Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-17
INDIGNATION LIN VIRGINIA
The Attempted Wreckrof the II. F. ""
Train Accuses Citizens.
Growing COnvictioH That Tramps or
Perhaps Would.De Robbers
Turned the Switch.
From staff Correspondent of The Evening Star.

RAVENSWORTH, Va, August II, 1886.
Saturday mornings incident at the sta
ton here has convinced the people more
than ever that the law against tramps and
suspicious persons should he enforced to the
very letter. 1t is generally believed that
the dastardly attempt to wreck the "F. F.
w." train was the work of tramps, and
not of men who were daring enough to
initiate the Morganf1eld-Searcey "hold-up"
near Quantico about two years ago. Ih1s,
however, is merely surmise, for 1t may
be that some of the gang to which the
dlrir G robbers mentioned belonged perpe-
trated the crime Saturday morning, and
falling to accomplish what they had in
tended In the way of wrecking the train,
became frightened and were glad TO leave
Ihe firing upon Flagmau Muscoe proves
beyond doubt the character of the men
who participated in the affair. These men.
Tor 1t Is thought there were several OF
them, were only short distance from the
switch when Muscoe returned. They were
secreted on the edge Of the woods near
the track, and when the flagman advanced
toward them they thought they had been
seen and were going to be surrounded, and
probably fired upon by the train crew. 1t
was while he was going in the direction
OF them that the three shots were fired at
him.
Switch Lock Battered.
that the lock had been battered. probably
with sledge hammer, and when this was
done the switch was thrown open. The
switch had not been tempered with an
hour before the wreck, for a west-bound
train passed here without any trouble.
People who live along the line of the rail-
road In this vicinity recall the fact that
q number of tramps and suspicious-lookinS
people have been lately seen about some Of
the stations. but as a rule no notice was
taken of them, and they were permitted to
go uEmolested. The strange men seen
about Mallow station two weeks ago. 1t is
| thought. may have taken part in this at
falr Indeed, some people have an idea
| that they were along the line of the road
that night selecting a good place to OPP
erHte. When the armed policemen from
Alexandria appeared in response to COM
plants the strangers had departed.
Warm Reception in the Future.
other strangers who come about here in
| the near future may expect trouble, and
| If they do not find themselves in the hands
of the law they will have reason to con-
graduate themselves That a number of
pa ssengers were not killed and wounded
and the train completely wrecked was
surely no fault of the miscreants, for they
selected a good place for a"hold-up.' for,
although this spot is not fifteen miles from
Alexandria, it is to all intents and purposes
outside of civilization, for the road is
denseiy wooded, while on one side the
switch there is deep ravine. Had the
robbers succeeded in their undertaking the
| train would no doubt nave gone down over
1.-The emhankment and the wreck would
| then have been attended with loss of life,
but, as though Ivy an act Of Providence,
the engine pushed straight ahead until the
| box car on the spur track or blind siding
was reached, and the impetus was SO much
checked that all it did was to plough
! through the ground a. distance Of several
feet and to upset wood pile.
Fortunate Circumstances.
} Fortunately the box car was there and
there was up grade. 1t was also for
tCnate that the intended robbers were ig-
| norant of railroad matters, for had they
| understood how to manipulate the switch
! much more serious trouble would have
| resulted
When the affair happened there was con-
siderable excitement among some of the
| passengers IN the front coaches, while some
of those in the rear coach hardly knew
| that there had been any trouble, for a
| slight jar, If caused by the sudden ap-
plicauon Of the brake, was all they felt
whats the matter?' many of them
| asked, as they put their heads through
between the curtains of the sleepers. One
| or two passengers ventured the answer,
IT'S hold-up," but after several min
utes, when none of the expected masked
| burglars appeared, all hands were satisfied
| that there would be no trouble, and some
! of them We're soon asleep again. Railroad
| men who have been here since the acct
| dent happened are firm in their conviction
| that this class of crimes should be in
| cluded among the capital offenses. Detec-
| tiveS are Investigating the affair and are
making efforts to apprehend the guilty
| parties,