The Washington times., 1901-07-11
RAILROAD MEN ARRESTED.
A Thieving Conspiracy Believed TO
Have Been Unearthed.
Constant Losses in n Freight Yard
Led to Police InVestiGntion-
Three Employees in Custody-tiOods
of Much Value Found i'm Search.

Led to Police lnFestiEntfoh-
Three Employees in Custody-GiOOds
/ of Much Value Found in IA Search.
| What may prove a conspiracy to ROB
! trains of the Pennsylvania Railroad and
| cars of the Pullman Company was un-
earthed last night by the arrest of Eugene
Hancock, thirty-one years of age; Charles
: j. Knott aged twenty-three years, and
| Louis ]. Wall, about thirty years old,
| members of a freight crew of the rail-
! road company. A fourth arrest is ex-
| pected this morning, the result of in
vestigation of numerous robberies during
! a year past Goods of every description,
valued at $500 or more are missing, while
considerable property said to have been
stolen was recovered by Detectives How
/ lett, Pratt and Flatner, after the ar
rests last night.
For three months reports of robbie les,
both from freight trains, Pullman cars,
and even passenger coaches, have reach
ed Headquarters. The loss to the railroad
| company has been considerable. Long
ago investigation was made of various
/ complaints, but nothing come of it all.
decided increase in thefts was noticed as
time wore on, and Detectives Hewlett and
Pratt were put to work to clear up the
mystery. 1t was apparent from the first
| that most of the goods stolen were taken
while trains were standing in the freight
yards in Southeast Washington. These
are known as th4 New Jersey yards,
where crews of freight trains, both out
going and incoming, are wont to gather.
In these yards incoming trains are side
| tracked, and unloaded as occasion re-
quires: outgoing trains are made up,
freighted, and properly sealed In addi-
I
yards until such time as their use for
/ transportation purposes arrives Watch
men move about the yards at intervals,
but every crew has charge of its own
train, and is responsible in a large meas
ure for il.
| Half a dozen crews operate freight
trains between this city and Baltimore,
and it was not long before the detectives
noticed that the robberies invariably oc-
| CURED while one of these crews was at
this end of the line Apparently this was
the crew of which Hancock, freight con-
ductor, was in charge. Suspicion led to
| a watch being placed on the latter and
members of his crew This was month
or more ago. Since then it has been told
| the detectives that goods OF varied de-
scription, supposed to have been stolen.
might be found at the home of Hancock,
in Southeast Washington.
On more than one occasion, report of
4 robbery from freight cars wGich formed
a part of the trains operated by the Han
| cock crew was received. which seems to
have added to the web of suspicion envel-
op!ug the prisoners. Only the long term
OF service of Hancock, for twelve years
an empioye, deferred for time decisive
steps against HIM. Knott, on the other
hand, has been but three years on the
road in the capacity Of brakeman. while
NTsrT1 In aerrfnQF
in the service of the railroad company.
As conviction took shape in the minds
of the detectives, arrests were determin-
ed upoa, and last n1ght trap was set tor
the suspects. Detectives Hewlett and
| Pratt went out to Deanwood and there
waited for the freight train on which
Hancock and his crew were coming to
this city. On the arrival Of the freight,
the detectives boarded the train and ar
rested Hancock and Knott, who were
brought TO the city with their train.
Shortly afterward Wall was arrested at
his home near the New Jersey Avenue
yards and all were taken to Headquarters. /
Hancock was lodged at the Second pre-
cinct station, together with Knott short
ly afterward. while Wall spent the night
in cell at the Eighth precinct station.
Immediately following the arrests, the
detectives made q search OF the homes of
the prisoners Hancock had strenuously
denied having been Implicated in any way
in the robberies, but at his home a great
quantity Of property was found. There
were shoes and pillows, bedding in plenty,
coffee, whisky. canned and leather goods,
besides other miscellaneous stuff of value.
The Knott home was next visited and
little property found, which the police be-
lieve was taken from freight trains. At
the home of Wall likewise several small
articles were taken in charge by the po-
lice for possible Identification.
1t Is the theory OF the detectives that
the prisoners systematically robbed
trains, both in and out of the District.
| One idea is that the accused broke open
boxes containing goods while en- route
here from Baltimore. and placed the
goods in q sack or sacks, which were
removed from the cars on their arrival
in this city, In this way it is said. the
goods could be easily removed from the
trains TO the houses of the prisoners
without attracting suspicion from any
other employees of the railroad company.
| The Pullman coaches were robbed while
side-tracked and temporarily left by the
crews. according to this theory. and the
property taken away in a similar man
ner to that cited above.
II never took aaything at ALL remarked
Hancock to a reporter shortly after his
arrest. IF others have been stealing
l cannot be held responsible. Some time
ago / suspected something was wrong,
and since / have been investigating the
matter TO learn the source of the leak
age
Apparently Hancock thought better of
the m; IT, when placed in cell. for he
made ?n, .tIer statement. Il don't see
why we should be arrested he said.
Men have been taking stuff from cars for
=
nobody has been arrested. | do not think 1
they had any right to turn my house up
side down. as / suppose they have done"
Hancock said, moreover, that ne had
a family of a wife and three children He
asked 10 see his WIFE and later called for
a lawyer with whom he had previously
had dealings.
Wall was seen by a reporter at head !
quarters, and said he had been connect
ed with the robberies. He said he was |
fagman on the train Of which Hancock |
is conductor. He has occupied this posi-
ton only two months he says. and pre- |
viously was a fagman on a yard en- !
gine. He is a native Of Baltimore
II have a wife and two young children" |
said Wall. lido rot know what will /
come of all this, nor do [ Know what to
say about it.
Late last night the detectives were
searching for the fourth man supposed TO !
be implicated in the robberies His name |
was not divulged but it IS understood he |
is. or formerly was. a member Of Han |
cocks crew. Steps viii be taken today |
to have the goods recovered from the |
homes of the prisoners Identified. To !
this end railroad officials and others in !
tercsted were notified last night of the
arrests.