The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-05-25
Thieves Clever Plan

Once inside the car the roopers would
saw hole in the door through which they
had entered This hole was Just large
enough for man to reach his arm through
and slide back the bolt on the inside OF
the door.
The purpose Of this was to create the
impression shat the robbers had gained
entrance to the car without the messen-
gers knowledge or consent-by climbing
up on the side OF the car and saving
through the door.
AS soon as Brown had handed over 10
them the contents Of the safe they were
10 bind and gag him and infiict several
cuts on Ills face and hands TO indicate the
hard struggle he had made to protect his
employers property. He was also TO chew
on a small piece OF soap to produce foam
on his lips and thus add reality 10 his ap-
parent sufferings
AS the train slowed down at some sta
ton In the outskirts OF New York City.
bullard and Marsh would Jump off and
make their escape with the booty.
AT the end Of the route the messenger
would be discovered lying helpless in the
car-to all appearances almost dead
AFTER he had been revived he would
tell a story OF the robbery that had been
carefully rehearsed In every detail with
view TO deceivinE the express company.s
particular stress on his descriptions Of the
robbers who had entered the car and at.
tackled Illuminating them as little like the
real Billiard and Marsh as anything we'll
could be.
There was for various reasons delay
OF several weeks before this crafty plan
could be put into execution. When it
finally was undertaken 1t went through
without hitch
But Brown had. up to this time. been
an honest man and this sudden plunge into
crime began to trouble his conscience. His
story of the robbery. at first entirely
plausible, began to weaken under the per-
sistent questioning OF the detectives. Final
ly he gave so many conflicting versions OF
various points that he was placed under
arrest for completely In the crime
Alarmed at this turn Of affairs Billiard
and Marsh fled to Canada. They were
caught there and the greater part of what
you In previous chapter how they broke
out Of the White Plains Jail-they were
never recaptured.
Brown. the unfortunate messenger who
had yielded to the temptation to get rich
quick by stealing was finally released on
account OF his previous good record. The
experience taught him valuable lesson
and he never committed another crime.
very extraordinary chapter in the hiB-
tory Of train robbing is that which includes
the crimes of Oliver Curtis Perry. His ca
reer was not Of long duration, but 1t was
marked by a diabolical ingenuity and a
reckless disregard OF his own life and the
lives Of others such as few men have ever
shown. His crimes were all the more re.
markable because they were not com.
mitted In some lonely region of the West.
but in a thickly settled section OF New
York State.
Late one evening in the early Fall
sturdy. we'll built and well dressed young
man walked through the New York Gen.
trail yards at Albany. Several OF the rail-
roads watchmen saw him. but he was
such an intelligent. clean-cut looking fell
low, and so evidently going about his bust
ness. that they took him for an employee
and thought nothing strange of his being
there at that hour.
At the station a limited express train
stood ready to start on its trip westward.