The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-08-10
DUMMY TRAIN MET ROBBERS.
Railroad Mans Story Of How ". {. Brown
Broke Up Gans OF Bad Men.

Broke Up Gang OF Bad Men.
"Did you ever hear" asked the railroad
veteran, show William G. Brown, of the
Central broke up gang of train robbers?
When he was a good deal younger than
he is now, in years and experience, he
was manager Of the Missouri lines of the
Burlington system. Hehad headquarters
in St. Joseph, Mo-, and there was sort
of combine to stop railroad trains and
rob the express Car. The leaders of these
train robbers had their rendezvous in and
about the town where Mr.. Brown lived.
"One night, I believe it was back in 80,
when Mr. Brown was at his home he got
tip from one of the gang who had grown
up in the town that certain train of Mr..
Browns line was to be stopped that very
night not far from St. Joseph. A man
who knows the story told me about it.
he said Mr.. Brown was reading in his
library when he got the tip. He looked
at his watch and saw that the leaving
schedule of the train was about two hours
away.
"He went to the telephone and called
up the sheriff Of the county and then the
chief of police. He told them to meet
him at certain place in town. Then he
called up one of the officials of the road
and told him to be at the same place. he
hung up the receiver of his phone, put
on his overcoat, placed a revolver in a
handy pocket, and told his wife he might
not be back until late. With that he
passed out Of the house and soon met the
three men I have mentioned.
"When he got to the yards of his COM
pany he issued an order to hold the train
that was marked for robbery at the
Union station. He then ordered that
the railroad men cause a dummy to be
made up. II consisted of the same num-
Der of coaches as the regular. It carried
no passengers-just the engineer and
fireman, MI. Brown, the sheriff, and chief
of police, and the division superintendent.
Every man was armed. The express car
was transformed into a sort of fort. A
lot of piano boxes fixed so as to let down
in front were stored in the car, as breast
works.
"At the exact spot indicated in the tip
red lantern was swung across the track.
The engineer brought his engine to full
stop. The bandits covered the engineer
and fireman with revolvers and shotguns,
marched them to the door of the express
car, and compelled them to order the ex-
press messenger to open the door, threat
cning to blow it open with dynamite if
the order was not promptly complied
with. The robbers were admitted and
the express messenger told to open his
safe. While doing SO slight noise made
by one of the concealed officers alarmed
the bandits, who started toward the end
of the car. Hearing second noise one
of them opened fire. Fortunately the
bullet missed its mark. This shot was
followed by a volley from six or eight
concealed deputies.
"Mr. Brown was in the smoking car
When he heard the fusillade he stepped
out on the platform. A man in the
brush called to him to get back in hurry,
and Mr.. Brown obeyed.
within twenty minutes after the open
ing of the engagement the train robbers
were out of business. Most of them were
dead in the brush. One had escaped, but
he left blood marks on the, trail he trav-
eled. The dummy train returned with
two dead train robbers, two under arrest
and evidence which made almost certain
the arrest of another who had been
wounded. The regular, after delay of
less than an hour and half, went its
way in safety.-New York Sun.