The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-10-10

man not to leave the office inside Of an hour
or he would be a dead man.
At about l. 80 o'clock, or few minutes
after the robbers left a Philadelphia & Read
ing coal train conductor called at the office to
get tickets for loaded coal cars that were to
be taken from the Cambridge breaker to the
main line The watchman had succeeded in
opening the office door and explained the
condition of affairs to the astounded con-
ductOr, who at once proceeded to unite the
rope that bound the watchman's hands. At
about the same time George Lowrey the actor,
who is taking few weeks of recreation at the
home of his parents at Turkey Run, hap
pened along while on his way from town and
he assisted in relieving the watchman.
Lowrey then hastened to the home of Coun-
Gilman David r. James the inside foreman
of the colliery, and after notifying him of
the facts notified the police who hurried to
the scene. The robbers had a good start how
ever, and search was frutless. Foreman
James hurried to the colliery and Superin-
tendent J. c. McGinness, who resides at
Frackville, arrived upon the scene at about
2:3O o'clock this morning.
The robbers were tracked as far as Maha-
noy Plane, having gone there on a coal train.
All trace Of them was lost at that point and
it is believed they left that place on an early
morning freight train. Teegrams have been
sent east and west along the line Of the p. x
r. railroad and the Coal & Iron police have
every reason to believe that the robbers will
be captured soon Two of the robbers are
known, but the authorities will not divulge
their names or descriptions. Two very i'm
portant witnesses are already under sur
veilance.
The work of the robbers was entirely
fruitless, as the safe contained nothing but
the books of the coliery and a number of
cancelled checks and otherpapers Of no in
trinsic value Some of the books and papers
were found this morning at the bridge near
the colliery and at the p. & X. crossing near
the lime kiln. A piece Of rope such as was
used in tieing the hands Of the watchman
was found near the kiln and this leads to the
supposition that the robbers proceeded from
town to attack the colliery.
Thomas O'Conncll, the watchman is a man
40 years Of age, small in stature and lightly
built. He resides at 523 West Lloyd street.
When seen by a HERALD reporter this morn
ing he said another nights experience of the
same kind would add forty years to his life.
The robbers did not beat him. but his neck is
sore from the choking and it is covered with
finger nail scratches. O'Connel was unable
to identify any Of the robbers, as they had
their faces masked with pieces of cloth that
reached up to their eyes. The robbers said
nothing during the operations except to ask
him to open doors and warn him not to give
an alarm. He told them there was no money
in the safe and there was no use spelling it,,
but they answered in language Of a very
disagreeable character and told him to mind
his own business, which he was very willing
to do if they had given him chance.
1t is believed the robbers supposed that the
money to pay the employees Of the colliery
to-day was in the safe.