Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-04-18

This bomb"-pointing to an exceed
ingly formidable-looking missile of the
Orsini type-''was found underneath
the seat of a railway carriage ii a
London to Edinburg express. On be-
ing opened it was found to contain
nothing more deadly than copy of
a weekly periodical. The proprietors
of the journal in question were just
then offering a prize to the competitor
who should best advertise it, and
couple of very foolish readers inclosed
copies in bombs and left them lying
about in various public places
Thus spoke the writer in Tit
Bits, one day recently, the curator
of the Black Museum" attached to
the Midland Railway company's offices
at Derby.
Relics Of some of the most startling
and sensational railway tragedies of
modern times are here enshrined, as
we'll as quite a large collection of
those even more Observation-Disclosures
more mysterious-ones, which have to
do with attempted crimes, concern
ing which the general public has never
heard.
For instance, a slmple-looking
bundle of parti-colorcd flags, Of the
regulation size and color used by rail
way signalmen, was captured one
summer evening, after a desperate
struggle from a mysterious American,
who was found lettering on the main
line far from station or signal box.
He was let go free by the magistrate
before whom he was brought, as moth
ing definite could be proved against
him; but The railway authorities have
a grim theory that he belonged to a
gang Of transatlantic train robbers,
who contemplated Tagging" the
north-bounr express and "holding-up"
the passengers in true wild West
style.
Queen Weapons in View.
Another queer exhibit is a fowling
piece Of elegant design, captured from
a man who one night in midwinter in
vaded lonely signal box at a remote
junction and invited the occupant to
throw up his hands. The desperate
himself escaped, and to this day the
railway police are at loss as to the
exact motive which inspired his act.
That it was something sinister, how
ever, they entertain not the slightest
shadow of a doubt,
A dainty little revolver, ivory
handled and gold-mounted, was found
on the body of an unknown lady, who
not long since committed suicide in a
first-class railway carriage near Scar
borough, on what should have been
her wedding morning. Another mys-
FERROUS railway carriage tragedy, one
which was the talk of England for
days, is recalled by pair of lady's
kid gloves-about which there still
fingers the faint, sweet odor of step
hanotis-and a long-bladed, stilett J.
like knife.
A fragment of ordinary notified
soap, reposing upon worn and rusty
poCketbook, is reminiscent of the
career of Tomlinson, the would-be
train-wrecker, whose exploits caused
something very like a panic among
the company's servants in the autumn
of 1898
Four separate and determined at
tempts at derailing trains took place
within a week, in the vicinity, respect
lively of Northampton (two), Peter
borough and Bedford. The latter it
was that proved the misCreant's I'M
doing. A man was seen washing iron
rust off his hands near the place
where the train dashed into the OBJ
structiOn, and on Tomlinson's arrest
on suspicion, some days afterward, a
cake of soap was found on him stained
with iron rust. Also, concealed in the
lining of his great coat was the pocket
book in question, wherein were noted
down the exact times of arrival of the
trains upon which the attempts had
been made at the points where the OBJ
structions had been placed. That piece
of soap and that pocket book sufficed
to send their owner into penal servi-
tude for twenty years.
The robbery of railway trucks in
transit, and when left temporarily un
guarded in sidings, has OF late years
been reduced to something very like
a science among the peculiar brand Of
professional criminals who make a
specially of this class of work, and
very varied and interesting is the col
lection of tools which has been &C
cumulated at the expense of the fra.
ternity.
One specimen is shown, for instance,
which might be described as a regular
truck robbers wade mecum, compris-
ing as ii does in one instrument
jimmy, wrench, saw. screwdriver
gimlet, wedge, centre bit and pincers.
Other single jimmies there are,