The age-herald., 1900-10-18
I'RAMPS CAUGHT
 BY THE POLICE Synod of Hoboes Gathered at
 RovIe'S. AND ACTED IN AN UGLY WAY Police Captain Weir and Several Men Changed Their Uniforms and Went to the Scene of Trouble
 Tramps Arrested
AND ACTED IN AN UGLY WAY

The quiet of police headquarters was dis turbed last night by a riot call from Boyles Gap, d station on the Louisville and Nash Vile Railroad, about four miles from town. The operator al the station telegraphed that some tramps were breaking into freight cars, and asked that a squad of off, cers be sent there to protect property.
 Captain Weir, Officers Murphy, Nix, Reese and Eagan and an Age-Herald re- porter imme dately went to the Twentieth street station to board the northbound through freight No. P on the Louisville and Nashville Railroad
 A .uuncit of Var
 While waiting for the train q council of War was held and ways and means devised 10 bag the game. Quite a crowd collected. well, Capn,' remarked some one, you'll never get tramp with those gray ltelmits. They'll spot you right off and take to the woods.'
 This point being well taken, the police immediately proceeded to swap hats With the by-standers, and queer spectacle was the crowd when the exchange was made. Citizens strutted around in police helmets and the police with slouch hats and buttons turned in. in their effort to look like tramps succeeded better than they tmag- ined.
 Well, Mister" said a citizen to an off cer, you are welcome to my hat-only don't lose it running"
 "I'll wear your hat, Captain, and report any 'perlicei I see asleep, said another. 'I suppose with this helmet on 1 can eat
 
 a third
 Here the freight train came by at 10:45, and the flow of wit and humor was cut short.
 How the Game Was Caught
 The party boarded the train. some on the engine and the rest in the cab. A short run brought them to Boyles Gap, and here the Birmingham police got in some fine work Sherlock Holmes was not in it. Those on the engine got off and proceeded back towards the rear of the train. Those from the cab proceeded forwards on each side of the cars, walking with d stealthy tread that boded i'll to any careless crimi- nal. The tramps were expected to board this train to get out of Boyle's Gap. Half way up the train the first tramp was flushed. He made a break for liberty, but an officer nabbed him. Another was caught trying to climb aboard, and third scenting danger broke and ran for the woods. This one could have been winged, but the officers in the kindness of their hearts did not fire. Altogether four out of the five were taken. Their names as given are: A. McCreary, Huntsville; r. P. Long Illinois; William H. Haley, Nashville, and Harmon Hall, who was "bred in old Ken lucky. They were handcuffed and brought back to the city.
 The Night Opera ators Story
 Lucius P. Bedinger, the night operator at Boyle's Gap, said that five men came into his office last night. They wanted to know about the schedules of freight trains. He refused to tell them and they then went and broke open some cars on No. 15S, the Birmingham Mineral train The brakeman and f1agman came up and they ran. Then one of them came back and asked him about No. 172. He told him to go off and followed him to see that he left The man turned on him and he heard something click and then he fired at him, and sent message for the police
 Before the police arrived Superintendent Welch of the Louisville and Nashville came south in his private car. He got off his car and begged the men to go away. They hung around, however, until captured by Captain Weir and his men.
 One Gets Away
 One of the tramps made his escape Just as No. 72 pulled out going north he was seen to jump on a ladder at the side of a car It was too late to stop the train and he got away.