The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-06-07
TRANSPORTING UNCLE
SANS MONEY BAGS

/ siYes are not used. the train moves On.
with the passengers aud other members
OF the train crew possibly in ignorance.
! Had they known. however. the result
would doubtless have been the same. for
unless forewarned, the express company
is rarely adequately fOrearmed. Rnd
this must naturally be so. for ii the first
place, the tran has been brought TO \
standstfH on the trestie. so that no aid
can come from the rear coaches 10 the
front; and, in the second place. the train
IS lighted (the attack is always made at
night and renders conspicuous as 4 TAR
get any brave man who dares TO sally
forth The robber Is covered by dark
ness, and, perhaps, by a tree OF boulder
besides. Should the hold-up be n 4
chance. and the express car fail 20 yield
what they may consider a fair reward
for their holiness. the robbers some
tines turn their attention TO the pas
sengers- This. however. is the excsp-
ton rather than the rule.
In all raids upon express cars u
seems that at least three points are con-
sidored by the robbers-danger; pFoba-
billy of big haul Of money; and the
number to share IN the division OF the
stolen goods. The last consideration
is powerful one in making the train
robbers limit their number TO as small
q band as possible. not only that eacn
may have proPortionateiy larger shs re
OF the loot, but to reduce the chances Of
one "peaching'' on another The his
tories Of train robberies would fix she
number in the party at from two to FIVE
Even one man, buoyed up by foriorn
nope has been known 20 attempt 10 hold
up train
Among methods recognized By the ex-
e<,--
robbery are those suggested not long
ago by the late Hon Wade Hampton
These are. briefly, that properly armed
guards be placed on the car. that the
car be made i1yulnerabIe. and that
bicodhounds be used TO run 10 ground
the robbers. But there are other mems
adopted for fciliug the bandits Thus,
it is assumed that the point OF attack
is first the engine and then the express
car. The latter is the objective. and its
position in the train is often such tas
in a case eited) that the robbers are
thrown completely of the scent, and,
what is more to the purpose, on the
train. What with this. and other pre-
cautions, such as alarm bells to warn
the messenger and guard Ia the express
car, and the passengers, il is confident
~ believed that train robbers viii have
to increase their usual force to make
q successful hoId-Up in future. and the
greater the number Of accompliccs or
principals. the greater the chances Of
capture and the possibilities OF some
one turning states evidence"
1t is an unfortunate and well-recog-
nized fact that the special guards. who
are securely locked inside OF the car,
are at a fearful disadvantage with the
determined and desperate robber who IS
outside deliberately lighting the fuso
that will aid him in his devilish de-
signs. The stationing of the guards has
therefore. of late. become a pTeeaution-
airy measure which has received special
attention
In some cases where Government
funds have to be transported over q
country known 10 be infested with train
robbers, and where troops can be Sc
cured from an adjacent army post lin
some cases an objective point they are
employed as an armed guard. Not long
ago Lieut. John T Knight, Third United
States Cavalry. commanded a detach-
nent on this duty, in Oklahoma Terri
.ory. the paradise Of train robbers. He
vas ordered to take command Of q small
body of soldiers to guard the funds OF
he paymasteT while going from the ex-
press Office to the post His method OF
an attack or capture BY road
gents was this: Usually there are two
for the paymaster, his
Jerk. and the funds; the other for the
guard. The conveyance carrying tbs
unds moved out first and the other cas-
wing the guard followed. but never
loser than 100 to $50 yards in open
.ountry. Il the country became rough
md rugged, then the distance was di-
ninished. but always with this object n
-iew-to keen far enough away from the
unds to compel the attacking party 70
Iivide his forces in order 20 hold Up,
nd, ut the same time, TO insure the
yards being at all times within strik-
ny distance Lieutenant knight has rec
mmended this principle 10 the express
ompany for the proper guarding and
OF express trains