Rupert, Charley Pond lived until 1910. By that time he had been committed to an insane asylum. I’m telling you—this story has some twists. That night he was just making his way home to his wife in Corning, Iowa.
Don’t give much credit to the assailants for brains or planning. Earlier that night (actually early morning) they had robbed three other TRAMPS. So yes, I believe they shot Pond over his dirty clothes. Then they rode the train with him and all the witnesses on to Omaha. One of the underlying themes of my writing is that True Crime pretty much never means Smart Crime.
DB
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
Dave
I wondered if he was going to Chalco to buy stock, and therefore the interest of the six men in his valise and its contents – potentially money for the stock. If he was just a drover, would they have been interested in his dirty clothing?
I only looked at Nebraska newspapers but, if he lived in Corning, Iowa, there may have been a report of the shooting in his local paper. Did he die from his injuries? If so, there may have been an obituary which might provide more information.
If you are planning on illustrating your book, I am sure the members of the group could provide photos of stock cars, (drover) waycars and stock yards for the time period.
Rupert Gamlen
Auckland NZ
From: CBQ@groups.io <CBQ@groups.io> On Behalf Of Dave Burk
Sent: Sunday, 24 January 2021 5:10 pm
To: CBQ@groups.io
Subject: Re: [CBQ] 1897 Chalco incident
Thanks, Rupert. (My family knows not to ask about my research unless they have a huge block of time set aside.) I’ll just offer a tease—it’s all going in the book I’m writing.
The shooting victim was named Charles Pond. The article says he was a stockman, but there are conflicting accounts below the surface. His local paper said he was on a trip to Washington State for his health. (THAT didn’t go well!) In the book I’m writing (first I’ve attempted—I’m a retired reading teacher) I’m going to lay out this mysterious story. But some parts will remain unsolved due to the scant detail.
One of the tramps came from my area. He served time in Cincinnati, Ohio’s euphemistically named House of Refuge for stealing a box of sardines. He would return to Southwest Ohio 10 years later and take part in what is claimed to be the first bank robbery in Butler County. (About now is when my family’s eyes glaze over and they back away slowly.)
This thread has been extremely helpful for telling this section of the story more accurately. I can’t thank this group enough—detailed, clear explanations, incredible photos, and responses started coming in the day I posted. Thank you all.
I may hit you with some specific questions about railroad police, but it’ll be a while before I get to the section where they play a role.
DB
Dave
I’ve found an account of the shooting in the Omaha Daily Bee of 27 June 1897 Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, June 27, 1897, Part I, Page 8, Image 8 « Chronicling America « Library of Congress (loc.gov)
A report in the same newspaper the following day Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, June 28, 1897, Page 8, Image 8 « Chronicling America « Library of Congress (loc.gov) states that the man who was shot after leaving the train (G R Pond of Corning, Iowa) was a stockman. Apparently a number of tramps had tried to take his valise but he resisted and was shot. Six men were arrested.
Rupert Gamlen
I have two questions about an incident that happened in Chalco, Neb. In late June of 1897. A passenger on a train referred to in news articles as the Burlington fast freight (sometimes called a stock train but that definitely had at least some boxcars) was shot during an attempted robbery as he got off the train.
- If a person had a pass to ride a freight train, where would he or she ride? Would a freight train have a specific place for passengers?
- For a train called a fast freight, this particular train stopped in Lincoln, then again in Ashland, and again in Chalco, then in Omaha. Why so many stops? I would have thought a fast freight would have been straight through to a destination.
Thanks for any help. I’m pretty ignorant about trains—working on true crime. Thanks!
Sent from Mail for Windows 10
_._,_._,_
Groups.io Links:
You receive all messages sent to this group.
View/Reply Online (#61246) | Reply To Group | Reply To Sender | Mute This Topic | New Topic
Your Subscription | Contact Group Owner | Unsubscribe [archives@nauer.org]
_._,_._,_
