A WHOLESALE ROBBERY 35 



When the case came up for trial, it developed that 

 three of the prisoners had planned to wreck the pas- 

 senger train going west the same night that they 

 robbed us, which train was due at our flag station a 

 few minutes after 9 p. M. Their plan was to open a 

 switch and run the train into the mill-dam. They then 

 intended to rob the passengers and the mail and ex- 

 press cars. When this evidence came out, together 

 with their record for other crimes, the men were found 

 guilty, and two were sentenced to ten years each in 

 the penitentiary ; one to five years ; one to three years 

 and the man who " peached " got off with a year. 



When it was all over I said to Larkin, " Say, old boy, 

 what about your doctrine of nerve force versus physical 

 force ? " 



" Well," he said, " this incident has proved my 

 doctrine to be sound and right ; I had the physical 

 force, but I surely lacked the nerve force, and that's 

 all there is to it." 



