THEY WANTED A FREE RIDE

Delaware, Lackawanna & Western R. R. train "SAM SLOAN."

Cortland Standard, Semi-Weekly Edition, Tuesday, September 19, 1893.

WANTED A FREE RIDE.

FOUR TRAMPS TAKE POSSESSION OF A COAL TRAIN.

Conductor and Brakeman Badly Bruised—Two are Captured—Officers are Hunting for the Other Two.

   Sept. 15.—Just as coal train No. 39 which is due in Cortland at 1:40 P. M. was pulling out this afternoon Conductor Charles A. Lawrence and Brakeman Frank Knapp, who were on the engine, discovered four tramps on the third car back. They went back there and ordered the tramps off. They refused, stating that they would have to stop the train to put them off. The conductor motioned the engineer to stop, but while the train was being stopped one of the men secured a stick and a general scuffle ensued.

   The four tramps overpowered the conductor and brakeman. The former was struck in the right eye with a chunk of coal by Barney Henrahan. The brakeman was thrown down and his face was buried in the coal, while some of the tramps thumped him at a tremendous rate, The train at last stopped.

   A telephone message was sent to the sheriff who went down and succeeded in arresting Barney Henrahan. The other tramp, A. C. Clift, with the other tramps, took to their heels. Two are still at large and the officers are hunting for them. Clift, however, ran from the scene to Mr. Frank M. Johnston’s residence on Clinton-ave. He rushed to the rear of the house and told Mrs. Johnston, who was in the kitchen, that he “wanted protection” and unceremoniously rushed up stairs [sic] in the house.

   Quite a crowd of men and boys, who were in hot pursuit, arrived at the house. Chief Sager was also on hand and immediately went up stairs. He at first thought that his bird had flown, but soon discovered muddy prints of the man’s boots, where he had stood on Mrs. Johnston’s white bed spread and gazed out of the window. The tramp was found under the bed, was yanked out and taken before Judge Bull. Clift was committed to jail for an investigation to-morrow morning on the charge of vagrancy, while Henrahan was held on the more serious charge of assault in the third degree till 1 P. M. to-morrow.

   Police court was thronged with an excited crowd when the tramps were taken up there.

Sentenced to Onondaga.

   Sept. 16.—“S. R. O.” (standing room only), and little at that was a card that might have been hung in front of police headquarters this afternoon, when the two alleged tramps, who with two others attempted to take possession of a coal train at the D., L. & W. station yesterday afternoon, were brought before Justice Bull. The room was packed with a mass of humanity anxious to see what would be done with the prisoners.

   Sheriff Miller first took his man, Barney Henrahan, before Justice Bull. The prisoner pleaded guilty to the charge of assault in the third degree in injuring Conductor Charles A. Lawrence and was promptly sentenced to six months in Onondaga penitentiary.

   Chief Sager then brought up Albert C. Clift on the charge of vagrancy. He said that he was not a tramp, had money in his pocket and was going to Syracuse. He was discharged and thanked the court very earnestly, and then rose from his chair and started to leave the court room, but Chief Sager stepped forward and arrested him on the more serious charge of assault, on a warrant sworn out by Brakeman Frank Knapp, whose head and shoulders were buried in the coal, while some one pounded him . The prisoner pleaded not guilty and was held in $200 bail for his appearance Saturday, September 23, at 10 A. M.

   Nathan L. Miller appeared for the People and T. E. Courtney for the defendant.

Washout on the E., C. & N. R. R.

   Sept. 16.—What might have been a serious accident was averted yesterday afternoon by the watchfulness of the officials of the E., C. & N. R. R. and the special care taken by Conductor James R. Baty and Engineer James Barlow of the local freight train.

   Superintendent Albert Allen was yesterday in Elmira. Hearing that there were washouts on the Erie and D., L. & W. railroads, he wired Train Dispatcher W. H. Clark at Cortland to charge all engineers to take unusual care, and to keep himself informed through all agents of the state of the road in their vicinity.

   It was about 4:10 P M. when the local freight train left Park station, fifteen miles from Elmira and began descending the hill toward that city. The heavy train had gone nearly three miles and was in a place where the grade is seventy feet to the mile, when on rounding a curve Engineer Barlow discovered a bad washout a little in advance. Instantly the engine was reversed and brakes were applied and the train came to a stand within a few feet of the break, which was about twenty-five feet wide. The conductor went on to Erin and wired Cortland and Elmira.

   Superintendent Allen was just leaving for home on the 4:30 train. He got together a gang of men and came on to the break. When they attempted to throw over the track to get around the washout, the whole embankment sloughed off and made it necessary to fill from the bottom. All the stone which is used on the road comes from Perryville, but four carloads of cut stone were at Elmira, taken there to build a culvert. Superintendent Allen sent for these and piled them into the track. A reporter asked if this was not rather expensive filling. “It wouldn’t have made any difference,” he replied, “if they had been gold nuggets. It was an emergency case, and in an emergency we use anything we can lay our hands on to keep our trains running.”

   The east and west-bound trains had to transfer passengers and express over the track, but at 10 o’clock last night the track was again in shape and the freight passed over it and went on to Elmira. By reason of the delay of transfer, the train due in Cortland at 7:08 train arrived in town just two hours late.

A LITTLE MORE LIGHT.

A New Scent Found on the Lake Shore Train Robbery.

