Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-07-22
A FIERCE And FATAL FIGHT
occurred on a Freight Train
Coming to This City.
ONE OF THE ASSAlLANTS DEAD
Was Kicked From a Car and
Horribly Injured.
Richard Wilson's Desperate Battle With
1ramps While JourneyinE to Wilmington
In Search OF Einpioyment-Was Attacked
While Riding on the Buffers.
PhIlnd efnhln Tlmos. Monday.

Philadelphia Timos. Monday.
81 In the dim light of the Sabbath
|smorning and on board fast. moving
'Sfroight train, Richard Wilson, me-
chani1 out of work and hailing from
New York, bad an encounter yesterday
with fonr tramps which might easily
Nhave cost him his life. but from which
/ he escaped with a few bruises on the
@]face and the loss of few articles of
#clothing. Not 30, however, with his
y EHssailants, one of whom now lies dead
#in the Presbyterian Hospital, while
I@the other three are prisoners In the
fsTwenty- ninth district police station.
n Wilson bad been in this city for
lzthree or four days trying to secure
work at his trade of paper hanger.
q Failing in this he decided 10 go to
Wilmington and having less than 81 in
his possession ne looked to the freighr
cars for transportation. About 2o'cluck
yesterday morning, with bundle con-
4 tHiuing the tools OF his trade and some
clothing under his loft arm, be jumped
on freight train which was moving
out Of Pennsylvania freight yard at
Fifty.secenth street, ami standing on
the buffer between two box cars he
secured himself Ivy holding on to the
brake wheel at the end of the car with
his disengaged hand.
While in this position and only a
few minutes after no got there two
rough looking men descended from the
Top of the car and taking positions
close to Wilson demanded his money.
Wilson replied that he had none, where.
upon the newcomers grabbed him, one
on each side, and proceeded to go
through his pockets In the right
hand vest pocket Wilson had about
sl.50--all he possessed-and in order
to keep the robbers hand from reach
ing this he bent his body forward.
Enraged by his failure to secure any
thing the robber struck Wilson several
savage blows on tbs face, while the
man on his right caught the upper
vest pocket and tore away the side Of
his vest.
Having both hands engaged, one
with his bundle and the other on the
brake to keep himself from falling of
the moving train, Wilson, now realized
his great danger, and proceeded to de-
fend himself in the only way be could,
by kicking his assailants. The man
90 his right received a kick which
made him totter and fall from the
buffer on which he stood. He probably
fell on the fence separating the tracks
and lay where he was subsequent
found by the police. The other robber
climbed to the top OF the car, where be
was j0ined by two companions, and
from this vantage point they tried to
throw Wilson oil the car.
The train had now slackened speed
and Wilson, thinking discretion the
better part Of valor. jumped from his
perch and made his way back 10 the
switch tower, short distance away.
To tho man in charge he told the story
OF the assault ana attempted robbery.
4 Ths awitGhman fired two pistol shots
4 to attract the police, and Sergeant
4 Duncan and a couple Of the Twenty
ninth district police promptly re-.
sponded. Going to the. spot indicated
by Wilson, they found the injured
hobo lying by the track, surrounded
by his companions, who bad in tine
meantime left the cars. He was lying
face downward and bis clothes had
been torn into shreds, his hody proba-
hly having been caught between the
moving cars and the fence when he fell.
lie was at once removed to the Presby-
terian HOSPITAL, where it was found
that his back was broken. his nose and
face skinned and one Of his thumba
broken. He gave his name later as
Dennis Carron, No. 14l South Twenty
fourth street, but all the efforts of
Magistrate Hughes, who saw him at
the hospital in the afternoon, could
not extract anything further from him,
+ and he died about 6 O'Clock without
Y saying anything mora about himself or
his companions. The other three men
Z whom the police arrested were arraigned
before Magistrate Hughes and held in
bail OF 81, 900 each for further hear
ing. Failing TO secure bail. they are
detained In the Twenty ninth district
police station, whore Wilson is also
held aa a witness against them.
The arrested men described them
selves to the police as Matthew
Reaney, % years old. of No. 25l6 Pine
streets William Curry, 81 years, of No.
427 Barnwell street, and Charles Boyle,
26 years, of No. 24l3 Manning street.
These men are not unknown to the
police Of the Fifth district. at least
two Of them having been charged with
offences against property some time ago.
The freight yard neGr which yester-
days occurrence took place has heen
4 infested for some time by tramps and
dangerous characters, and has given
considerable trouble TO the police aud
the Iailroud company, as many as 90
arrests bsing sometimes made there in
one day. .,=
Preparing for the Trip.
Tha poliaa hnva m ada oraat praporo.