Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-08-05

"lIHdn't you better leave your
money here, said to Mr.. Chester,
$50 that If we should be beaten they
Will fail to get their BOOTY"
"oh, no, Mr.. Chester promptly
drCidGd. IF it should be lost here.
that would put you In pretty bad
hole. And, then, we are acting only
on suspicion, rather slimly founded
Supp"s" 1t should prove u false
alarm and l had To return for the
money. My delay would be so great
that the true story would bo sure to
como out, and none of us would
hear the last of it, No, we can 20
ahead, and if we find it too hot for
us we can retreat rapidly down tho
track.
Gao ahead it was, then. was
ready. | wired to the main office:
AN attack ON paymastcr : car fear
ed at Jones Siding. Will close Office
ami - with Mr.. Chester. Leave
l:20.
then established connection and
called Jones, wiring these words:
"SIEht delay To engine of paymas-
tcr's car. O. X. now. Leave 1:2O;
due Siding about l:lO."
90. Is. came back promptly.
l jumped aboard tho engine end of
tn" combination car, and we started
at good speed. Tho lights were soon
put ont in the body of the car.
When about two miles from the sig
nal tower, we slowed down to about
six miles an hour. We soon saw the
red signal ut the tower, but a white
light ut the sWltCh half Il milo be-
low.
"L"uk ont for the switch, said
10 ia" engineer.
W" came to II stand at tho switch,
and the fireman diSmountcd. But,
to our surprise, everything was
straight. We advanced cautiously,
when the red signal was suddenly
changed to white.
"Bl"w your whistle, said to the
engineer, and make documentary
squirt. as if to run past.
II" did 50, when the signal MAS
again changed to rcd. The engineer
reduced speed to n walking gait.
We Cropt up to the tower without
meeting any obstruction and Camc
to u halt directly in fl ont of it.
Every man romnin on the car ut
the peril of his lifel' came a star
Ting shout from the dark doorway
of the lower story of the tower,
land throw out all the money, or
I'll blow you, car and all, to pieces.
There are dynamite cartridges on
the track for 100 yards before, be-
hind and undor you, and can set
them all off with touch of my fin
ger.
There was only ono voice heard,
and no form visible. How many
there wore i'll tho tower mono of us
knew.
stick to your posts, I whispered
to the engineer and tiroman, land /
will get down on this side and see
what | can do"
The side l meant was farthest
from the tower. Quite deep ditch
ran along the track here, and Just
ahead II little bridge spanned a small
stream.
As l spoke l stepped off the engine
behind the fireman and quickly
made my way under the bridge to
tho tower side of the track then
cautiously assembled the rising
ground. the snow acting AS car
pet, and in little more than Il mill
ute was prcring through Il window
III tn" tower directly opposite the
door.
| SAW the forms of two men dim
ly outlined against the snow, one in
sitting position, with his right
hand extended az if grasping han
die.
understood what he was doing.
The electric current used in tele-
graphing IL not suited to explode
blasting cartridges. Tho instrument
used for that purpose is Il small box,
10y means of which, by few rapid
turns of crank, Il powerful spark
IL produced and transmitted by
wires to the blasting charges. The
sitting man i'll the tower guarded
the machine that could instantly
blow the car to atoms.
With my revolver l took steady
aim ut his right arm, but before
pulled the trigger tho same voice
called out to the people in the car {:
"Now, no trickcry, or you will be
instantly blown up. My man will
get that satchel and inspect its con-
tents while l keep guard over the
battery here"
The standing man went out the
door and moved from my line of
vision. Instantly | fired at tho sit
ting mans arm, and IL tremendous
yell showed that my aim had been
good. The other man rushed back
to the tower, when | called. Hold
up your hands, or You uro Il dead
mani"
At the same instant there was a
slight disturbance i'll the upper room
that | did not understand, and this
was followed by the rapid movo-
mcnt of the car up the track.
Mr.. Chester and his two assistants
appeared at this moment at the
door, but ] could not recognize
them. | first thought / had raised a
hornets nest, but with drawn re
V"ivcrs they demanded tho surren-
der of the two cowcd men and dis