Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-11-13
PRAIRIE PIRATES
g9LD UP an BXPRRSS TRAIN NOT FAR FROM
MILWAUKEE,
And Secure $4,000 BOOty-A Bed ard Well
Conducted Schemt-All the Tran hen Gov
Gsd With Guns-Ths Fireman
Made to Assist

MILWA UkEE, WIS., NONeiuoVA L.
The midnight train from Chicago on
the Milwaukee and st. Paul Road was
robbed near Western Union Junction at
one o'clock this morning.
The robbers are supposed to have
boarded the train st the junction. As
soon as il was well away from the sta
tion in the open prairie they stopped II
and broke into the express car.
IL is probable the total amount OF
booty Will amount TO S10O,O and pos
siblv more, as the train which was held
up was the one which generally carried
All the money received by Milwaukee
banks in the morning.
About half mile from the junction,
when the fireman, Edwin Averill, VINO
was putting some coal into the furnace,
was startled 10 hear a noise behind him.
He turned around and discovered two
heavily masked men clam6ering over
the engine tender. Both leyelled their
double barreled muSketS at the fireman
and the engineer, "BiH" Mckay, with
the Injunction: Don't move an inch
til We tell you to, or we will blow the
top Of your ID head of. D."
Engineer Mckay was directed torun
the train 20 point about one mile from
Western Union Junction. Here the en-
Eiueer was commanded TO stop. Both
the men were ordered 70 step out. They
were marched 10 the express car under
cover, and then the work OF blowing OPP
en- the express car began.
Several bombs, the fireman thinks they
were, were thrown into the car and the
explosions were terrific and must have
awakened every passenger on the train,
but nobody appeared on the scene.
The robbers undoubtedly were not
less than SIX or seven in number judg-
ing from the manner in which they con-
Quoted operations. The trainmen be-
lieve they had team close at hand,
with which 70 cart away the safes which
were taken bodily out of the car.
Fireman AyerillS story is the most
com 9rehcnSiye: ''They made me walk
ahead of them to the express car" he
said, "aud they gave me jimmy to
pry open the boxes and 90 their dirty
work generally, but l was glad to get
of with a whole skin.
They got the messengers keys, |
though be 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 half an hour, |
ard if the plans of the robbers had been |
perfect they would not have been de- |
layed much Their entire efforts were |
conferred on the express car, and not
passenger was mOleSted." The fireman |
thinks there were half a dozen men |
guarding the coaches, however.
LESS than five minutes out of West
ern Union Junction" said Messenger
Murphy, 1.-The train slowed up suddenly.
A muSket was poked through a top
window OF the car and a second later
terrific explosion occurred that knocked
both myself and Mr.. Cook in heap.
Half a dozen more explosions followed
aId both doors few off the bolts. The
two men wearing big black masks clam
bored quickly iuuV vtiO -
ms witb double barreled muSkets.
CATER glancing hurriediy about the
car the robbers fastened their eyes on
the TWO iron boxes of the American
Express Company. The robbers brought
the fireman in little later and went
through all the boxes. They dumped
che boxes out on the rOad-bed. One of
the robbers kept us covered with his
musket all the time, while the other
robbers superintendent operations of the
fireman"
Messenger Murphy stated that he
had secured all the bills OF the money
contained I'm the safe, and that the sum
was undoubtedly very large. 1t is
probable that the total amount OF the |
robbers booty will amount TO 100000 |
and possibly more.
Some Of the passengers who were |
asleep did not wake up till the train ar |
rived at Milwaukee. Some 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 up again the paSSen-
gers saw the safes lying beside the
track, but the robbers had disappeared.
When the train arrived at the Union
DEPOT at 2:2O o'clock, the Express car
presented the appearance that would
Indicate il had been attacked by heavy
artillery. Every door and window had
been blown out, and the platform and
walls were shattered in half dozen
places, while the contents were piled in
one indiscrimiuate heap in the center
OF the car.
Messenger F. c. Murphy and his as
sistant, C. II. Cook, were found gather
ing up fragments of way bills and look
ing over the remnants left by the rob-
berS. The first news Of the robbery
was brought to Western Union june
tion by flagman. The Milwaukee and
Racine police were telegraphed for i'm
mediately, and Detective Hansen was
provided with a special train, on which
he left at 2:40 O'Clock.
Express officials in this city will not
divulge the exact amount of piunder
secured by the Western Union Junction
train robbers, but parties in position
20 know say it will not exceed $50, 900,
and may fall considerably short OF that
sum. The unopened safes contained
the bulk OF the treasure.