Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-11
THE RICHMOND DIsPATCH-sUNDAY. NOVEMBER II. 1894.

Train fobbins Il practically . new phe.
nomenos1, for, although We nave naa
robbers of this class among US since
trains flrst began to travel, they have
not operated 20 daringiy and syssemau.
cally as at present But oe,esminsu
effort, accompanied BY tnoroush s'.uy
OF SO perfect o system a. Una. y. s aS
New York Central railroad' VIII SOU" ~"
us OF the evil" , "a
the various patent DEVICES Aoi ou'"'"s
the robbers?" 49,.
"rhey are very well in their way. but
no mechanical contrivance can ever De
an effective substitute for human inse-
nuIty. The time will soon come when
these robberies will be things OF the past.
always assuming that the public mind Is
nronerly aroused to a perception or the
evil There Is no telling where this mat
ter NAV stop II not adequately dealt WILD
now and nipped IN the bud. as II were.
And the great Depew turned 10 MS
piIed-up desk and went cheeriiy ABOUT MS
business.
II IA noteworthy. In this connection
that the pay-trains OF the great Iail, oaus'
which at times are heavily freighted with
money and go from station TO station
at stated and weil-known Intervals, are
rarely attacked. There have been some
exciting episodes however, when the cars
have been attacked, but not often nave
the would-be robbers made away with the
precious freight they were AFTER Inc
PENNSYLVANIA railroad has taken the most
elaborate precautions against any attempt
at a hold-,ip, and he must be Dold TOD
Der indeed who would make an attempt
OF the sort. Not long ago one robber was
killed in this State and several others
were sent to prison for long terms.
WESTERN ROADS ARE POOR.
The difficulty with the roads In the far
West Is that they are as a rule too poor.
or affect to be, to deal with the matter at
all adequately. Many OF them are In re-
ceivers' hands, and in some cases they cam
not command the best railroad talent, and
therefore the very men who could devise
plan Of campaign against robbery are In
the service of eastern roads. Moreover.
the stockholders. and even the directors
In some cases, are eastern men, not on
the spot, and therefore not able TO deal
with the matter from personal knowledge.
The officials in charge are not willing TO
proceed without first asking for instruc-
lions. and the robbers are naturally quick
to take advantage OF the favorable oppor-
tunities thus afforded them
II Is important TO note. however, that
the United States Government Is plan
ming what promises TO be most effective
crusade against train-robbing. Chief
Hazen, OF the Secret Service. has set
about gathering through his subordi-
mates full set of reports upon the where
abouts and haunts OF all train-robbers
or those suspected OF being implicated
In these expeditions. very careful
watch Will be maintained upon move
| ments Of n suspicious character, and by
a thorough systematizlng Of the campaign
holding up n train will become even
more risky than counterfeiting. snug
| Cling, or moonshining.
II IS generally conceded that Offering
| rewards for the apprehension of the ras-
Gals ia Of very little utility "a a deter
| rent. The only feasible plan is TO keep
the best men In the service constantly
upon the track of the robbers and to po-
| lice their field Of operations as well as
may be. II Is known that leading rail-
| road and express company officials have
| been in consultation with Chief Hazen
| lately. and that train-robblng problems
| have been fully discussed. The chief and
| the officials are keeping their plans to
| themselves, but enough Is known TO war
| rent the assertion that the knight OF the
| road viii not long flourish In our re-
| public.