Evening journal., 1896-12-03
IMMUNITY IN TRAIN ROBBERY.

The modern industry of train rob-
berry has not been Influenced, it would
seem. by the conditions and circum
stances which have set bounds to the
ambition and achievements of men en-
gagged in other fields of enterprise. Nu-
merous lucky adventures of the preda
tory knights OF the road have been re-
corded of late in the current chronicles
of the time: and in the Western sec
tiOn of the country, where civilization
extends scarcely more than a rife
shots distance from the tracks, the
"hClding-up' of a fast express train
has been disclosed as the least risky
and most profitable Of larcenous I'M
dertakings In view of the ascertaine1
percentage and calcuiable chances If
losses sustained by passengers and
shippers on the Western roads, il
might be possible to include train rob-
berry among the numerous disasters
from which sound and scientific sys-
tenn of insurance affords relief. If tho
successful forays of bandits cannot he
prevented, there should at least De
some resource Of compensation and
retrieval open to the unwary and help
less passengers.
It has been the custom and practice
OF railway managers in time past to
| discourage, as far as possible, all open
/ measures of public discussion or of Of
/ fetal action by local authorities in re-
gard to these sporadic outbreaks OF
/ lawlessness. A train robbery is an ex-
uemely unpleasant matter from any
point of view, except that of the sue
| cessiul marauders. To recognize for
mally such an element in railway traf-
Al a
ference by agencies of public admins
tration Distrust would be implanted
in the popular mind, and additional
safeguards involving extraordinary
expense might be eXacted from the car
rying companies. Hence the general
impression that. notwithstanding the
] lessons and costly experiences OF
twenty years past in railrOading
through the West. train robbery as q
feat of felony has not become one whit
more difficult with the lapse of time.
In the recently reported robbery OF
Chicago and Alton express train
near Kansas City, the simple methods
. employed by the bandits were practi-
cally the duplicates Of those used in
similar larcenOus exploits in the same
locality On three separate occasions
hitherto a Chicago and Alton train ha,
been held up" at the same point OF
the line of the road; and in no instanc,
has there been recovery of property
taken or detection and capture of th'
/ plunderers. In progressive ant
highly civilized community, such
] record seems almost like a confession
of failure of society to extend to th
citizen the protection that is his due
and in consideration of which he sub
mits cherfullly to the multifarious re
straints which authority and cOnven
5 ticn impose upon individual liberty.
] It should be noted. however tina
81 immunity to lawlessness in such in
stances has not been due to the lack o
efficient agencies of protection and de
fence against train robbery; but rathe
: to the disposition and apparent deter
mination of railway managers and 10
cal authorities to treat this sort o
crime as a mere temporary incident il
our social development. But there ha
e been evinced as yet no desire on tn
r part Of the railway banditti to sub
side before the westward march o
r civilization If three successful trail
rObberies can be committed within
b. twelve miles of Kansas City, there l.
at least a fair probability that tn
work of plunder might be repeate,
without interference at some time il
. the future. 1t is this aspect OF negli
gence which invites the present atten
ton of the authorities and the institu
tion of better safeguards by the carry
ing companies.-Newark News.