The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-25
PerTy's Daring Feat

BY the time he reached the roof the
train was going fifty miles an hour. The
speed made his perch perilous one, par
ucularly as where he lay on the smooth
roof there was nothing for his hands to
grip or for his feet to brace themselves
against
The thick smoke from the engine almost
sufocated him-the hot cinders blinded
him-and the car swayed from side to side
so violently that he was in constant dan
ger OF being hurled off,
But, by lying fiat on his stomach. with
his arms and legs outstretched. he man.
aged to keep from slipping off the rock
ing car. After some little time he was
gradually able to draw himself along inch
by inch until one hand clutched a steel
ventilator Shaft which stuck up through
the root
His hold on this made his position much
more secure Soon. as he became more
accustomed to the motion Of the train and
inc dense cloud of smoke and cnders
which constantly enveloped him, he was
able to do more than merely hold on
He took from his pocket black mask
and tied 1t over the lower part of his
race From underneath his coat he
pniled out the rope. fastened one end OF Il
securely through the ventilator and tied
the other end around his waist.
LOT the engines headlight to reveal long
stretch OF straight level track ahead. When
at last 1t did, and the motion of the train
became less violent, he grpped the rope
tightly with his left hand, gave it two or
three turns around his wrist, and began
TO lower himself cautiously down the siop-
Ing roof and over the side of the car
1t was a hazardous undertaking and
one that only man of almos. superhu-
man strength and nerve would have dared
attempt His hand was bleeding from the
friction OF the rope long before his feet
touched the narrow moulding q third OF
the way down the side Of the car, which
gave mis- straining muscles their first re-
spite
FOR moment he rested In this diff
cult position. Then he resumed his slow
and painful descent until at last he could
look right into the car through the glass
In the upper half Of the sliding door
There stood the safe which he hoped to
rifle. In front Of il, with his back TO the
door. stood the express messenger busily
engaged in checking off his list OF valu-
able packages.
With his one free hand. Perry reached
into his pocket and took out big revol-
yer. Smashing light OF glass in the
ooor with the butt Of this he shouted at
the top of his voice:
Open that door or I'll kill YOU"
Inc startled messenger looked around,
saw the masked robber and at once reached
up to pull the emergency bell cord which
would stop the train.
But Perry was ready for that very move.
The big revolver barked twice in rapid
succession before the messengers hand
could grasp the cord and the expressman.
bleeding from two wounds in the shout
der, ned to the forward end of the car
AS he disappeared from view; Perry
put his hand through the opening where
he had broken the glass. drew the bolt
and slid the door open. In another Sec
ond he had swung himself into the car.
and stood there. revolver in hand. facing
the plucky messenger
BY this time the messenger had seized
his own revolver. He was game enough,
but he was badly wounded and not a good
shot under any conditions. He fired at
Perry-the shot went wild and Perry re-
piled with one that took effect
The robber would soon have been in
sole possession of the car and It's valu-
ables had not the train Just then slowed
down, for stop which Perry had evidently
not taken into his calculations. Aroused