Evening journal., 1896-05-09
TRIED TO WRECK TRAINS
Henry Jackson, a Colored Man,
Under Arrest.
TIES WE'RE PLACED ON THE TRACK


riie Philadelphia Local Crashed Into an
Obstruction with Down Brakes-The
Engineers Caution Saved Disaster.
Robbery L. Thought 60 he the Motive.
JERSEY CRY, May g-In hut which
he had built in the woods between Deans
Pond and Franklin Park. the loneliest
stretch on the Pennsylvania railroad be-
tween this city nnd Philadelphia detectives
surprised and arrested Henry Jackson q
negro. They will charge him with being
one Of a band OF desporadoos who within
the last three days have made several at.
tempts to wrcck fast passenger trains,
presumably for the purpose OF plundering
the dead and injured. The olionse which
Jackson IS charged with having commit
ted was an attempt TO wreck the Philadel-
phia local Tho train actually struck Y
shaped obstruction made Of railrond ties,
and fearful accident was prevented only
by the ongnoor's watshfulness He saw
the danger IN time 10 reduce speed, and
the passengers escaped with a slight shak-
ing up.
1t was discovered that ties had been
placed on tho tracks spikes drawn and
plates removed, even while three timos
the usual number OF watohmon wero pa
trolling the track and keeping an oxtrn
sharp watch because OF the knowledge
shat an attempt had been made to wreck
train the previous evening
It Is not yet definitely known what evil
denco the detectives have against jackson.
They say that they believe they bad So
cured telling evidence. Superintendent
". f. Brooks OF the Now York division OF
tho Pennsylvania has beon led TO believe
by the reports of his men that tho at
tompts discovered woro tho work of SOW
ornl men rather than Of one.
Thore IS much about the case which
suggests the crime for which the boy train
wrunkors were sentenced in Rome n y,
and 10 has been suggested that their plans
may have inspired oldor criminals with
the idea OF attempting wholesale murder
Tho Pennsylvania system Is patrolod
day and night by men, each OF whom
guards about two miles OF Tho four track
route. These traolgwalkers arc supposed
to replace spikes which have worked loose,
sec that splces are in order and screw up
nuts which are not tight
Prominent People on the Train.
Tho train In front OF which the ohstruc.
tion had been placed was heavily loaded
with passengers. Among them wero
United States Senator James Smith, Jr.,
Major Rufus Blodgott Of Long Branch,
former Judge Gotttricd Kruegor of New
ark, Frederick Marsh of Elizabeth and
Alderman Becker Of New Brunswick.
Tho track Is straight near franklin
Park. and as the night was clear the en-
ginoer could SEQ the rails for quite a long
distance ahead The train was making 40
miles an hour On one side was deep
ditch on tho other an embankihent lvo
feet high
The engineer saw what appeared 20 he
pile OF railroad ties and instantly rovers
cd his engine and applied the alrbrakes.
Tho signal was answered at once, but In
spite OF brakes and engine the impetus OF
the train drove It upon the ties. which
stopped it with a jolt sufficient TO shake
up the passengers, but not TO derail the
sovon crowded passenger cars
frralnmon and passengers, with the at.
tempt OF the previous evening In thair
minds, hurriodly alighted to investigate.
Right before tho pilot OF the engine and
wodged partly beneath Il they found two
ties, which lNd been placed V fashion, the
apex pointing In the direction from which
tho train must approach.
The trainmen mado short search in
the vicinity. but found no trace Of the
wrookors Tho ties wore removed, and tho
train, after a delay Of 90 minutes, proceed
ed TO New Brunswick, four miles distant
An examination of tho engine resulted In
the discovery OF tie wedged undor tho
pilot
Detectives Morris and Ryerson learned
that n negro had been seen I'm the woods
near Deans Pond. In beating tho thickets
there they camo suddenly upon "A rudo
hut, and as they cautiously approached it
tall, muscular oolored man camo to the
holo which served as a door and faced
them. Ho was Immediately arrested on
general principles and searched.
He carried what trainmen call a claw
bar'-a short iron instrument made 20
draw spikes Ii was wrapped in brown
pdper, which Il had stained and they
therefore concluded that the man had car
ried Il for some time. Tho bar led them
TO believe that the arrest was most i'm
portant one, and they set of for New
Brunswick with the prisoner, who went
willingly enough.
He told thom on the way long ram
bling story about his movements but
made no explanation about the "claw-
bar" He said no was "a years old and
lived at l6O Railroad avenue, this city.
He was told that he was arrested merely
for trespussing but he knew better than
that before long and earnestly protested
thut ne nau neoh III no way conteIheu IN
the attempts to wreck trains. He was liv-
ing in the woods, he said because he had
no money and was making his way back
TO Jersey City, sleeping wherever no could.
The detectives will attempt to prove by
James Wilson, station agent at Deans
Pond that the negro made repeated In
auiries concerning the time at which tho
Washington express would reach that sta
tioR, and that he was seen to have a crow.
bar in his possession.
Their idea is that a band OF wreckors
intended to derail tho express. which,
they knew, was made up of yestibulo,
mail and express cars and which therefore
offered the best opportunity for plonder
after wreck.
jackson, they believe, was at one time
In the employ VI a railroad in the south