Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-26
BY ENGINEERS NERVE
FAST TRAIN RUN BOLDLY PAST
RED DANGER SIGNAL.
Train Robbers Fooled by Cool judy
ment of the Man in
= the Cab.

A dispatch from Woonsocket R. l..
says. Because the trained eye of
George w. Boss, the engineer. recognized in
the awkward swing of a lantern the work
Of novice, he pulled the throttle wide open
and drove his train laundering by a danger
signal set dead against him and frustrated
what Is believed to have been an attempt
to hold up the boat train at Plummers
Ledge. lonely spit mile north Of Whit
ir's Station on the New York, New Haven
and Hartford road, last night.
Four cars full of passengers, unconscious
OF peril met and avoided, were landed safe
~ In Providence, and the engineer, who
had assumed an awful responsibility, went
to the office Of Superintendent A. r. Wha-
ley to report that he had matched his judg
ment against the ironclad orders Of the
road and won.
That there was a deliberate attempt by
ten men to hold up the train there is little
doubt, but little was known of the matter
until tonight, when the presence of Deputy
Sherin E. O. Bacon Of Uxbridge was noted
In the engine cab OF the same train.
Sheriff Called On.
Deputy Sheriff Bacon was called into the
case by Superintendent Whaley, and to-
night. fully armed. took his place by the
side of the engineer and accompanied the
train from Worcester to Providence. He
Will ride on the engine again tomorrow
night, and in the meantime the police Of
ficials are securing this section of the state
IN an effort to round up the gang described
by the engineer.
The boat train left Worcester at 6:1O
O'Clock last night, and was due in Provi-
dence at TBS o'clock 1t had reached
point within an eighth of a mile of Plum
mer's Ledge, where Boss saw a green sig
nal light indicating clear track. Sud
denly the light changed to red, and the en-
gtneer closed the throttle and set the air
brakes. AS he did so lantern was swung
hIl in fha
ner acquired by experienced trainmen, and
1t flashed across Boss mind that the man
who gave the signal was not a man who
would stop the train for any good purpose
For a second he hesitated balancing in
his mind the chances of wrecking his train
II he went on and the probability of its pas
sengers being robbed and perhaps killed If
he brought 1T to a standstill AS far as he
could see an unobStructed track lay before
him.
Opened the Throttle.
Another second, and his mind was made
up, the throttle pulled wide open. and the
train rushed by the danger signal. Leaning
out of his cab Boss saw the man with the
lantern jump from the track two other
men standing on the ladder holding the sta
tionary light and tampering with the signal,
while at distances of a few feet from each
other seven other men lined the roadbed.
Immediately on reaching Providence he
reported the matter to Superintendent
once starting an investigation of ali the
circumstances. and later gave Deputy
Sheriff Bacon charge of the case.
The boat train is followed a few minutes
later by an express and mail train and it
is thought that the attempt was perhaps
directed at the latter, which was confused
with the boat train. The recent lawlessness
In this neighborhOod. including the recent
and successful holdup of the paymaster of
the Saranac mills, is believed to have en-
couraged more desperate measures on the
part of Ehe dangerous characters.