   Kendallville, Ind., Sept. 15—If indications are true the last chapter will be added within 24 hours to the history of the express robbery committed at Kessler Monday night. The detectives who have been scouring the country to the west and south have been transferred in haste to the north. Information has been received from Rome City, Ind., nine miles north of here, containing the substance of a message from Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Foos of Rome City, saying that five suspicious looking men had passed through the Lake Shore and Michigan gravel pits two miles to the east of that village. Several of the men had bundles which might have held the booty.

   As soon as Chief Detective Byrne was given this information last night men were dispatched to the place. Two of the suspected men have been recognized as Chicago crooks and safe blowers, while a third man has his home not far from here. It is believed the fourth is a notorious western desperado. The fact that the men did not make their appearance around here for several days previous to the robbery and the report that several men made their hiding place in a swamp a short distance from the scene for several days, foraging off the neighboring farms for subsistence, adds another link to the chain.

PAGE FOUR—EDITORIALS.

The Point of Attack.

   Democrats in this county every year select some one Republican candidate on the county ticket on whom they make their fiercest onslaught, allowing the others to run practically undisturbed, and trading off recklessly every other candidate on their own ticket save the one they are trying to elect. Indications point to the employment of the same tactics this fall, and as is usually the case the member of assembly will be the point of attack.

   Above all things the Democratic party want the next legislature—and shamefully as they have gerrymandered the state and outrageously as they amended the election laws so as to make it possible for almost any majority desired to be counted for them in New York City, they are still fearful of such a tidal wave as will sweep them from their fraudulently obtained power in the state.

   The STANDARD has often had occasion to warn Republicans of just such a concentration of Democratic effort against a Republican nominee for the assembly. This year no money and no exertion will be spared to compass Mr. Lee’s defeat; and with the fair chance which many believe exists of our electing a Republican legislature, the Republican voter who for any cause deserts him will be doubly a traitor. A deaf ear should be turned to every persuasion and argument in behalf of his opponent, whoever he may be. This is no year for so-called complimentary votes. The most complimentary vote to himself which a Republican can cast will be a straight vote for the entire ticket.

   Next to a vote for president or governor the most thorough test of Republicanism is a vote for member of congress, senator or assemblyman. These officers mould the policy and carry out the principles of the Republican party, and no one who claims to be a Republican can vote against either one without being false to his professions. Make up your mind now and positively that Benjamin F. Lee will receive your vote and your influence.

The County Nomination.

   The Republican county ticket, nominated at the convention last Wednesday, puts the party in excellent shape for this fall’s campaign. The nominees are well and favorably known, and the claims of all save Mr. Walker, the candidate for Justice of Sessions, have been referred to at greater or less length in recent issues of the STANDARD. Mr. Walker’s fitness for the place for which he is in nomination is no less conspicuous than that of any of his associates on the ticket. A veteran soldier, an ex-supervisor, a successful and respected magistrate, no better selection could have been made.

   Locality and availability as well as fitness have been consulted in the make-up of the ticket, and all parts of the county are represented upon it. Mr. Lee is from the extreme north-eastern and Mr. Perry from the extreme south-western town of the county. Mr. Walker comes from central Solon and Mr. Foster from the Republican stronghold of Homer, which of late years has not always received the consideration to which its big Republican majorities entitle it.

   Better than all, the ticket was nominated without friction or the creation of any unpleasant or inharmonious feeling, no one went home sore-headed, and Republicans all over the county can take hold of the work of the campaign with unison and vigor. The Republican majority in “little Cortland” this fall should be the largest since 1888.

BREVITIES.

   —In the annual rifle practice of the Forty-fifth Separate Co. every man who shot for a prize got one. This is something unusual,

   —Johnson Bane, the guitarist, has been engaged by some local management to give one of his refined recitals at Empire hall on Monday evening, Sept. 18. Mr. Conway, the ever popular cornet-soloist and Mr. Graham, saxophone-soloist, and others will assist Mr. Bane.

   —There were just one hundred children on the load which was made up to compete for the suit of clothes offered by F. Daehler. The load attracted a great deal of attention in town yesterday. The team belonged to Mr. J. L. Gillet, and was driven by his son-in-law, Mr. D. L. Beardsley.

   —At a meeting of the directors of the First National bank of Cortland, held at the bank parlors on Sept. 12, a dividend of five per cent free of tax was declared, payable Sept. 15, out of the net earnings of the last six months. The balance of earnings was carried to undivided profits account at said bank.

   —A telegram from Utica this noon says that Messrs. Edwin O. Alger and Thomas Harry Dowd, who have been students in the office of Smith & Dickinson, finished a hard series of examinations this morning and were admitted to the bar and sworn in at the general term of the supreme court at Utica.

   —So severe was the rain this morning at the time that the students went to school that nearly every one had wet feet, and all the ladies had wet skirts. In consequence all the pupils of the Central school, and the primary and intermediate departments of the Normal, were excused to go home as soon as the rain ceased to put on dry clothing, and all the students of the Normal department who felt the need of dry clothing were excused also, though recitations in this department went on as usual.

   —We are told, says the McGrawville Sentinel, that a young lady not a thousand miles away from McGrawville found a package of old love letters written to her mother by her father before they were married. The daughter saw where she could have a little sport, and read them to her mother, pretending that they were of recent date and substituting her own name for that of her mother, and the name of a fine young man well-known to both of them for that of her father. The mother jumped up and down in her chair, shifted her feet rapidly and seemed terribly disgusted, and forbid her daughter having anything to do with a young man who would write such sickening and nonsensical stuff to a girl. When the young lady handed the letters to her mother to read, the house became so still that one could hear the apples ripen in the orchard hard by.