The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-02-20
LONE BANDIT -HIIQlLlS=lIIP2
PASSENGERS BRAKEMAN
is NABBED AS SUSPECT
Highwayman Takes $1,000 in
Cash and Jewelry After Ter
rifying His Victims
ESCAPES AFTER ROBBERY
Police Say Stolen Valuables Are
Found on Railroad Employe
Now In Custody

KEYSER w. Va, Feb. 2O.-Chargei
with being the lone masked bandit
who last night held up Baltimore &
Ohio train No. / near West Piedmont,
w, Va, and took $1,000 In money and
JeWelry from passengers. +. A. Beck.
er brakeman on the Baltimore &
ONO, today paced his cell In the town
lookup here and insisted he was limo
cent.
Although the police alleged they
found 1888 in cash and a number OF
watches on his person, Becker said
the stun was given to him by a tramp
with whom he spent the night near
Piedmont.
Becker was found this morning by
railroad police sitting beside a small
campfire at Forty-Mlle water station
nine miles from Piedmont. Besides
the valuables in his pockets the police
say they found red bandana hand.
kerchief, folded so as to form a mask.
When questioned by Lieut.. Kenny,
or the Baltimore & Ohio police force,
Becker gave little information regard.
ing himself, simply stating that he
was brakeman and that he knew
nothing about the spectacular holdup
The police instituted vigorous
search for the tramp with whom Beck.
er said he spent the night.
Within seven hours after a masked
bandit held up Baltimore & Ohio train
No. ! near West Piedmont, w. Va,
and relieved a number OF Passengers
OF their jewelry and money at the
point or revolver, Brakeman Becker
nd tndaxy L.,
the keyser, w. Va, jail charged with
the holdup.
The money and jewelry were found
on Becker, II is alleged by the police.
Little is known concerning Becker
here by Baltimore & Ohio officials
and employees. He boarded at Keyser
II Is said, and his run was from Cum
berland to Grafton, w. Va
He was arrested this morning al
Forty Mile water station, nine miles
west OF Piedmont, by Lieut.. Kenny
OF the Baltimore & Ohio police force
While the train was going UP a
steep grade from this city to Cum
berland, Md, the robber swung onto
the rear platform OF the Pullman ano
entered the car. He fired six shots
through the roof, terrifying the pas
sengers. Holding the conductor, brake
man and porter at bay with one gun
the bandit robbed 16 passengers o
81, 200 In cash and valuables.
After securing the money and jew
els, he leaped from the train just al
IL was pulling into Altamont and dis
appeared In the darkness. AS sooI
as the train came to q standstill, The
crew gave the alarm. All the sur
rounding towns were notified. TIL,
Cumberland police Immediately start
cd working on the case. and a posse
was organized and started searching
the foothills.
In speaking OF the holdup, the con
ductor said:
When | first saw the bandit he
was opening the door on the real
coach OF the sleeper. Before | coulC
utter an outcry he had entered anC
with a revolver in each hand started
firing at the roof of the car. The pas
sengers became panic-stricken and he
had them at his mercy. The mar
was very cool and after placing one
OF the revolvers In his pocket com
PEELED the passengers TO dump thoil
money and valuables on the floor. Ht
then gathered them up and just as the
train reached Altamont, jumped OF
and disappeared in the darkness"
Among those who reported to tht
railroad officials that they had "ccn
tributed" to the bandit, were;
Pullman Conductor f. G. Hubbill
s25-and gold watch Peter-Scott
81. 40 and a. watch; Elizabeth Flynn
New York, $13 cash and a $50 check
II. G. Chambers Hagerstown, Md. $4(
and watch; Mr.. and Mrs. Samue
Lawrence, Hamlin, n. G. watch anc
fountain pen; A. S. Funkhausen Hag
erstown. Md. So; Frederick Menz, Gin
cinnati. $4S50 and a watch; Mr.. and
Mrs. w. j. Bond Chillicothe Ohio, $50
Other passengers refused TO give theil
names or-the amounts taken from
them.