The Washington times., 1909-11-17
Detectives Accuse Young
Italian Workman of Fixing
Steel Shoe to Rail.
PLAN FRUSTRATED
IN NICK OF TIME
Special Watch Kept in Tunnel, Of
fcials Say, Prevented a
Serious Wrelk

A deliberate and carefully PLAN
ned attempt to wreck and deraiI
the fast-moving crowded South
western limited, No. 238, on the
Southern railway, due at the Union
station at 8 O'Clock this morning,
made in the tunnel approaching the
Union station just before daylight
today, was cleverly forest lied by
detectives in the employ of the
Washington Terminal Company.
What might have resulted in a
Tremendous loss Of life and prop
erty, involving incalculable damage
to the tunnel, was prevented
through an extra corps of railroad
detectives from outside cities which
has been stationed in the tunnel for
the past two weeks.
ITALIAN ARRESTED.
Dominic Falaco, an intelligent
young italian. employed by the Ter
minal Company as a track walker
in the tunnel, is held by the police
at the Sixth precinct station house
on New Jersey avenue. for having
planned and almost accomplished
the wreck.
Officials of the Terminal Company
are not satisfied that he is not one
Of a gang which has been scheming
to wreck a train in the tunnel for
the past two months or more, for
Falaco, when questioned by Super
intendent A. NJ. Keppel. at the lat
ter's Offices, in the station, after
several hours of vigorous sweat
ing" finally admitted that several
weeks ago he put distractions on
the track He intimated that he
would tell more later
Actions Suspicious
However. Falaco was caught virtual
ly in the act of affxing a heavy steel
brake shoe weighing h5ty pounds or
more and measuring six inches at its
thickest part. TO one of the northern
bound rails in the tunnel, by means OF
heavy wire which insured its stability
after once being placed The detectives
think he had planned the wreck to oc-
cur al a point about 500 feet from the
station exit of the tunnel
The obstruction was easily sufficient
70 deTaH and wreck any train.
1t was q narrow escape but fOrtunatc-
ly one which the railroad detectives II
= Washington. REINFORCED by detectives
/. from other cities and disguised work
ingmen in the tunnel every minute Of
! the day and night had been anti
cipating during the past two weeks.
The man arrested declares his tnno-
cence Notwithstanding ne was caught
attempting to place the rail on the
track By a detective who was following
him through the tunnel early this morn
Il is alleged that the plan was to
wreck the next incoming train which
happened 20 be the Southwestern Lin
tied, an al-Pullman express
FalacO is held under charge OF
train wreckiug as provided in section SIS
Of the code of law for the District OF
Columbia. He viii be given a hearing
in the Police Court tomorrow
One Engine Derailed.
The attempt 10 wreck the Southwest
ern limited this morning was what the
Terminal officials consider probably the
FINAL outcome OF a series Of suspicious
events in the tunnel-involVing the de-
raiImane of an engine truck at the south
end of the tunnel on November land
which they have been trying TO forest2ll
] with all the vigOr and Watchfulness pos
sible BY dozen OF more experienced
railroad detectives.
three months ago when. near the south
end of the tunnel, workmen found 3
piece of steel. dangerously. threatening
between the main rail- aud the guard
K rail of the northbound track They re-
I ported the matter and a vigil was es-
tablished among the corps OF men en-
, pIoyed here IA Washington. Then came
- tha event OF November T. when the en-
An examination showed that a heavy
s piece Of timber had been placed on the
- rail-re- enforced by cObblesJOne-WhiCh
had been evidently Intended 10 wreck a
: of this event was given to the officials
: at the station they decided 10 bring the
/ matter 10 a head and, accordingly, not
81, only warned their Washington detee-
I tives 20 keep close watch. but imported
detectives from outside cities. and sta
toned them at both ends Of the tunael
= and inside
= How Plans Worked Out
e This system of espionage was made
-sI f,.e-fifa baeauea fu the funnel H.