Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-02-12
ASTO TRAIN-ROBBERS
THE PLAN or LIEUTENANT KNIGHT
FOR REpEIIuvG THEN.
lie Takes Issue with General WADE
Hampton ON the Qu~sttOn-A sys-
tom of Tr.;u &Imrm.-SuRg~stiOn
Presented While In Oklahoma.


First Lieutenant John 7. Knight Third
United States cavalry, who Is no" Oh
duty here AZ Instructor % Virginia troops.
contributes to The February North Amerl-
can Review the following on "K"peii'hs
Train Robbers" which IL somewhat in
tho nature Of an answer 10 an article
on the same subject by General Wade
Hampton which appeared in the Deem
Der 40 Of that publication;
without exception. so FAR az nave
even seen or been able to ascertain. the
express-traln Is made up I'm the follow
lnc order-viz: engine. tender. express
or baggago-cars. s.oond-class coaches,
first-class coaches and. possibly. sleep
lng-cars. This may safely be asserted
as the makeup az trains west OF me
Mississippi and ohio riv'rs-the most
fruitful field OF operations for train
robbers. The general plan Of attack Is
for one or possibly two members OF the
band to board the blind baggage or
forward platform OF the car next to IN"
tender. ut some small station or other
stopping place. then. NJ the oppNtunr
moment. 10 climb over the tender ana
cause the engineer. al the muZ2lcs OF theT
guns. 10 stop the train al some ai-
pointed placc-usually some long iresil|
or deep rdVine Then either the engineer
or fireman. or possibly both. are made 10
dismount from their cab and 20 back 10
the cvpress-car. and call upon the mes
senger to open the door. II the latter
does not comply promptly with the re-
quest then the door * forced ny bat
tcring or by explosives. Successful thus
far. the only other doubt that remains 70
BE- cleared away ~ as 20 the amount ~
money and vdluabl"s that the messenger
has on his ruu. As 20 how well the rob
hcrs have guessed I'm the past. let the
Profit and Loss Account Of the several
express companies show
WORK or \ FEW MOMENTS.
AN of this deyiiish work has occupied
but few minutes, and then the train
moves on. with tn passengers and other
members Of the tran-crcw possibly IN
ignorance. Had they known. however.
doubtless the result would have been the
same. for unless foreWarned the railroad
ana express companies are rarely FORE
armed. An1 this must naturally lie -.
for. ~ IN" FIRST place. tho train has been
brought 10 a stand~t'll on the trestle, 50
That no aid can com" from The rear
7.
place. the train is lighted. and renders con-
spicuous as a target any brave man who
dares 10 sally forth. The rebber is covered
10y darkness. and | doubt not, Il tree
or a boulder besides. Should the express
car fail 10 yield what they may consider
"A fair reward for their boldness. then the
robbers turn their attention 20 the passen-
gels. This. though. l. believed 10 be- tn"
exception rather than the rule. In such
frt INN for f..Ff
amount Of booty are very small ana
ne danger Is very graf
IN al. i"iIs upon FNpi'SS-''IS L "o"Ii
seem 'hai al I'dS' tni'r points nluS' y"
'"hSi'ri'' ny me i''.'i9 " ~ ia"
bt'' - ''"i ''"'f ~ ''- "'"' ~
anu ~ -
- 80, a., ,,.li,'ii,,,, '.,i, -. - IN.
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st,I..,.,,t.,s 9, ,.,...-,. o., t 49,.
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on u''c, ."' NV '"l".U ".' ~.
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- - Wv '''' 49,
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la. .' 49,, ~ 90 49,.
- t','' 80
i' '''. y.
r...., ,,, =, I,,,.,, -, '' ,'.o,'
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INN ~ LolI nm = .,,in
rho Hon Wade Uar,t.fou s,to,y.s+e E,
So ,,fn.tIo ,,.,.., -, Mona. 81 sdo
...,. t.,.. E .h ,,.,.t. -. 80, J.
.,t,.,t,.'i. D.. .....,,i H.. ,.,l.',.,,. D. ,,,,t
,,,.,t. lo ,.ia,.I ON 3D.. ~, ia, ,b''
car b.. ,.,o1. ir,.,lrar.tl, sna les,r,,
.p,, L,.o.t,,r,J. H.. ,..4 10 .-,,, 81
er,rrd, no.. r,tle-
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'.''' ~ - '''''-'
W ,N' Sr''hl am '"ii' 7Iss"-'ohS'
~ c.i, .,..s 49, -.
.. S a.. ..u.ue .r., than mo
.vrros.-,ar Nrv me, NOT s.n,ra+.
thr1, As much a. ro..iair by ryrftng the
.Apress-car tho last in tho rain Have
alarm-beUs in each coach and steen,r
which can bee rilur hv th. ev,,r...s-
rlessenr,r when he i. directed or re-
ques,e1. At This unusual time and rla,.
10 op.n the door of his car /, Zach coach
and sl.cuer hay. In a .l.---fronf case
similar f. hos. r,vy ia us. fo- 10 ava
and saw. two rere,tiu- ehotglin~. each