Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-10-15
ATEXANDRTA GAZETTE AND VIRGINIA ADVERTISER

hlnd me say, but dldn't turn u sec
which one.
"Then Captain Birdsong," continued
Gallagher, pointed his pistol at me
and started to shoot. The moon was
shining, and 1 could see him very dis
tiuctly. l called out to him, Don't
shoot, Captain; this is me, Frank J
Throw UP your hands,, was all the re-
spouse I got, and I again called out to
Thin. This time he recognized my
voice and lowered his pistol. I had
heard ominous mutt ecings from my
rear guard, and I pleaded with Cap.
tain Birdsong to go in, telling him that
unless he did he would be killed.
1.-THE two men at my back then left
me, and went to the front, telling me,
however, to call out if noticed any
hostile movement among the passen-
gers. making my lite the penalty for
failure to do so. In few moments
they returned, and taking my fireman
and myself marched us back to our
engine, and making me get up in the
cab, ordered me to jar back. l did
as directed, and the fireman uncoupled
the engine from the train. Then l was
ordered to dismount, and the two men
the only ones I saw during the whole
occurrence-boarded the engine. They
asked if there was anything we want
ed in the cab, and I replied that l had
nothing in there, other than my glove.
One of them said he wanted to use that
himself, but the other one made him
give it to me. The one who had been
doing the talking principally jerked
open the throttle like an old hand at
the business, and the engine moved OIL.
Just as it was going, one OF the men
threw pistol to me, which after
wards found out, belonged to one of the
express -messengers."
Being questioned by Major Myers,
MIR Gallagher said that he and his flre-
man were made to get of their engine
on the west, or left side; that twenty
shots in all were fired by the robbers
as soon as the train came TO stand
still; that the whole affair took about
twenty minutes, and that the men
talked in quick and jerky fashion,
indicating that they were northerners.
"When the robbers departed Captain
Birdsong and myself started to walk to
Whitewater" continued Mr.. Gallagher.
"When almost there we met No. z en-
coming from Quantico. and, boarding
this, we rejoined our train, which was
pulled up to Quantico. Before meeting
the engine 1 stopped at the house of
the section master, and he told me that
one of his men reported to him that my
engine had been stopped little piece
down the road, and that the two men
debarked therefrom and went toward
the river. The engine they then Get
wild" Mr.. Gallagher said further,
that when he got on the engine to move
it back, in order that it might be I'M
coupled from the train, he noticed that
i'll the tender large bag, probably con-
tanning the stolen money, had been
placed.
Conductor Birdsong's Statement to
Superintendent Myers was in substance
the same he made the night of the rob-
berry and which was published in Satur-
days GAZETTE.
Some three years or more ago
there lived in Stafford coun-
ty a man named George Carter, who
had acquired quite local celebrity as
crook. He absented himself from
home frequently, and on his return was
we'll supplied with money. The rob-
berry of country store in his neighbor-
hood was the cause of his arrest. In
making the arrest the sheriff of the
county was forced to shoot the fellow.
He was lodged in Stafford county Jail,
/ fta farx lro1 iyana .ar
ton until he got well, he made his es.
cape, and nothing more was heard OF
+ him until accounts in the New York
papers told of a daring robbery COM
mitted ia that State. and of Carter be-
ing sent to Sing Sing for long term OF
, years. Subsequently the papers told OF
, his mysterious escape from that prison,
no clue being left how he accom- lished
the daring feat. 1t has been said that
he was seen several times alter this
getting on and off the train just where
Friday nights robbery took place, and
. his family having left that part OF the
country. there are many persons there
abouts who think Carter was the lead
ing spirit in the performance. That he
was fully capable of such a job, those
who have known him all his life bear
witness. Until he abandoned honest
work for life of crime, Carter was a
locomotive engineer, and therefore full
ly equal to the exploit of running the
engine. Cool and fearless, every inch
of the ground as familiar to him as an
open book, it is more than probable
that when Carter is caught the full
facts of the robbery will be ascertained.
The theory of the authorities of Stafford
county that the leader of the trim robbers
was George Carter was strengthened yester-
day whea it was stated that Carter was IN
this CITY last week He is known here, Po-
liceman Grady being among those who could
identity him. Carter, it is said, was seen IN
Weadon Bro hers store looking at some re-
yolvers. Carter's movements after he lett the
store are not known.
The drunken man, George Turner, who
claimed that he was one of The robbers, and
who wac locked up in Washington, turned
out to be fraud and was released.
While Captain Dan NJ. Lee was at his home
Iceland, on the Potomac, Friday, his atten-
ton was called to a trim yacht that had been
lying on and off his landing all day. 1t ID
supposed the robbers. after committing the
deed and abandoning the engine, mai their
way to this vessel, which was evidently wait
ing for something unknown to those living
near by. II was only half mile from where
the engine was abandoned and turned Loose
to where the yacht was riding at anchor, and
her disappearance next morning leads to the
belief that the robbers took this method OF
getting away and so successfully conceaiing
their traces.
The Washington police bat dropped down
| It