Evening star., 1901-03-02
A RAILWAY MUSEUM.
Where an English Company Keeps Its
Collection of Criminal Relics.

"A n
Where an English Company Keeps Its
Collection of Criminal Relics.
From Tit-Bts.
This bomb"-pointing to an exceedingly
Misunderstanding missile of the Orsini
type-"was found underneath the seat OF a
railway carriage in London to Edinburgh
express. On being opened 1t was found 10
contain nothing more deadly than copy
of weekly periodical. The propr1etors OF
the journal in question were just then Of
fering a prize to the competitor who should
best advertise it, and couple of very fool
ish readers inclosed copies in bombs and
left them lying about in various public
places
Thus spoke to the writer, one day recent
ly, the curator Of the BLACK Museum" at
tached 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
q large collection Of those even more inter-
esting-because more mystertous-oneS,
which have to do with attempted crimes
concerning which the general public has
never heard.
For instance, a simple-l looking bundle Of
parti-colored flags, Of the regulation size
and color used by railway signalmen, was
captured one summer evening, after oes-
perate struggle, from mysterious, s., amer, 1.a,.
line far from station or signal box. He
was let go free by the magistrate before
whom he was brought. as nothing definite
could be proved against him; but the rail-
way authorities have grim theory that he
belonged to a gang of transatlantic train
robbers. who contemplated "dagging" the
north-bound express, and holding up the
passengers in true wild West style.
Another queer exhibit is a fowling piece
of elegant design, captured from man
who one night in midwinter invaded a
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 a loss as to
the exact motive which inspired his act
That 1t was something sinister, however,
they entertain not the slightest shadow of
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 frSt-class railway
carriage near Scarborough. on what should
have been her wedding morning. Another
mysterious railway carriage tragedy, one
which was the talk of England for days. Is
recalled by a pair Of lady's kid gloves
about which there still fingers the faint,
sweet odor of stephanotis-and long-blad-
ed, stietto-like knife.
A fragment Of ordinary mottled soap. re-
posing upon worn and rusty pocket book.
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 attempts at
derailing trains took place within week.
in the vicinity, respectively, of Northamp-
ton (two), Peterborough and Bedford The
latter 1t was that proved the miscreant's
undoing. man was seen washing iron
rust off his hands near the place where the
train dashed into the obstruction, and on
1t,ocn nm "a
afterward, a cake Of soap was found on
him stained with iron rust. Also, con-
cealed 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 obstruc-
tions had been placed. That piece of soap
and that pocket book suffced to send their
owner into penal servitude for twenty
years.
The robbery of railway trucks in transit.
and when left temporarily unguarded in
sidings, has Of late year been reduced to
something very like a science among the
peculiar brand of professional criminals
who make specially of this class Of work.
and very varied and interesting is the col
lection Of tools which has been accumulat-
ed at the expense Of the fraternity.
One specimen Is shown. for instance,
which might be described as regular truck
robbers wade mecum, comprising as it does
in one instrument Jenny, wrench, saw,
screwdriver. gimlet. wedge, center bit and
pincers.
Other single jemmies there are, made to
unscrew into several parts. so as to be con-
veniently slowed away about the person;
and side by side with these latter are sew
eral queer-looking lengths of rubber tubing
and metal stphons, used by wine and spirit
thieves for tapping the contents Of casks.
Hundreds Of gallons Of costly liquor are
often distracted while in transit, by the aid
of these pieces Of apparatus, by organized
gangs Of clever rascals, some of whom
even go so far as to don complete suits of
uniform similar to that worn by the COM
pany's servants, In order the better to
prosecute their nefarious calling.
The highest class Of railway depredator
and the most difficult to cfrcumvent, is the
professional forger of waybills. There are,
Of yellow paper by means of which prop
erty to the value Of thousands of pounds
has been stolen. Printing, entries and sig
natures are all forged but SO cleverly as to
clerks who made out the original and gen
uine documents and the officials who signed
them.
Then there are also piles on piles of
betting men on big race days-notes on the
Bank of Engraving. and bad money of
every kind. And in separate department
is the "Rogues Gallery" where ranged
along the walls are the portraits OF pretty
we'll all the known criminals who make
speciality of railway business
These portraits are printed by the gross
and copies exchanged, not only with the
chiefs of the detective departments Of all
English railways, but with most Of those
on the continent and in america. So that
a railway "crook," once arrested and pho
tographed, stands little chance Of escaping
Identification If captured In the future. no
matter where he may choose to renew his
depredations.
In the Near Future.