Evening journal., 1896-10-06
DARING TRAIN ROBBERS
Masked Men Attack Two Dro-
vers Near New York.
DONE IN WILD WESTERN STYLE.

The Robbers Swung Themselves into the
Cars From the Roofs While the Train
Was Moving Rapidly-Asssuited aud
Robbed the Drovers.
KINGSTON, n. Y, Oct. The brothers
Hilton, Henry and Joseph, are wealthy
rattle droyers of New Scotland. They took
some fancy cattle TO New York and sold
them. They bought two carloads OF hne
sheep, and following their usual custom,
arranged 20 ride home on the same train
with them and personally watch over their
safety.
In the yards at weehawken they were
spotted by four rogues, whose subsequent
actions showed that they were familiar
with the trains on the West Shore road.
The brothers ate and drank freely before
leaving Weehawken, and Henry displayed
roll of bills. It was his undoing
Their cars were coupled TO train No. AZ,
a fast freight Some latticework was nail
cd on the side so that the brothers could
get out and visit each other II they wish
ed. All this was noticed by the gang
which noiselessly slowed itself away on
the bumpers and awaited a chance to oper-
ate.
A short distance this side Of Ulster Park
the robbers got to work. They were old
hands at freight car climbing. They swung
themselves to the top Of a car, then while
one of them remained on top to watch, the
other three swung themselves down the
side Of Henry Hilton's car and softly slid
open the door
1t was daring feat The train was run
ming fully 40 miles an hour, and West
Shore freight cars do not ride on Wagner
IL i. 4 IL
they were brave and skillful. They land
ed safely in Henry Hilton's car. Two Of
the fellows were tall and 1.-the They had
red bandana handkerchiefs bound about
their heads and partially concealing their
faces The third one, a short man with a
sandy mustaohe did not disguise himself.
Both Hiltons are positive that they saw
him hanging about the train at Newburg
when it STOPPED there and that he talked
to depot hs gers on as If he were we'll &C.
quainted with them. The fourth they did
not see.
Were Acrobatic Robbers.
Into the car Of Henry Hilton swung
these acrobatic robbers He lay on a wisp
of straw, doing, but when he saw the dark
forms entering he was on his feet in an
instant. He is giant Of man, with
muscles knotted by hard labor on a stock
farm, and as brave as he is strong He
reached for hammer in his pocket
Come, come, none OF thatr' cried the
leader of the freebooters, one of the big
men with the bandanas. Its q case of
dough or done for. We're three to one and
armed
There was an ugly flash Of pistols in
the dim light of a passing signal lamp,
but Hilton did not hesitate. He sprang
forward and hit tho first Of his assailants
hot crack with his hammer He could
hear the hollow sound as it crushed in the
latter's derby, and a savage snarl half
groan half curse, showed that he had
reached human mark.
In an instant the highwaymen were
upon him, battering his skull with theiI
revolver butts till he sank insensible on
the floor. Then they went through his
pockets. They expected to find a very
handsome booty, for the Hiltons often
took sums running into the thousands
with them when they went back home
after a visit TO the city, but the booty was
not much over S10O They also got a
handsome gold watch and chain
The other car was entered in precisely
the same manner, Joseph Hilton was
wide awake and made a desperate fight
for life. When they left him, with broken
nose and battered head, he lay in a deop
pool of his own blood, a horribly dishg-
ured creature, and the profits of this dis
fgurement were just SO in money, all he
had with him.
All this took place between Highland
and Kingston The train slowed up just
before reaching Rondout creek which it
crosses on high bridge, and there the
gang deoamped When the train halted al
Kingston, trainmen, looking in through
tho open doors, found the CHASTITY eyi
dences Of the struggle.
At once the alarm went up and dowT
the line, and the Kingston police VIII,
are not many, did what they could t,
overhaul the robbers. Six men foun,
lettering in the yards Of the railroad wer
arrested and taken before the injure,
men, who had recovered consciousness il
the hospital. None of them was recog
nized.