The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-18

n,be release of Charles ], Searcy from
Tho Virginia State Penitenuafy ieCei.,s
recalls one of the most iei!ai -. -
r;Ires in the history OF the 49, se ~
Virginia, and in fact, reii ,s;l Nc Of this
,I,vel1y in the criminal history "
section of the United States
ryi,.+ passenger train on one OF eiis
80, travelled railroads IN the .Ohlleu
states should be held up by tfain 90. o.
b,,.s midway between the caPiiai " -
Eatlon and the capital OIL irsiliia' ~.
sarliv more than fifty miles from eilIei
80 Was the marvellous part OF ths
,ceed,nps. Such things had peeh Iehu
- -, tho wild and Woolly West, put IN
hard and unthought aLout on me az
antic EeaboaTd. ;,;,,
,;he .4or,; cs the hold-ap IS a tamliiai
ono TO almost eyerybody-aow u IS sup,
posed Morsanfleld ana SeaIos n .a.Ga,,
the train at Brooke, HIlS ,
,s;,bt miles north os Fredericksburg. anu
ssa,,+ four miles from Acquia Cree.'
80 scene of the robbery; how lhey
clarnbered over tbs tender ana ofoeIe 81
tho engineer to stop his tram Just as tiie
engine was emerging from the deep cue
..n,,tI, cf the bridge; the uncoup!ns Oh
~ engine tho bursting open OF the
,5enr of the express car With d:nami'e'
80 rohhinE of the money safe OF no"
,,,nch money nobody knows, ana tne
.:,Ir,tnation Of the crime IN the heiiisa
Act of Morganneld starting the ensine
,,ose at full speed in northerls ot'ee-
ton in order mat u i'iis a. sst,,,ea,,
Southpou1d passenger tram pel"eeh
,-.1antico and AcQuia Crech-a disaster
r.bich was only averted by unforeseen
circumstances OBTAINING the South2oG,ao
train at Quantico a few minutes.
The escape, pursuit ana capture OF the
robbers was al givon IN DEAN d. tns
INC and created a sensation IN crlml-
T,bes writer OF this article vas connect
I'd in a business way with the conduct OF
The trial at Stafford Courthouse. AZ en-
,,,a,.y. 1875, a few months Subsequent 70
III. robbery. Many an incident some %
them humorous and some otherwtse
happened Curing the ten Gays o. TINS -,
famous trial, that did not get INTO the
columns of the daily papers.
CoSMoPOhTAN CROWD.
II was a cosmopolitan crowd that got
III the morning passenger Cor Nashins-
~. at Brooke Station that colo fep o1r
,iv morning that the trial began.
brooke. the nearest railroad station 70
~, scans ~ the crime, is also the near
.st poin. on the Richmond. Fredcricks-
snrr ana Potomac road 10 the county
:,at of Stafford county. The early train
trom Fredericksburg that morning emp
ai.d the most OF its Twin: freight at
Etooks-abort sixty men III all. consist
ing OF pclioa officials and ofncers, I'm
xc.-tou detectives. express company OIL
.iais and employees OF all kinds. lawyers.
railroad men. newspaper men. telegraph
operators and tho two prisoners. Searcy
sud Morganfeld. tho latter lying on q
coz. having broken hts les In Cincinnati,
which was tho Immediate cause OF his
Identity becoming known.
There had been a heavy fall OF snow
q night or two before and the hills and
valleys Of Stafford were clothed in gar
meats cf white. which IN some places
reached thickness Of eighteen inches
to two feet
The question OF transportation was
solved BIZ the farmers and their hired
help AROUND Brooke Station rcsurrectins
every vehicle that had been lying around
for nftY years back and pressing 1t into
service for this occasion.
II was a molly procession that wound
over the Virginia hills that morning to
the courthouse
The writer has the honor OF riding
in ahs Carriage behind Searcy and his
guards We enjoyed tie ride yory nuch