Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-16
THEY SECURED LITTLE SPOIL.
Men Supposed to BE Tramps Break
Into an Express Cur.
Notary Public, d. C.

Men Supposed to BE Tramps Break
Into an Express Chr.
PHILADELPHIA. November 16-Three
men boarded an express car on the Penn
sylvania railroad train leaving Jersey City
at $50 last night, and after the train had
pulled out Of the depot they pried the door
open and secreted themselves in the car
Their presence on the train was not known
until the train had reached Morrisville,
Pa. a town on the opposite side of the
Delaware river from Trenton. Here the
men evidently becoming alarmed at being
upcomfortably close to Philadelphia put on
the air brake and brought the train to a
standstilL The conductor and brakeman
hurried back to learn the cause of the
sudden stop. When they were within few
yards Of express car No. 0045 they saw
three men jump from 1t and run down the
tracks and across the fields in the opposite
direction from Morrisville.
Upon examination by the trainmen 1t was
found that the men had entered the car
by forcing open the front door. On the
floor of the express car lay the contents
of several packages The goods had been
scattered all over the car, but nothing had
been taken. the robbers evidently being in
search Of money, not merchandise.
The police authorities of Morrisville and
Trenton were at once notified. and In less
than an hour after the attempted robbery
officers were securing the surrounding
country for the daring would-be robbers,
who are supposed to be railroad tramps.
Private detectives in the employ of the
express company have been sent to the
scene Of the attempted robbery to aid in
running down the tramps.
Particulars of the so-called "hold-up"
were wired Mr.. Moss, Washington manager
of the Adams Express Company, this morn
ing.
at was not a hold-up" said Mr.. Moss.
my advices state that there were but two
men involved in the affair, and they were
tramps. The train which they got into
Is special express train, made up in Jer-
sey City. and consists of about ten express
cars. The cars which are not occupied by
messengers armed with Winchester rifles
are securely locked and sealed. In some
way these two tramps got into the Balti-
more car, which is not occupied by mes
sengers. and when apprehended had broken
into two packages of no particular value. All
our valuable express matter Is kept in
dynamite-proof safes and guarded specially
by messengers, armed with Winchesters,
who have nothing else to do but protect
the property intrusted to them. The cars
which are locked and sealed are patroled
regularly, and 1t was in this way that the
trampS were caught before they had done
any great amount of damage. The car into
which they had broken contained nothing
destined for Washington. The train has a
Washington car, but carries chiefly matter
sent from New York to Philadelphia, the
Baltimore, Washington and southern eX-
press matter being considerably the lesser
part of the trainload. As matter Of fact,
with express cars as carefully guarded as
ours are. such thing as 'hold-up' Is
simply impossible
A small lot of cigars and a package Of
newspapers were the only pieces Of freight
missed.