The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-01-19
EIX'I'I( :!
STEAL SWITCH ENGINE
In DARING ROBBERY
Thieves Try Daring Plan to Rob Long
Train of Merchandise, But They
Are Thwarted.

NY ASSOCLAtSu EreSS Leased WlfS.J
Observation-Disclosures with larceny
of locomotive" Robert Spornitz of
West Allis, proprietor of the Milwau-
kee Produce Co., So Detroit street, q
former railroad switchman, is being
sought? today throughout Wisconsin in
connection with what was described as
one Of the most daring thefts in local
police history.
Singlehanded he stole, according to
police, large freight locomotive from
the New Butler yards of the Chicago &
Northwestern road and ran it for Is
miles west, during an alleged attempt
to steal carload of cheese, which the
police say he intended to dispose of
through his one-man commission house.
Twice, the police say, Spornitz has
been convicted of forgery. A report
to police indicated that he may be in
Manitowoc. Spornitz's name was fur
nished to the police together with a
full report CT the unusual plot by a
companion.
Companion Makes Confession.
John Beasley, 442 National avenue, a
butcher, Spornitz's companion, is the
man under arrest without charge dur
ing the search for Spornitz and the in
vestigation of the novel theft. Beas-
ley, the police say, made complete
confession of the plot.
Spornitz and he had planned, said
Beasley, to go to Keesus where a car
of cheese was loaded on the siding
yesterday, couple the engine onto the
car and haul it to- Butler where they
had arranged with John Holler, a
trucking and carriage contractor, TO I'M
load the cheese and haul it away. Hol-
Ter, Chief of Detectives Harry McCrory
said, was almost an innocent victim of
the conspiracy.
Relieve Train Crew of Engine.
A merchandise train from Fond du
Lac had just pulled in at the New
Butler yard and the engine had been
uncoupled. The crew was about to
take the engine to the roundhouse
when Beasley and Spornitz appeared.
Seeing their lanterns and believing
them to be section foremen they I'M
suspectingly surrendered the engine
when Spornitz said: They're tearing
up some tracks up ahead here. Go on
in and check in. Well take care of
your engine for you"
The crew walked away to the office
to check in and Spornitz mounted to
the cab. He had unlocked with key
the switch which opened the siding
onto the main line. After he had driv-
en- the engine through and closed the
switch again so that the North Amer
ican," crack transcontinental train due
in so minutes, could pull through, he
whistled for the right-of-way and got
the go-ahead signal from the towerman.
Stalled Freight Train Hats Thief.
Beasley said he walked away then
and went to the siding where Holler
was to meet him to unload the car.
Spornitz proceeded and no difficulty
was encountered until he reached the
crossing over of the 500 Line, the c.
M. & St. Paul road and the G. & n. w.
road west of Pewaukee, short dis
lance from the Sussex station of the
C. M. & St. Paul road. There a ner-
chandise freight was stalled ahead of
him waiting for "the board" to take
the cross-over.
Spornitz, who had fired and driven the
engine all alone for Is miles and had
a full head of steam up, was forced to
come to a halt. 1t is supposed that he
waited for the track to clear and the
train ahead to proceed until he feared
pursuit and took to the woods. A
brakeman from the stalled freight
ahead came back and planted a red
torch but saw nothing of the driver of
the lone locomotive, he told sheriff's
deputies later.