Moonlighting by a signal maintainer

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"Dynamite Found in N&W Station," April 4, 1929, CLARKE COURIER, p. 1. 


Dynamite Found in N&W Station

Retainer (sic) In Charge of Electric Signal System In This Section Held

	With the arrest here Friday of C. B. Fostnight, signalman attached to the Norfolk & Western Railway, and the discovery of 300 pounds of dynamite hidden under the local [Berryville] passenger station of that road, it is thought that the mystery of several amateur robberies, culminating in the partial wrecking of the Front Royal station last week has been solved.
	Fostnight, which makes his headquarters here, was taken into custody by Sheriff R. F. Collins of Warren County, and several railroad detectives.  He was lodged in the county jail at Front Royal while the dynamite was removed to the Clarke County jail yard here.

Arrested Men Aid
	The tracing of the explosives to their hiding place in Berryville was due to the arrest of three Front Royal men, James Dodson, Lawrence Hall and Paul Ruffner, it was said, for the alleged complicity in the theft of a large quantity of sugar from the Old Virginia Packing Company at Front Royal, recently.
	These men informed on several others, it was said, their stories resulting in the arrest of Fostnight, who was charged with complicity in several robberies.
	Among the robberies alledged to have been perpetrated by the group are the raids on the store at Millwood, this county,  and at Front Royal in the middle of February.  At Front Royal, a quantity of dynamite was stolen from the store of George C. Ramsey.  The case of the explosives recovered were said to have borne Ramsey's name.

Robbery was Futile
	The attempted robbery at the Front Royal station early last Monday was futile, as an overcharge of dynamite was used.  The building suffered from the effects of the explosion, however.
	George S. Meadows, formerly in charge of the signal work here for the railroad, is serving a three-year sentence for similar illegial operations here and at Boyce, this county, in 1927.  Meadows was arrested and confessed after taking $350 in cash from the local [Berryville] American Railway Express Company on July 25, 1927.  He also admitted two robberies at Boyce.
	A special grand jury will be asked to consider the case on April 9.  


[Note: An article in the same publication, "Aldie and Luray Post Offices Robbed," March 21, 1929, p. 1., reports that office safes were blown.  I wonder if these incidents were related.]

Frank Scheer
f_scheer at yahoo.com