The Washington herald., 1907-12-20

Philadelphia, Dec. Bone of the
boldest attempts at robbery ever made in
this city was nipped in the bud last
night ~ the vigilance OF a Reading Rail
way yard man. A carefully laid plot to
make of with valuables worth a quarter
Of million dollars. including $4,000 in
gold from the Buffalo express. was
checked and one of the three men in
the job arrested. The police are search
ing for his confederates. who escaped
The man arrested was taken 10 the
Eleventh and Winter streets police sta
ton. where he gave his name and address
as William H. Hewett. S25 West Fifteenth
street, New York City. This morning he
was arraigned before Magistrate Gal
lagher and held in 5000 bail for a fur
ther hearing next Wednesday. by which
time it is hoped the two other men will
have been apprehended.
The Buffalo express, which left the
Reading Terminal at $40 o'clock last
night, pulled in on track No. ,, AT 7:3O
O'Clock. Long before the train was OPEN
ed for passengers. a consignment Of S6O, 900
in gold and silver. from the Philadelphia
Mint 10 bank N Buffalo, was loaded
in one Of the express cars. which was
then carefully sealed and a guard assign
ed to it.
Cars Filled with VaIuabIeS.
There We're five cars of the United
States Express Company on the train and
all were filed with vaIuables. Officials of
the company would place no estimate on
the aggregate value Of the shipments. but
as they declare the $4,000 in coin was a
mere bagatelle compared to the other
contents Of the cars. 1t seems safe to
value the total at a quarter Of a million
dollars.
l.. Inside each car was an armed guard
and five other armed guards in civilian
dress were also assigned 20 each car.
That made a total of thirty men. each
with big revolver in his hip pocket. Add
10 that the fac, that the coin was I'm a
fire and burSlar-proof safe. such as is
used in banks and the chances of q band
OF robbers securing any of the precious
freight does not appear 10 have been a
good one
Hewett was seen at work under car
and arrested. but two companions. who
had been acting as '1Ookouts" ESCAPED.
Hewett is only twenty-one years old.
while his companions looked to be older.
lie was taken to the Sixth district station
By Ruh and later was taken 10 the City
Hall.
Had Sawed Pipes on.
Under the coach where they caught
Hewett the officials found a small ad-
Unstable saw with blade of wonderfully
tempered steel. It is the type Of saw used
by cracksmen and burglars generally. and
the blade fits into the handle so that il
may be carried in the pocket.
In the pipes that carried the acetvlene
which lighted the train two incisions were
found The plan evidently was to tap
these pipes and allow the gas to gradually
escape until the train should be in dark
ness The mistake was made of cutting
the incisions too large, for before the in
spection was over the lights went out in
all the cars.
The theory Of the police is that the rob
bers planned to have the light 90 out
when the train was well out i'm the coun-
try, and expected then to cripple the train
and rob the express cars in the confusion
that would follow There is no means OF
determining how many Of the robber
band were on the train. but il is reason
able to suppose that the three men who
were seen did not hope to carry out the
scheme alone.
G p. Russ, general agent of the United
States Express Company. said II vouId
have been impossible for any ordinary
body Of men 10 have robbed anv OF tho
cars. guarded as they were lie declared
that at this season Of the year their ship
ments are 50 valuable that extra precau-
tions are taken to prevent robberies.