The record-union., 1891-11-13
Train Held Up on the Milwaukee
and st. Paul Road.
SEVERAL BOMBS THROWN INTO THE
EXPRESS CAR.
large Amount of Money Believed to
Have Been Secured by the Gang OF
Robbers. Which is Said to Have
Numbered at Least Six or Seven
Men-None of the Passengers Mo-
lRSfRd
Special to the REcoRD-UN1ox.

train from Chicago on the Milwaukee
and st, Paul road was robbed by masked
men near Western Union junction at l
O'Clock this morning. The train had
been out of the junction, twenty-three
miles south of this place, about half
mile, when the fireman, Edward Ayerill,
who was putting some coal into the fur
mace, was startled by a noise behind him.
He turned around and discovered two
masked men clambering over the engine
tender. Both leveled their double-bar-
relied guns at the fireman and engineer,
Bill Mckay, with the injunction, Don't
move an inch till we tell you, or we will
blow the top of your heads off," En-
gineer Mckay was directed to run the
train to within point of about one mile
from the Western Union junction.
Here they commanded Mckay to STOP
Both men were ordered to step down out
Of the cab, when they were marched to
the express car under cover of the guns,
and then the work of blowing open the
express car began. Several bombs, the
fireman thinks they were, were thrown
into the car and the explosions were ter
rifle and must have awakened every pas
scnger on the train, but nobody appeared
on the scene.
The robbers were undoubtedly not
less than six or seven in number, Judging
from the manner in which they conducted
the operations. The trainmen believe
they had team close by with which to
cart away the safes, which were taken
bodily out of the car.
Fireman AVerilPs story is the most
comprehensive. He said: ''They made
me walk ahead of them to the express
car, and they then gave me a jimmy to
pry open the boxes. They got the mes
Senger'S keys, though he was in no hurry
to give them up, and they will have no
trouble IN getting away with all the
money. The train was held for over half
an hour. The entire efforts Of the rob-
bers were centered on the express car and
not passenger was moleSted.'
The fremen thinks there were half
dozen men guarding the coaches, how
ever.
LESS than five minutes out of Western
Union Junction." said Messenger Muir
ply, ''the train was slowed up suddenly,
muSket was poked through the top
window of the car and a second later
terrific explosion occurred that knocked
both myself and Mr.. Cook in a heap.
half dozen more explosions followed
and both doors flew off the bolts. Then
two men wearing big black masks clam
bered quickly into the car and covered us
with muskets. We We're cautioned to
maintain silence at the penalty of getting
riedly about the car the robbers fastened
their eyes on two iron boxes of the Amer
lean Express Company. The robbers
brought the fireman in a little later and
went through all the boxes. They com
PEELED us TO hand over the KEYS. They
dumped the boxes out on the rOadbed
one of the robbers kept us covered with
his musket all the time, while the other
superintended the operations of the fire
man."
Messenger Murphy stated he secured
all the bills of the money contained in
the safe and that the sum was undoubt-
edly very large one. 1t is probable the
total amount of the robbers booty will
amount to 100000, and possibly more.
An official of the st. Paul road said the
train which was held up was one which
generally carried all the money received
by the Milwaukee Bank from the East in
the morning.
Agent John F. Bell of the American
Express Company said to a reporter that
an approximate statement Of the amount
taken by the robbers could not be learned
he said $1,000 in the local packages were
certainly gone, beside sum contained
in two sealed envelopes.
Some of the passengers, who were
asleep, did not know anything about the
hold up" until the train arrived in Mil
Waukee. Many passengers thought there
were twenty or thirty robbers others
thought they saw only a dozen, while
others said there were more robbers than
passengers. When the train started mn
again the passengers saw the safes living
beside the track, but the robbers had dis
appeared.
When the train arrived at the Union
Depot, at 2:30, the express car presented
an appearance that would indicate that il
had been attacked by heavy artillery.
Every door and window was blown out,
and the platform and walls are shattered
hal u nj 10
were piled in an indiscriminate heap in
the center of the car.
Messenger q. c. Murphy and his assist
ant, G. III. Cook, were found gathering up
the fragments of the way-bilIs and look
ing over the remnants lett by the robbers.
The first news of the robbery was
brought to Western Union junction by
the flagman. The Milwaukee and Racine
police were telegraphed for Immediately,
and Detective Hansen was provided with
q special train, on which he left at 2:40
o'clock.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
CHICAGO, Nov. 12.-General Manager
Earring of the st. Paul Railway received
n dispatch this morning saying the rob-
bers did not get any booty from the eN-
press car held up near the Western Mon
Junction this morning. The dispatch
said the robbers, after gaining admission
to the express car, commanded the mes
senger to open the safes. He refused. and
the safes were pitched ont of the car onto
the ground. Meantime the rear brake
man, understanding the situation, rushed
back to the junction and got an engine
The engine and posse at once went to the
scene. and the robbers lied. The robbers
had tried to force open the doors of the
safes, but were unsuccessful. The train
went on to Milwaukee, and the fast mail
train which left Chicago later picked up
the safes and carried them to milwaukee,
The police of Milwaukee and the secret /
service of the st. Paul system, together
with the Sheriff of Racine County, are in
pursuit of the robbers. Their flight was
so hasty they did not take precautions to /
cover their tracks, so the officials believe
they will get them before noon to-day.
Express Messenger Murphy has re-
ported at headquarters of the American
Express Company here and gave an ac-
count of his experience. He detailed
facts as given in the previous interview,
adding that q number of shots Were fired. /
Three of the robbers. after gaining an
entrance, demanded and got the keys to !
the safes at the muZzles of their guns
The engineer was compelled TO open the I
local safe, containing money and valu-
ables consigned from Chicago for points
between Chicago and La Crosse. As the |
through safes had combination locks the
robbers were unable to get into them
The robbers then compelled the trainmen
20 assist in throwing these treasure-boxes