Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-14
observation-disclosures II, 1894
How TO Stop Train-Robberles


II is plain that our railroad and ex-
Dress companies ought 10 organize and
arm their employees better than ever
before 10 resist the robbing Of trains now
70 unhappily frequent
The modern Dick Turpins and Jack
fheppards are in no great terror OF the
iaw-Rlthough under our statute it might
Do that. II caught. the death penalty
tould be visited upon them-and so the
only thing TO do. IL We do not wish TO
submit TO their exactions. is TO convince
them that whenever they halt train
they arc going 10 run up against a crew.
syery man OF whom is fully arrived and
understands exactly what is his duty In
such an emergency.
Then. too. it surely ought to be posi-
bic ITO devise some signal-say. some
tremendous blast from the steam whis-
lie. or the firing OF gun, like ships
gu.-whlch would warn every trainman.
every passenger. and everybody who
might happen TO be In the neighborhood
that highwayTaen had attacked the train.
With all the ingenuity We can exercise.
with AL tho drilling and arming and
Signalling we can do. men doubtless will
sull be found willing to stake their lives
In the hope Of acquiring fortune BY one
Caring stroke: but we might at least.
hope thai robberies would not then be
So numerous as now.
Another thing, II seems that our trains
afori too much shelter for robbers who
u aboard and secrete themselves. whilst
waiting chance TO pouncc down upon
the engineer and fireman. Couldn't this
b. altered for the better? There are
very few men out of the millions OF
brave souls that our earth holds who
would not surrender If suddenly con-
Trontcd with a iiye-shoOter pointed at
them at Il distance of n few feet. The
surprise, the knowledge that the des-
perado is ready 10 Kill. the hopelessness
snd helplcssness Of the situation. leave
nothing for the engineer TO do but TO
yield. and then the rest IS easy for the
robbers Perchance the engineer or fire
man might be- willing 10 offer his life
rs q sacrifice to duty could he but give
danger signal that would be heard far
IND near.
Doubtless IL will be said that such
signal would create The intensest alarm
among the passengers especially among
The women and children. and so it would.
but IL would bctray the robbers and
distress them. too and there the consoa-
lion would come in. Perhaps. too, 1t
Uould be found practicable TO place a
lew revolvers in the glass-front cases,
(which. on most raIlway-cars, hold the
axe, saw, etc. put there 10 be used in
The event O. a wreck.
The eugiU,e r ana fireman. conductor AMI
brakeman. postal-clerks. eXpress-messen-
Fers. ana Pullman employees on each
train would form the nucleus Of CON
siderable fighting force IL they were
rrlled 10 meet such emergencies and had
sIms on their person. or near at hand.
md nearly always some OF the passen-
yers would DO found willing to give them
help.
no railroad company has any right 70
consider that its trains are going to be
exempt from the visits OF these bandits.
Therefore. the thing 10 be done by them
Is 10 prepare 10 make such a show of
force that the bandits will hesitate 10
attack Who would have thought that
they would have dared halt a passenger
train on the well-ordered and highly
respectable railroad line between Rich
mend and Washington?
The railroad and express companies GER
tainly have every conceivable motive 70
induce them - put a stop. &c possible. to
train robber.cs, and we trust that they
Will use all the means, and exercise all
the ingenuity at their command to make
them OF less frequency. If not altogether
thinEs OF the past.