(erielack) Walnut Street station in Nutley (1936)

[tommy meehan <tmeehan0421_@_gmail.com>]

Todd Hollritt posted what I found to be a thoroughly
fascinating newsreel about a train holdup on the
Newark Branch back in 1936,

I researched this incident years ago and it was
quite an event. IIRC the train involved was called
"The Bank Train." An eastbound morning local
that originated at Waldwick and often picked up
cash from the Federal Reserve in Paterson,
sometimes very large amounts. Thus the nickname,
'The Bank Train.'

On the fateful morning a group of armed men were
waiting at Walnut Street. About seven I think. One or
two boarded the locomotive cab, one accosted the
conductor on the platform, one held the rear brakeman
at gunpoint, another held the station agent at gunpoint
and the others went to the combine to get the Reserve
shipment picked up at Paterson.

Adding to the notoriety, when the men got the bags and
left the scene the conductor insisted the train depart
rather than wait for police. His reasoning was, "We're
already late." LOL

The station agent called police and they met the train
at the 4th Avenue station in Newark. At first it was
believed the robbers had stolen over a million dollars
in cash. But they picked the wrong day! The day before
there had been a large cash shipment. But the following
day, the day of the robbery, the bags contained mostly
cancelled checks and some non-negotiable securities.

Newark police were involved from the start and detectives
quickly zeroed in on the thugs involved, all from north
Newark and all career criminals. The ring leader was
quickly arrested and put on trial. It was a federal crime
and his trial was noteworthy- he was the first defendant
tried before a federal jury made up of men AND women.

News accounts state that the defendant cut quite a
dashing appearance. "Movie star looks," was how he
was described and his testimony seemed designed
to win over the women on the jury. He claimed he
had staged the robbery in order to provide for his
poor old mother. He even cried on the stand.

The women didn't buy it. He was convicted and got a
long sentence, twenty years I think.

The whole thing was like something out of a Damon
Runyon story. Too bad Jimmy Breslin wasn't around
yet!

tommy meehan

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675042782_suburban-train_train-pulls-up-at-the-station_people-board-the-train

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