Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-03-14
DARING TRAIN ROBBERY Y
The U. S. Express Company
Loses $4,000
And a Heroic Messenger Beaten to
Death.
A Thrilling Story Told by the Bag
gage Man.

A Thrilling Story Told by the Bag
gage Man.
JOLIET, Ills, March l3.-0ne Of the
most daring and 5loody express robberies
ever perpetrsted in Illinois occurred on
the Chicago and Rock Island and Pacific
west.bound express, last night, between
this place and Morris. The facts as learn.
ed from the baggage man are that shortly
after the train (which leaves here at l2:45
q. m. had left this city, be heard rap at
the baggage car door. Thinking it was the
express messenger he opened the door
and was met by masked robbers who cov-
cred him with revolvers and demanded his
key to the exress car. The key was given
up, and one roboer who was on top of the
baggage car, held revolver on The bag
gageman through trsnsom in the root of
the car, while his confederstes turned their
attention to the express car. 1t is thought
that they raped on the express car door
and informed the messenger, Il. S. Mich,
OILS, that the baggage man wanted to get
in. At any rate, the express car door was
opened, and then occurred one Of the
most
BLOODY AND DESPERATE
struggle on record.
Being confronted by the murderous vii
lians The messenger fought for his life and
the property in his trust, The interior Of
the express car shows that he fought the
robbers from one end Of the car to the
other but at last the murderous blows that
they raired on his head with an iron poker
forced him to succumb and he was left
dead in the car. The robbers rifed his
pockets OF the keys to the safe, which the,
robbed of all It's contents, variously esti.
mated OF from S2j, 900 to 100000 Checks
and valuable packages not containing
money they left scattered about the floor.
Nothing was known Of the occurrence
until the train reached Morris, the frat stop
west OF heie except the coal chute where
the train stopped to take on COAL At
Morris the local express messenger raped
on the express car door, but as the sum-
mons was not answered it was thought the
train messenger was asleep. Upon the
door Of the car being opened tbs dead body
of Messenger Nichols was discovered. In
one hand, which was clutched, the dead
hero had a lock Of dark colored hair that
he must have torn from the head OF one
of the assailants. News was at once tele-
graphed to Ottawa, and Sheriff Reitz and
Chief CT Police Murray at once organized
a posse and started on a special engine for
Morris, stopping on the way at the coal
chute two miles west Of here to see if they
could fud where the desperadoes boarded
the train at that point Snow was falling
lightly at the time, and the tracks, if any,
were covered.
A large force Of officers and men from
this place and Morris are now
SECURING THE COUNTRY,
and it is thought the guilty men will be
captured, in which event they will probably
be lynched, as public opinion in this town
ia at fever heat, and it will not be safe for
the murderers to be brought here. The
dead messenger WIS married man, and
lived at Chicago. He has been in the
service of the United States Express Com
psny about ten years, and vas one Of their
most trusted employees. As to where the
robbers boarded the train al, as yet is
mere speculation. Conductor Wagner
does not remember having seen any suspi-
cious characters aboard las night. but the
general opinion is that the gang got on
the train at the coal chute two miles west
of here, and jumped off just before the
train reached Morris.
The Rock Island road offers reward Of
$4,000 for the capture Of the men who
committed the robbery, and S.. 900 for the
arrest ofany one Of them.
THE LOIS.
CHICAGO, March l3.-Mr. Wygant, the
agent OF the L S Express Co., states this
evening that the loss by this mornings
robbery will be inside of $4,000. There
was q little ever $4,000 in money and
the balance OF thu stolen matter consisted
of packages Of jewelry and other things
which he thinks were not valued over
$500. 1t is impossible Just now
to fix the loss exactly.
The express company is working
Jointly with the Rock Island railroad in en-
desvoripg to catch lhs.. robbers, and $1,000
reward is offered jointly by the two COM
panies. Assistant Agent Hammond, OF the
United States Express Companys office in
this city, said in regard to the murdered
man: "Mr. Kellogg vas brave and trust,
ed employe" Among the unfortu.
nate mans fellow employees as
thew came in from their trips and heard
the sad news, I'VE have little or no protec-
ton on end door cars said one Of the
messengers. The doors are chained, it
is true, but a jimmy inserted will snap the
little brass clasp like pipe stem. Besides
Nick had to take charge of two cars and
it is my opinion the rob5er got on at the
coal chute and entered the forward car
while he was in the rear with baggage"
THE BAGGAGENASs STORY.
The baggagemsr, n. Il. Watt, who is o
Young man about "a years old, told the fol-
lowing story: Il was sitting in the cars
the thieves were upon the joor which went
bsck 10 the train, bat the door in the front
part of the car was not locked as the car
ahead was the one in which the messenger
staid. He was checking up his run. |
sat on q trunk, and Just after they had
whistled for Ainoks heard sort
OF scraping sound on the floor, but not
much, iust as though some one had rubbed
his foot on the door. Before l could turn
around
BIG GUN WAS PoEED OVER MI SHOULDER
and man said, you open your mouth or
move q muscle and I'll blow JoaF brains
out" could only zee the lower part Of