The evening world., 1903-12-17
Armed Men Accompany the Cars
Carrying Valuable Cargo
Shipped by Adams Express
Company from New York.
DETECTIVE WITH RIFLE
IN CAB WITH ENGINEER.
Express Company Said to Have
Received Letters Warning 1t
that Robbers Were Planning
to Wreck and Loot Train.

kilograms were received by the Adams
Express Company in this city early to-
day that their train, which leaves New
York every evening at II o'clock, had
arrived safely in Boston. On its face
this appears to be a very ordinary piece
of information, but to those acquainted
with the inside business Of the company
81 Is most important. This is the kind
OF q telegram that the Adams Express
Company fears to receive any morning:
Train wrecked and looted"
Fol- ten days the high officials OF the
company have been living in fear and
trembling that such a message will
each them. Their fears have been kept
secret for ten days. and 1t was only the
sight Of armed men climbing into the
cab OF the engine which draws the
train mentioned that inquiry developed
tho fact thas an organized gang OF
robbers were lying In wait for a favor
able opportunity to wreck and loot 1t.
This interesting bit Of Information
reached the Adams Express Company
about ten days ago. It came through
the medium Of the Pinkerton Detective
Agency. which had received warning
that such an attempt was to be made.
Company Receives Warming.
The warning came in the shape of a
letter addressed to the officials of the
Company. At first they were inclined
to treat the warning lightly, but a sec
ond and more emphatic message in
TNrrpAI fharn chat 10 n -A-Nat attr pyQ q
not paid to the gang before a certain
date the first opportunity which pre-
scented would be seized to wreck the
train and rifle the valuable contents OF
the express cars.
The Company disregarded the second
warning in SO far as paying n money
was concerned. But 1t was decided to
take no chances. There were lonely
points along the road where a wreck
could be planned and executed with
despatch. and so the matter was at
once placed in the hands of the Pinker-
ton agency.
Half a dozen armed men now travel
in the express cars. At New Haven an
engine attached to a baggage car waits
on a siding. Steam Is up. and the en-
gine IL ready to start at a moments
notice. The telegraph operators in the
various stations nave been notified to
be IN the alert for Instructions concern
ing a clearing of tracks for an extra
ordinary special.
The baggage car attached to the wait
ing engine is full OF small round holes
Just large enough to poke through the
muzzle of a rife. Armed men take their
places In 1t at the moment the Adams
Express flyer leaves New York and do
not leave until word has beer received
chat the trip has been safely completed.
Armed Guard Sits by Engineer.
1t is estimated that the average value
OF the cargo carried On this train would
amount close to half a million dollars.
AZ this time of year business is very
heavy.
Officials OF the road when asked con-
corning the extraordinary precautions
taken to protect the train say they
know nothing of any gang or its warn
ing. Yet the constant presence of the
Pinkerton men in and about the stations
at New Haven and Boston tell another
story. 1t Is stated as a fact that when
the train pulls out of New York at
night a Plnkerton guard sits behind the
engineer, a rifle resting on his knees In
readiness for Instant action.