Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1916-10-12

In loosening the last car just before
it was stopped by the grade, Fan
tomas intended not only to isolate his
victim but also to destroy all traces of
the crime,
The arch criminal counted on grav-
ity carrying the car back down the
track. He knew that the Simplon En-
press was following close behind. The
car, carrying Martialle and Fandor,
would crash into this speeding train.
One of two things would happen.
Either the car would be dashed clear
Of the tracks by the one coming train,
or else the train itself would be de-
rallied, and the car crushed. In either
case, Martialle and Fandor would per-
ish. There would be no evidence that
they had first been robbed, no evi-
dence that their deaths had been
caused by other than the chance sep
arating of the car from the rest OF the
train.
AS soon as Fandor recovered his
compoSure and found that the bandits
had left the car he rushed to give the
alarm. He was quite surprised to re.
ceive no answer when he called or no
whistle when he pulled the cord which
signaled the engineer. He put his
head out of the window, and to his
horror saw that the car was going
backward. Knowing that his train
was being followed by the Simplon
Express, Fandor Immediately under
stood the terrible danger that i'm
pended.
eve must jump" he cried to Mar
tialle, cor we are lost. Quit yelling
and wringing your hands, and follow
me-"
Without another word Fandor open
ed the door of the compartment and
jumped. Martialle followed his exam
pie. Fortunately, the car had not
gathered much headway, and the two
men escaped with only slight bruises.
Fandor scrambled up the bank and
upon the track. He was desperate
with the desire of saving the train, but
there was nothing he could do in that
solitude. The cars speed was increas-
ing rapidly. In the distance was heard
the Strident whistle of the Simplon
express. n few secodns later it burst
into view. The runaway car was al
most upon it. Fascinated by the sight.
rowerleSS to help. Fandor could only
stand and watch the terrible cataS-
trophe enacted before his very eyes
Despite the distance. he heard the
crash of grinding metal as the car
dashed into the train. the hiss of eS-
Gaping steam. and then an instant
later the ShriekS of the victims as the
ear ana the locomotive left the track
and rolled into the gorge. Nothing
was left of the forward coaches of the
luxurious train except masses of twist
ed iron and steel and blazing pieces
of splintered wood. Through the
flames and the smokes men could be
seen setting about the work of rescue,
and above the horrid din could be
heard the shrieks of the injured.
Loupart wasted no time waiting to
see if his plans for the wreck mate
rialized. He directed his band to take
their places in the waiting automo-
biles, and then ordered the chauffeur
to drive as rapidly as possible to
Faris. He himself had the wallet
which contained the money Martialle
was taking to Pontarlier.
Fantomas, despite his brilliantly
conceived plan, despite his skill in its
execution, was to be bitterly disap-
rOinted. Instead of finding 80 bank
notes, each of the value of 5000, he
opened the package to ffnd that each
note to be sent to Pontarlier had been
cut lengthwise, and only half of each
had been given Martialle. Hence, they
were non negotiable. Before the note
t'ulu Dt VI value llle Two HtlNtS
ould have to be pasted together.
A letter found in the wallet eX-
planned the precaution:
"Messrs. Border,
"Pontarlier, France.
confirming our conversation and
to bind ourselves in the sale of the
st. Blaise distillery, we herewith
hand you through our representa-
tive $50 halves of banknotes, each
of the face value of 5000. The
other halves will be handed to you
at the expiration of thirty days I;
that is to say, after the contract has
been executed.
Yours truly,
"Kessler & Barru."
FantOmas was wild with rage. lie
needed the money, and now he was