Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-24
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY
COMMITTED BY THREE YOUNG MEN
IN ARKANSAS. ~.
I'VE Want Your changs"-A Big Haul on
the Express Safs-The Passengers
Robbed-"Pss Paid Once, Boss.
$4,000 Obtained by the
Operation.
STEPS TAKEN TO SECURE CAPTURE.

STEPS TAKEN TO SECURE CAPTURE.
LITTLE Rock, ARK. September 2S.-
The train that left Arkadelphia at 8 p.
n, on Thursday, on the Iron Mountain
railroad, was robbed by three very
young men near Hope, Ark. Conductor
Whitside, in an interview with repor.
ter, gives the following statement OF
affairs: When / was pulling out Of
Hope, two young men sot on as the
train started. Afterwards another ran
out OF the saloon and got on, joining the
two. On going through the train
I found the three in one Of the
extra coaches, there being several extras
on the train. There were no other pas.
sengers in the car excepta lady and
gentleman. I walked up to the men
and asked for tickets. One Of them in
quired, "What is the fare to Onerret"
pronouncing the name OF the station
incorrectly, it being Emmett. | told
him and he paid the passage for the
three. He asked one Of his companions
for pocket book, and it having moth
ing in 1t, one Of his companions handed
him another. from which he took the
money and paid the fare. This man,
who was the leader, had black mus
tache. l went back into the ladies' car.
A lady who was in there said they got
up and followed me, stopping at the
door and drinking from a
bottle. Then they opened the door
and went out, and came into the car
where l was, walking up behind me.
The one with the mustache cried out,
"we Want Y our Change"
1 thought they were half drunk, and
turned around to make them be quiet,
" hen saw their revolvers. The leader
then said, looking at me: "We mean
business. but don't want to burt any
one. We only want your change" |
turned to walk away, when he brought
the revolver on me saying: 1--WE want
your money first" I ran my hand into
my pocket and handed him about tif-
teen dollars in silver. "Give me your
greenbacks," he continued, 81 have no
me, ! told him, and that satisfied them
for they did not search me. go along
now," he said and stepped bekind me,
the other two getting ahead. They then
proceeded to rob the passengers, calling
Tor change. and occasionally giving back
three or four dollars to v!ctems. They
gave back 500 to one man from whom
whom they took $500. They did not rob
more than ten or fifteen passengers. One
man bluHfed them off with 80 cent?.
When we went into one car where ]
knew John Pollack, who has charge OF
the ice car and who
Generally Carried Several Hundred Dol.
was asleep. l called out to him, giving
him an opportunity to save something,
by saying, "Get out your money,
John" He handed the robbers S45 or
$50. throwing a roll OF $500 under the
seat. They then pushed me along in the
Pullman sleeper, banking the door open
and talking very loud. The conductor
OF the car came running to US and
said, "Shut up that racket, or you'll
wake my passengers" The leader drew
his gun an the conductor and compelled
him to shell out $40, which he said was
all he had. They did not rob the
sleeping car passengers. They did not
even wake them up. They were in
great hurry. I noticed in the sleeper
that they wore slouched hats pulled
down. Leaving the sleeper they
marched mo back through the train
to the sleeping car to the express. This
car is a combined express and baggage
car. The door is not kept locked. Ser
vice is done by the Iron Mounraln
Company on this train, the Southern
Express Company only running ines.
senpers on Nos. l and 2. The leader
said, "If any one makes a noise, he'll
gst it." Crowding me along with his
revolver he crowded me into the express
car ahead OF them and Ben Sain, the
messenger, went for his revolver. said,
Throw Up Your Hands, Ben.
II you shoot, I'm o goner." l was com.
PEELED to do this, for there was one re.
yolyer in my face and the muzzles OF
two others against my bead. They made
Sain unlock the safe and took out the
packages themselves, tearing open en-
velopes. The messengers purse contained
$40 they also appropriated. After going
through the safe, one said, "Now, show
US a good place to get of, and they got
of right where they robbed the train,
about four miles north OF Hope, and
some distance south Of Emmett. When
they had climbed up the bank the
leader yelled out: "Now, 90, and be
damned Quick" Geo. Stanton, the en-
gineer, VINO had been standing out on
ground watching the robbery, started
to get back on the engine, and not NOV
ing fast enough to suit the robbers, they
fred volley at him on the engine:
The robbery took place at 10 O'Clock.
The day was mt over fifteen or twenty
minutes. The robbers we're strangers
at Hopa. They had been there bat a
few hours. It was known that they
spent good portion OF the day at Hope
water tank, three niles north OF Hope,
where they had horses. The train,
however, did not stop at the tank, and
30 they left their horses and went into
town. The total xmount secured by
the robbers from the passengers and
express company Ia in the neighborhood
Vi $4,000,
A reward Of $500 each has been
offered for the robbers.