Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1905-09-28
Dummy Train Met Robber.

Tue EallTOdu veteran, uCCOTuInS I'd
the New York Sun, show Will
liam @. Brown of the Central
broke up a gang of train robbers?
When he was a good deal young
er than he is now, in years and
experience, he was manager of
the Missouri lines of the Bur-
lington system. He had head
quarters 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 rem
devious near the town where
Mr.. Brown lived.
"OLe night, | believe it was
back in 80, while Mr.. Brown
was at his home he got tip from
one of the gang who had grown
up in the town that a 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 his telephone aud
called up the sheriff of the coun-
ty end then the chief Of police.
He told them to meet him at a
certain place in town. Then he
called up one of the officials of
the road and told him to be at
the sane 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 | have mentioned.
"When he got to the yards of
his company he issued an order
to hold the train that was mark
ed for robbery. at the Union sta
ton. He then ordered what
railroad men call a dummy to be
made up. 1t consisted of the
same number Of coaches as the
regular. 1t carried no passengers
just the engineer and fireman,
Mr.. Brown, the sheriff and chief
of police, and the division super.
intendent. Every man was arm
ed. The express car was trans
formed into sort of fort. A LOT
of piano boxes fixed so as to lei
down in front were stored in the
car, as breastworks.
"At the exact spot indicated
in the tip a red lantern wal
swung across the track. The en-
gineer brought his engine to ,
full stop. The bandits covered
the engineer and fireman witt
revolvers and shotguns, marched
them to the door of the express
. car, and compelled them to orde
) the express messenger to open
/ the door, threatening to blow i
5 open with dynamite if the orde
was not promptly complied with
Z, The robbers were admitted and
| the express messenger told t
, open his safe. While doing so
\ slight noise made by one of til
+ concealed officers alarmed TIN
t bandits, who started toward tin
end of the car. Hearing secoh
: noise one of them opened fire
/. Fortunately the bullet missed il
4 mark. This shot was followe
\ by a volley from six or eight cor
4 cealed deputies.
Il Mr.. Brown was in the smokin
j car. When he heard the fusil
4 lade he stepped out on the pla
& form. A man in the brush call
I ed to him to get back in a hurry
I and Mr.. Brown obeyed.
i "Within 20 minutes after tn
! opening of the engagement til
train robbers were out of bus
4 ness. Most of them were dea
i in the brush. One had escaped
but he left blood marks on til
] trail he travelled. The DUNN
j train returned with two dea
1 train robbers two under ARE
4 and evidence which made almo
certain the arrest of another wi
had been wounded. The regult
after delay of less than an hot
and half, went its way in SAT
+ ty."
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