Birdsong, under close
questioning, said that when he returned
TO the ladies' car several persons asked
his name and one of them invited three
cheers for Captain Birdsong, in which the
ladies Joined.
THE FLAGMAN TALKS
The hagman, a young man, said that
when the train stopped he took his lam
tern and examined the air brake coEnec-
uOns between the two rear cars, think
ing their being out Of order might stop
the train. until the continued firing indi-
Gated what was the matter. He then
70 Aqua creek 10 flag the train, and
staNed unul called In.
Inc bridge tender. in the meantime, had
become denoralized by the shooting and
was not 10 be seen.
Win a Few additional questions, this
closed the examination. Major Myers then
feau tte ioilowing telegram:
II was on your train. 49, last night
Everything was against the conductor
and the crew. Captain Birdsong did
everything he could under the conditions.
Major Myers said 70 Captain Birdsong
the engineer and the nagman that from
all that he could gather the trainmen be-
haSed well and did all they could under
the circumstances
MAIL MAN.