The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-12-07
H uttitDl uuuU Ill
Detective Allen and a Posse
Looking for the Tramps
Who Made the At
4. tack Last Night,
THE CONDUCTORS STORY
Five Men Engaged in the Assault
The Train Despatchc9's
Statement.
THE CONDUCTORS STORY
spccsal TO the Jerscu cstu Neaa.


tectiye Allen of this city and a posse are
making every effort possible to capture
the tranps who last night held up two
freight trains on the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. He was on their~trail last night
for awhile, but lost them because Of the
meagre description he had Of them. There
are so many tramps along the line Of
the railroad that it is doubtful whether
1t will be possible to pick out the mis-
creants if the drag net is stretched.
Lawlessness on the part of the tramps
has become frequent of late. and the
railroad company has determined to put
an end to it If possible. The offenders
will be summarily dealt with.
A. L. Smith, the conductor of extra
freight train 1,493, who lives at No. A,032
ing told the first accurate story of the
manner in which five tranps attacked
him and two others and finally threw
MN Off the train While it was running
twenty-five miles an hour. He said that
his train stopped at the coal chutes near
Millham, and as there are always a large
number of trampsr there waiting to catch
a ride to New York or Philadelphia, he
has no doubt that the five men who did
the holding up got on there. The train
was running into Lawrence station, which
is two miles west of Princeton Junction,
when Conductor Smith started to walk
over his train toward the engine As he
0&4ARSA va Z O-A0C2C a&Gi W. AAACL mp
ed up from the bottom Of the car and,
placing a revolver at his head. ordered
him to turn over what valuables he
had
Both Of the men had revolvers and
they pointed them straight at him. He
struck out with his right arm and knocked
time hat he pulled the trigger, the
other tramp fired too, but neither of the
bullets took effect.
Smith then rushed up the side of the
adyf- o and ron nrnr TIN an - II ins
order to call the train hands and notify
the engineer. When he jumped down
into an empty car he encountered three
rled him to the side of the car and threw
him to the side Of the track. He straight
ened himself out as he jumped, and his
saved him serious injury. His right leg
was badly cut and sprained and he was
bruised by contact with the ties and bal
last. Having, disposed of Smith, the five
framps attacked q man OF the name of
Lewis harrison of No. 462 Amsterdam ave
nue., New York. They took his gold watch
and SIS in money. Then he feigned fnsen-
sibility from the beating and they left
him in the bottom of the car. Next they
turned their attention to an old freshman
OF the name of Patrick Lee and stole
what little he had.
The tramps waited until Princeton juno
tlon was reached, knowing that the train
would slow down there. When the train
slowed down they jumped off and made
Tor the woods. Lewis Barrison ran
~ - lS Ai6 tTdllI anu IC1u In
gIneer Head that his had been
killed. .The train was stopped and word
was feiegraphed to New Brunswick for
physicians.
onlllh managed to limp along until he
reached another eastbound freight near
Princeton Junction, and this carried him
TO his own train. Drs. Baldwin and Clark
attended him there.
Smith and Barrison think they could
identity the ramps. Three of the robbers
had r~egolvers, and the woodwork of the
refrigerator car showed four bullets.
the same gang robbed two travellers on
a west bound freight train about ten
ociock last night. about an hour before
me second holdup. They were beaten off
by train hands, who made no attempt to
capture them.
Train Dispatcher waita,s Statement
Freight. Train Dispatcher Waite, whose
once is In the jersey City depot. said
TINS morning that he had received a re-
port of the affair.
"fnere are hundreds of tramps along
the line of the road" he said, and some
o. them are reckless fellows. East New
brunswick is a kind of rendezvous for
Them It is an old trick of theirs to get
On frelghts and rob the other trarnps
whom they find stealing rides. They FREE
quently take their clothes, or make them
change clothes with them. They seldom
attack the train men. / suppose they
took Conductor Smith for one of their
KIND, as he was not carrying a lantern.
n fell upon him. Every effort is being
made TO catch the men. We have to con-
tfnually keep having them arrested to
keep the trains clear of them