The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-03-06

laundering
Moving Cars ut tho Risk of Life and
Limb.
"Look out sharp for thieves tonight.
boys. We have II big lot of good stuff
aboard, and there are orders for all hands
to keep their eyes OPEN"
Tho speaker was the conductor of one of
the through trains of the Red Line COM
pany's fast freight service ON the Lake
Shore road. 1t was cold and stormy
night. The icy slect made the footboards
on the tops of the cars uncomfortable and
dangerous and the crew had gathered in
the caboosc to warm up preparatory to the
regular stop Mt Elkhart, Ind, when their
duties would call them out into the storm
again. Thirty five heavily laden cars were
pounding away, headed for Chicago and
getting over the ground Mt the schedule
speed of 30 miles an hour. Everything was
in good working order and an inspection
ut tho last station had shown no trace OF
thieves. Elllhart was n good 20 minutes
run ahead, and tho conductor settled him
self down in II snug corner of the caboosc
Tor II rest before the whistle for brakes
would be blown. IIo was deep in Thought
over the peculiar nature of the thefts from
which the company had suffered and WAS
congratulating himself on what appeared
to be II good chance for taking his train
through without losing part of its load
when tho signal sounded for brakes, and
as the crew sprang out to their posts he II.
peated the warming:
Look sharp, boys, and If you find any
body skuli,ing about the train crack his
head. We are all right so far, and I'd like
to take one load through that hasn't been
tempered with
When the cars stopped ut Elkhart. the
trninmen madc II hurried run alongside the
train. Quick glaIrcs east by experienced
eyes told them the doors were all properly
sealed, and, while it was impossible to cx-
anime closely, they made up their minds
that there were no intrudcrs on the trucks
or bumpers. When the signal to start was
given, the head and rear end brakcmcn
mounted to their respective posts and made
a flying trip along the icy footboards
They found everything clear, and rs the
train gathered Roadway and plunged off
into the black night for its run to South
Send the brakcmcn crept down into the
caboosc again and huddlcd about the stove
They compared notes with the conductor,
who made an entry on the conditions in
his report book with an open smile of sat
iSfaction.
ship goods hy the fast freight lines to Gus
toners in Chicago had been annoyed by
extensive thcfts which We're plainly com
mittcd in transit. Cars loaded ut the
former city and carefully scaled would be
closely watched ell route, but many OF
them would reach Chicago with the seals
broken and part of their contents missing
Long work and close Watching by de
tcctivcs finally resulted in the discovery
that most of the thcfts were committed
just before the trains reached Chicago. On
the Lake Shore cars that were in good CON
tition Mt Elkhart ana South Bend would
roll into the city the next day with broken
seals and lacking part of their original
contents.
After leaving South Bend no stop was
made by the Lake Shore fast freight trains
ut any station east of Chicago long enough
to give the thieves chance To work, and
wherever stops were made the triinmcn
were always ont on watch. The same con
ditions prevailed on the Pennsylvania and
the Illinois Central. 1t was evident the
robbing was done after the trains had left
South Bend and Valparaiso but how?
One day the Lake Shore detectives made
discovery Just west of South Bend is
steep grade, in ascending which all hcav-
lily laden trains have to materially reduce
their speed. Along this rise a sharp eyed
Inspector found traces of plumber. BY the
side of the tracks remains of fires were
found, which up to then were supposed to
have been started by tramps for cooking
and warming purposes. Poking in the
ashes of one of these deserted campircs the
inspector came across the remnants of some
burned shoes. He dug farther into the
ashes and uncarthcd shoes that were only
partly burned. Enough of them remained
20 show they were new goods, and the
makers name was readily decphcrable.
So far as the Lake Shore line was con-
ccrncd the detectives We're convinced that
the rhcfts had been committed while the
trains were going up this grade. But how?
This was the question that stuck the
sinaricst of them. Conductors reports
and the Investigations OF special agents
showed the cars left South Bend in good
order and tho trains were free from tramps
and other suspicious characters. In the
meantime other important discoveries were
made. IL WAS found by the traces of wheel
tracks in the wet ground that the thieves
who did the stealing from tho cars had ac-
complies who cartcd away the goods. II
the amount was larger than the wagons
would hold the surplus plumber was drag
gcd back into the bushes and either hidden
or burned.
These were the conditions over which
the conductor and his crew were debating
rs tho train rolled out of Elkhart on it's
way To South Bend on the night referred
TO. Satisfied that everything was thus far
all right, the conductor, positive no raid
would he made until the next station was
reached, began to map out his plan of
operations. While he was thus engaged
four desperate men were making prepare
tions to rob that very train. Just as it
was moving out of Elk hart these men. I'M
seen in the darkness of the night by hurry
ing brnkcmcn, had boarded the forward
cars on tho 'off" side and slowed them
selves away on the bumpers Rcrc, close