Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-12
CONDUCTOR MADE A FIGHT
Defeats the Efforts Of Three Men to Hold
Him Up.
MoToRMAN CAME TO HIS ASSISTANCE
After the Trouble Was All Over a
Policeman Arrived and Made nm
Intellectual Attempt to Catch
the Fleeing HiRhwnymcn.

the Fleeing HiRhwnymcn.
One OF the boldest attempts at highway
robbery which has occurred in this city
for some time was made last night shortly
after 10 o'clock. The intended victim was
Conductor ID. II. Hughey of the Council
Bluffs and Omaha motor line and the des-
peradoes, although they made good their
escape, are pretty well known to the police.
Conductor Hughey and Motorman Fred
Smith, forming train crew No. .. left the
eastern terminus of the motor line about
$3.50. Both cars were well filled with pas
sengers wher the train left Broadway and
started down Avenue A. At the first cross
ing the train stopped and three fairly well
dressed men got in the rear coach. Just
before reaching the bridge one of the men
started forward and took his position on the
platform occupied by Hughey, which was
between the coach and the trailer. He was
followed shortly by the other two. Little
attention was paid to this by Hughey until
one Of the men, feigning drunkenness. fell
heavily against him Hushey grabbed him
by the arm and pushed him to an upright
position against the side of the car think
lurching of the train. Business called
Hughey to the rear of the train and he paid
no more attention to the men, Shortly after
leaving the west end of the bridge Hughey
again came forward and took his position on
the front platform OF the rear coach, the
three men meanwhile standing on the rear
platform of the motor car.
GRABBED THE CONDUCTOR.
The conductor had no sooner taken his
position at the brake than the tallest Of the
trio. the same one whom he had encountered
before, stepped across. and throwing both
arms around him, cried to his pals: i've
got him Here, you fellows, look, llveiy!'
The two confederatcs thus summoned.
jumped across the intervening space be-
tween themselves and their intended victim,
and Immediately thrust their hands down
into Hughey's pockets. Hughey, though a
small man, possesses considerable muscle.
and fought his dssailants desperately. He
thus prevented the confederates from getting
to the bottom of his pockets, where he had
nearly SIS in silver.
Meanwhile the train was nearing the cor
ner OF Twelfth and Douglas streets and
Motorman Smith, still unconscious OF the
troubles of his friend. slackened speed. He
then glanced backward and seeing the men
locked in each others embrace, swaying
backward aud forward on the platform ran
to his friends assistance. Furious at being
thwarted in his plans. the tall robber thrust
the conductor far over the dashboard and
had nearly overcome him, when Smith
grasped him from the rear. One OF the rob
ber's confederates at this sprang from the
nj, ~,
to the attack and attempted to brain Smith.
The roof of the car however, prevented his
swinging the bar and after seeing that hG,
pal being worsted the cowardly thug
took to his heels and ran east on Douglas.
The other man, who " Is not engaged in the
fight, followed a few seconds later and the
one who had hold of Hughey alone remained.
GAVE HIM A RIGHTHANDER.
Smith by this time had partially succeeded
in disengaging the highwayman from Hughey
and the plucky little conductor, getting his
right arm loose, swung it and landed upon
the robbers nose. The blood spurted and the
would-be Jesse James from this moment ap-
peared to lose all interest in the fight except
to get away. This he managed at length to
do and started south on Twelfth street.
Officer Godola, who had witnessed the
struggle, came up to the car shortly before
the highwayman had broken loose and stood
at one time, according to the statement of
Smith and Hughey, within twenty feet OF
them No effort, however, was made by
Godola they state to stop either of the
other two men who made good their escape
and he did not start after the third man,
who was escaping, until he was about half
a block away. Godola then took after the
fleeing highwayman, who few seconds later
disappeared down FaTnam. Hughey states
there was no good reason why the men
should not have been caught except a dis
inclination upon the part of the officer to en-
gage in the affray or a failure to compre-
hend what was going on.
The passengers. largely consisting OF
women, were badly frightened, but stated
to the police that they could positively iden-
tify the men If captured. Hughey came out
of the struggle with only a few scratches,
and considers himself fortunate that the
robber did not use knife on him. The po-
lice are on the lookout for the men, and
are of the opinion they are the same parties
who turned a number of tricks in this
city and Council Bluffs lately by picking