Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-08-15
ROBBED ON A Train
North Carolina Boy on His
Way to Union, Ia, Victim
lied by Stranger
HIS MONEY AND WATCH TAKEN
Rufus Williams Met Nice Stranger
Who Was Yearnins For His Com
pany-He Went to Sleep and Woke
Up With the New Acquaintance and
His Money Gone.
Special TO Times Republican

Special to Times Republican,.
Union, Aug 15.--Robbed of practi-
cally all of his worldly possessions.
including $l50 in crisp $40 and $40 bills
and a gold watch and chain worth SO,
Rufus Williams young North Caro-
linian, gains his first impression of the
north.
Williams, who is a youig man OF
about 20 or IS years OF aG;e, left his
home in Yadkinville, N. c., day before
yesterday, to come to Union, where hs
is to make his home with his uncle
Joseph Bovender, four miles west OF
this place. He had worked hard for his
money, and expected to have enough
after his journey 10 establish BANK
account at his new home. Williams ar
rived here last evening, with 81 in nus
pocket His S15o fell to the hands Of
smooth individual whom he met on
the train after he left Newcastle, Ind,
yesterday morning. The sharper picked
his victim as an unsuspecting farmer
boy and sat down in a seat in the
smoker with him. Williams greeted
him cordially, and was surprised To
find that the man was going to the
same place, Marshalltown, that city be-
ing the destination Of his main line
ticket. The stranger, who was dap
per- we'll dressed oily-tongued indivia-
ual, told him he was going to get off
lat Marshalltown, as he was en- route
to Colorado with a sick sister, and the
;.a,, ,,-it ctn O
to break the monotony OF travel. VIII
liams told him he was glad to have his
company, as it was lonesome travel
ing. The stranger was also glad to
have company, and especially to find
some one who was going t. Marshall
town. The conversation fell into differ
ent lines, and finally, Williams be-
coming tired, concluded he would try
and get little sleep He had tramped
around Newcastle Thursday and was
pretty we'll worn out, and 1t was bat
a few moments until he was in the
arms of Morpheus. No sooner had he
fairly got to dreaming of his future
prospects in the north ard how he
would be received by uncls Bovender
than the stranger had helHed himself
to the roll of greenbacks ana the watch
and chain In unfastenina the chain
from his vest the man disturbed Will
iiams, who awakened and Immediately
discovered his loss The conductor was
Immediately notified. and a search was
made for the thief, who had gone into
another coach. Just as TIN: conductor
was about to take him in possession
he jumped from the train.
which was running al a speed
of between thirty and forty
miles an hour. The conductor got
near enough to brush his coat tail as
he disappeared In the serlli- darkness
Officers at Anderson. Ind. which is
three or four miles east OF where the
man left the train. and those at FL
wood, the next station east, We're no.
tilted, but Williams has not much hope
Of ever seeing his money again. Fortu-
nately he had $50 in another pocket
and that purchased his ticket from Chi
cago TO Marshalltown and on to Union
and left him enough for expenses while
in Chicago.