A TRAIN HOLD-UP.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1919, Page 6

A TRAIN HOLD-UP.

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A young man, addressed in American c.vboy fashion, heavily masked and armed v/ith an automatic Mauser revolver, clambered into the cab of the engine attached to the Forbes-Sydney mail, and, pointing the weapon at the forehead of the driver called upon him to sioo Tiie train.

The mail left Parses on Saturday afternoon at 5.35. It was timed to reach Bathurst shortly after midnight on Sunday t-.oruing. She was. heavily laden witi passengers. Nothing untoward occurred until Pertaville, a small station rbout six l miles from Bathurst, was reached. Here the train stopped for a couple of minutes, and it had only proceeded a few hundred yards on the jeurney to Bathurst when the driver, Tames Whelan, af Bathurst, who was on the look-out, felt a sharp tug at his coat. Turning his head Whelan found Manse'f looking into the muzzle of a revolver held by a masked man, who resembled, in Whelan's own words to the police, r w. cowboy without the feathers." Whelan was not perturbed, knowing that there were several of his railway mates on the train travelling homo to Bathurst. His first impression was that one of them had disguised himself and was having a joke with him and his fireman Consequently he turned away and continued his journey. Immediately lie did so there wjw a second and more'violent tug at his coat, which slewed him round. Then he realised that the intruder was no practical joker. The revolver was pushed right into his face until he could feel the cold steel on his -forehead, and the would-be highwayman shouted, "stop the train." VVhelan's left hand shot out, grabbed the arm holding the revolver, whilst with the right hand ho caught the man by the throat.

A desperate struggle then followed, with the train travelling at the rate of between 35 and 40 miles an hoar. Both men are of powerful physique, but Whelan -proved the stronger of the two. Gradually ho got a, firm grip of the throat of his assailant, who after a few minutes sank back exhausted. Meanwhile the fireman, George Gorrie, also of Bathurst, had rushed to the assistance of the driver, and the pair succeeded in securing the revolver, 'earing the intruder panting and apparently helpless on the floor of the engine. The engine was by this time travelling at great speed, but Whelan rushed to the control. The danger in which the train was placed, can oe appreciated when it is realised that near the Perthville Methodist Church is a big curve, which has to be negotiated at greatly reduced speed. On this occasion, however, the mail swept round the curve ,at a great spaed, as at this point the two ijisn wee engaged in their desperate straggle. By ih'> time Whelan had gained control o* t'je engine the intruder had struggled to his feet and began to back away and out of the doorway of the engine. Whelan grabbed him By rue braci/s, -.vh.Ust Gorric succeeded in getting a grip on the black shirt he was wearing. However, ; xith ahirt and

braces gave way, with the result that tha alleged highwayman, after being suspended, 'or a few oeconds, fell headlong on to the permanent way The driver at once pulled the train up, proceeded back, and found the man lying on iris .i'otoni<«}, unconscious. He was placed in the braksvan and brought to Bathurst, where, after attention, he was arrested and conveyed to the Bathurst District Hospital, suffering from shock and severe injuries to his arm and body. He gave his name as Walfren Larsen, 2i years of age, and refused to give any information regarding his movements daring Saturday night. The police theory is that Larsen secreted himself on Mie steps of the engine at Perthville, end as soon as the train began to move clambered in. Yesterday Larsen became more communicative T t is understood that he stated that he wanted money He had no intention of shooting the driver, but only wanted to frighten him, his condition last night hail improved considerably, and it is expected that he will be brought 'before the Police Court witliin the course of a few days

Larsen when arrested wore the remains of a dark shirt A portion of the left sleeve, had been torn away. On the left hand he wore a leather gauntlet, on the back of which was inscribed I.W.W. On the right wrist he had a leather wrist protector. He had a greenhide cartridge belt round his waist, to which was fixed a holster. Beside him was a black felt hat of the cowboy shape, and a Mauser automatic revolver, a busi-ness-like looking weapon of the magazine quick-firing type, made in Germany. It contained 12 cartridges.