Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-03-14
CAUGHT BY THE WILMINGTON POLICE


The Train Met ut the West Yard by the
officers ana the Daring Gang Assaulted
Many Fled, But OTHERS We're Thkeh
Into Custody-TaKen Before n Justice
aud Let on with Easy Sentences I'd,
A gang of desperate tramps took posses
sion of Il freight train on the Phiiadeiphlu,
Wilmington S Baltimore railroad Friday
night at BaySiew, aud completely terror
lied The crew of the train by drawing
knives and pistols and making threats 10
throw them from the train.
About so of the yagapond5 boarded the
train. They climbed all over tho ears and
when the brakemen attempted TO dislouSe
them, resisted and fought desperately. one
of the gang drew pistol, and 1t IS said
fired several shots in the air us warning
TO the brakemen if they attempted to, put
them off the train. The night was dark
and fossy.
THE CONDUCTOR PowERLEss..
The train was in charge Of Conductor
Johu Riley, who was powerless toscop,e
with the desperate knights Of the roau,
many Of whom were armed ndreadS for
open warfare. one of the tramps tired 10
throw u brakeman from the top OF a boS
car, bit the brakeman struck his asSallant
on top of the head with lantern which
he carried.in his hand. Had it nots been
for the we'll directed blow with the lafiterIi
il is probable that the brakeman would
have been hurled from the train and
killed. The lantern was broken III g
thousand pieces. The brakeman escaped
from the tramp whom he had assaulted
by taking refuge i'll the engine.
DROVE THE TRAISMEN AWAY.
When the train had reached point
several miles below Newark, the tramps
drove the bralIemen oil the tops OF the
| cars and the brakemeu fled to the engine,
where they awmLed another attack from
the desperate gang of maddened hobos,
| The train was running at the rate OF about
~ miles an hour.
| sPRANG OFF AFTER HIS HAT.
At this point the wind, which was blow
| ing gale, got tangled up IN the chapeau
| of one of the nomads and it flew skywarC
like kite and then taking downward
course fell to the ground. The tramp sa
for an instant and gaZed sadly at lii
fugitive headgear, and then withou
word to his companions he ran tt
the edge OF the top of the car OF
which he was riding and jumped on
He turned several sornersaults anu landed
in pile along the side Of the track. The
train was running 50 rapidly that IN
brakeman did not see what became OF HIN
after thai, but the opinion prevailed tina
he must have been killed.
MET by POLICE.
|
ton north of Bayview the conductor telt
graphed news Of the situation to this city
When the freight train with its load q
hobos reached the west yard, u squad G
officers was on hand to salute then
Sergeant George WEIGH was IN charge
the squad consisting OF Patrolmen Geors
I4ucus, Alfred Lane, Daniel Aiken, jaime
4. Scott, Peterson and Riley. Detecti'
William I. j ones was also III the part.
1t was about midnight when the tran
reached this city. As soon as the tram
sighted the officers lined up on either sit
OF the train, they jumped from the tops
!, the cars and tried 10 escape,
! The police gave chase and captured
! part oil them, but the most OF the gar
) escaped. The policemen drew their reyc
vers and fired several volleys i'll the air
I brighten the fugitives. Some of the
: stopped. The others did not. The ca
/. tIves were locked ur i'll freight car Al
brought to the r., w. ~ u. station, 81
: thence conveyed to the police static
They were given hearing before JUST
Lewis Sasse 1T 10 q clock Saturday mornir
d Three Of tine tramps, James Clear, lie
a ton Il. Spellman and Henry Cintra We
X dismissed from custody.
% RIHGLEADER HELD.
" George Wilson, who is acknowledged
a be one of the riugleaders of the gang, "
,s charged with trespass and with carryil
il concealed deadly weapon. He was I'm
# So and costs and given 80 days on the stu
=. pile on the charge OF trespass, and for h;
il ing u revolver in his possession he y
# held in default of 500 bail for the npi
N court.
- The following hobos were charged wi
II trespass: Martin kilday, John Conn
ar George Foos, Joseph Riley, George Wilsc
r Edward johnson, William Roach. Th
in were mulCted in fine of So and costs u
10 got 80 days at hard labor.
at -.s--