The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-31

merely destined to parboil him half to
death and leave him contorted with
agony until the train hands pOunce
upon him and make him an easy pris-
oner. In this case the inventor as
sumes that the robbers have gained
possession of the car and have ter
roriZed the messenger so that he has
consented to unlock the safe. 1t is
part of the scheme of this invention
that the safe be placed in one pa1-
ticular part of the car. The artful mes
senger, under the gentle Stimulant of
a levelled revolver in the hands of the
train robber, assumes frightened COM
pliance with his wishes, and, pulling
out his keys, offers to lead the robber
to where the treasure is secured.
The invention provides for sliding
door Immediately in front of the safe,
and inclosing that corner of the car
in which the messenger would stand
to unlock the door of the strong box.
AS the messenger presses his foot on
spring in the floor of the car, the pre-
else position of which is known only
to himself, the sliding door shoots into
it's place. shutting him off from The
robber and inclosing the messenger
within a newly made compartment
through which the robber could dis
charge his firearms without the least
possibility Of any bullet penetrating
to where the messenger stands.
But the robber would have by this time
turned his attention to himself, for, with the
closing of the sliding door there will appear
before his startled eyes row Of pipes. Be-
fore he will have had time to hazard a guess
as to the meaning Of this remarkable change
in the aspect of affairs he will be enveloped
in burning, binding, agonizing cloud of
steam, which will burst from the row of
pipes and strike him with fearful force 1t
will he wi will ho
impossible. If the train robber is not so
completely boiled as to be fit only for a hos
pital ward, he will endeavor to crawl away
from this kissing, burning, scalding demon,
whose fiery breath is scorching him to the
very bones. But whittier will he turn to get
away from the steam which, in few seconds,
will fill the car
The answer to this question is left to the
hapless victim. The inventor has left no way
of escape. He was not racking his brains
to make the torture easier for the train rob-
Der. Having parboiled him, he leaves him
to crawl out of the scrape the best way he
can His invention is for the benefit of the
train hands, not for the robber. He has shown
this by allowing a means of escape for the
messenger, in case the confinement within the
sealed corner in which he has secluded him
self becomes too irksome. In the roof imme-
diately over the corner where the strong box
is to be placed, the patentees robber- proof
car is provided with trap door that is Sc
curely bolted on the inside. By climbing on
the safe the messenger is able to reach the
where he can secure help, not SO much for
himself as for the unfortunate crook who Is
being steamed to death in the car that he
had hoped to rob.
The steam battery Is always ready for ac-
ton. Pipes run along the inside walls of the
car, and thence are connected with the boiler
on the negine Ammunition in unlimited
quantities is always on tap. With such a
terrible reception awaiting him as this bath
of steam, the train-robbing craft may be
forgiven If they retire from the business of
raiding trains, and take up the less danger
Gus one of attacking police stations
Another invention is intended to transfer
the steam torture to the locomotive of the
train. 1t frequently happens that train rob-
with the object of bringing the train to
standstill. A hot reception awaits the system
attic train robber who begins his nefarous
scheme in this manner
The invention consists Of a battery of
steam pipes all around the top and sides of
the locomotive. The engineer opens valve,
and Instantly the hot steam is blown in every
direction. while sliding steel plates which can
be let down all over the windows in the
cab place the engineer and fireman inside
an impregnable barrier, from whence they
can defy the bullets Of the attacking force,
while holding them off with the storm of
steam.
Should the robbers be persistent, and at
tempt to cfrcumvent the locomotive steam de-
fence by climbing up on the pilot and passing
along the running board at the side of the
engine, the engineer, by means of lever in
side the cab, can tilt the running board in
wardly, and this board Is armed with
sharp spikes along its edge, the robber will
find himself wedged in between the penetrat-
ing points Of the spikes and the uncomfort-
ably warm side of the boiler, and here he
will be firmly held, until the next station Is
reached, when what Is left of him may be
taken to the lookup or the hospital, accord
ing to the amount of life left in him.
In another sensational invention for de-
Tending the travelling treasure chset, the IN
ventor has been more merciful than either of
the other two, but even with this device the
train robber had better insure his life before