The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1912-08-31


case, as success made big thing for
all the compa4y's employees WHO figur-
ed in the case. Thompson had several
interviews with Sanderson, and from
what he said had got him worked up
to a high pitch over the robbery and
the gang were anxious to spring the
trick.
listened to the tale, and was very
skeptieal. did not believe that any
top-notch crooks would have gone into
such a scheme with Thompson without
first being assured that there was no
possible chance CT a throW-doWn.
asked for a sight of the crook, to
see If knew him. A meeting was ar
ranged, at which I was present, and
when got my peppers on the bold
Sanderson my old heart gave a
thump, for I recognized him at q
glance as Bob Furey, a crook on both
sides Of the ocean In some first-class
jobs.
Thompson was to figure only as q
second fiddle in the transaction, and
was to get an even share in the swag
with the others when the money was
divided. It was not necessary for him
to have a knowledge of the details OF
the plans which ,Furey had put up to
work off the money bags. The gang
wanted big Doodle, and SO long as
we were on to their game suggested
that we should not give the gang the
tip until there was really a big load
| of dust on board the express car, just
| to give the gang the laugh when they
got the throw-doWn for losing such
a dandy bundle.
The day was finally set for the rob-
berry. Thompson succeeded in getting
all the details, so that it made the
work dead easy on paper. The sig
nal to hold up the train, it was ar
ranged, would be given after leaving
Port Jervis on the Erie railroad, which
would be the signal for us to do our
little act and land the gang.
The train with the Red Star car was
booked to leave the Erie depot at s
o'clock in the evening, and in the
morning sent four men to Port Jervis
to take up a position where the red
light was to be given at night. I got
a telegram that they had landed all
right and in the evening, when the
| train pulled out of the depot, was
aboard with six lusty fellows, who
would rather fight than eat.
I saw Thompson before the train
| DOS fDI hut RI
indicated by a nod of the head that
their gang were on board the train in
the front cars, and everything looked
rosy. The train pulled out on time
and we went humping along at a live.
ly rate, as we were on the fast ex
press, I had given instructions to my
men what to do when we got to tbs
holding-up place,
I knew every foot of the ground on
the Erie, and when we got within 9
/ few miles Of Port Jervis / began tc
/ feel Just a little bit nervous. While
/ was running all the details of the at
tack over in my mind the train slow
ly pulled up, but did not come to {
i full STOP looked out of the win
dow, but did not see anything. In s
moment we were psshing up the hill t
Port Jervis at full speed. When VIZ
pulled up at the little depot I jumped
off the car to take a final look a
things, and as ] passed the Red Stal
car heard a moan. listenedi and i
was repeated several times. [ coult
not understand it, but felt that some
thing had gone wrong.
4 did not want to make a foolisl
break of any kind, SO | first went t.
the engineer and asked him what h
had stopped for before reaching Por
JeYvis. He said that he saw g. ret
light swinging on the track, ant
slowed up. The light had disappeared
before he got to it, and he could no
understand it. / knew the meaning O
it, and saw the game in second. TIL
gang had fooled Thompson by givins
him a wrong description of what wa
going to be done. This was verifie'
when reached the Red Star car. TIL
lock had been broken off, and insid
the car was Thompson, lying on hi
| back well done up.
| He was partly conscious, and kneN
|. enough to tell that the thieves ha
) fooled him, and had dumped the safe
| on the track about three miles cas-
t Of Port Jervis. They had jumped Q:
!, the train when it slowed But ]
Thompson had. been fooled he ha
: fooled the gang also, for. he had fun
) the kit OF tools which was to be use
t to open the safes off the car, and
. was dollars to doughnuts they Woul
], | not be able to find them.
j got an engine at the depot, and /
Y ten minutes was on the way bac
4 with my men. Before reaching th
> place I noticed lanterns flashing alon
4 the track, and / ordered the enginee
V to run past the lights a half mile {
= so before slowing up. As we wer
: by the spot saw the gang at wor
carrying tho safes to a wagon. "