The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1912-08-15

| anu the OIndtAtb were uOL any tUp
anxious to divide the honors In the
case, as success made a big thing for
all the company's employees who fgur-
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 10 the tale. and was very
skeptlcal | did not believe that any
lop-notch crooks would have gone into
such a scheme with Thompson without
first being assured that there was no
possible chance Of a throw.dowu.
| asked for n sight OF the crook, to
see II knew him. A meeting was ar.
ranged. at which was present, aud
when got my peppers on the bold
Sanderson my old heart gave
thump. for recognized him at a
glance as Bob Furey. a crook on both
sides OF the ocean In some first.class
| Jobs.
Thompson was to figure only as
second fiddle in the transaction. and
was to get an even share In the swag
with the others when the money was
| divided 1t was not necessary for him
| TO have a knowledge OF the details OF
the plans which Furey had put up to
work OF the money bags. The gang
wanted a 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 n 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
Il dandy bundle.
The day was finally set for the rob
berry. Thompson succeeded in getting
all the details, 80 that II made tho
work dead easy on paper. The sig
nal to hold up the train, II 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
o'clock in the evening. and in the
morning sent four men to Port Jervls
to take up n position where the red
light was 10 be given at night. got
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.
saw Thompson before the train
started but did not speak to him. lie
indicated by 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 live
~ rate, as we were on the fast ex.
press. had given instructions TO my
men what to do when we got to the
holdingup place.
knew every foot of the ground on
the Erie, and when we got within a
few miles OF Port Jcrvis | began to
feel Just 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 a
full stop. | looked out of the win
dow. but did not see anything In a
moment we were pushing up the hill to
Port Jeryis at full speed. When We
pulled up at the little depot jumped
of the car to take final look at
things, and as | passed the Red Star
car heard moan. listened and II
was repeated several times. 7 could
not understand it, but felt that some
thing had gone wrong.
| did not want to make a foolish
break Of any kind, 80 | first went TO
the engineer and asked him what he
had stopped for before reaching Port
Jervs He said that he saw red
light swinging on the track, and
slowed up. The light had disappeared
before he got to II. and he could not
understand It. knew the meaning OF
II, and saw the game In n second. The
gang had fooled Thompson by giving
him wrong description OF what was
going to be done. This was verified
when reached the Red Star car. The
lock had been broken OF, and inside
the car was Thompson, lying on his
back well done up.
He was partly conscious. and knew
enough to tell that the thieves had
fooled him, and had dumped the safes
on the track about three miles east
Of Port Jervls. They had jumped of
the train when It slowed. But II
Thompson had been fooled he had
fooled the gang also. for he had flung
the kit Of tools which was TO be used
to open tho safes of the car, and IL
was dollars to doughnuts they would
not be able TO find them.
! got an engine at the depot, and in
ten minutes was on the way back
with my men. Before reaching the
place | noticed lanterns flashing along
the track, and | ordered the engineer
to run past the lights a half mile or
so before slowing up. AS we went
by the spot | saw the gang at work
carrying the safes to . wagon. We
stopped after turning curve and
started back on foot.
Tho thiav,s I ,apoI,,JzJ IA IA.