The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-12-02
LOOTED THE EXPRESS CAR
Twenty to Fifty Thousand Dollars Sc
cured by Train Robbers Monday Night.
Messenger lnjured-Trainmen and Passen-
gers Terrorized by q Reckless Shooting.


d San Francisco railroad. near Glendale
station, about ten miles from this city.
shortly before 0 o'clock last night. The
robbers had their plans well laid, and they
escaped with money and valuables amount
ing. perhaps. to go. 600. possibly more. The
Adams Express Company was the victim,
and from the manner in which the robbers
did the job 1t is evident that their plan
was to make a clean sweep of the express
car. They used dynamite with fearful
effect both on the car and messenger, j. +.
Mulrenen. who had charge of the car. Six
men participate in the robbery. When the
train reached Old Orchard it is supposed
that four men boarded the express car, two
of them climbing the front platform and
two the rear. The other two, 1t is believed.
boarded the train at Glendale.
Shortly after the train left Glendale two
men silently made their way over the heaps
of coal in the noe towards the engine
cab. AS soon as they secured q good foot
ing they opened the heavy buck shield.
which does duty as q door during the cold
season, and, placing revolvers at the heads
of the engineer and fireman. with a stern
voice SAID: Hold up your hands"
When this order was obeyed. the spokes-
man once more. speaking firmly. said to en-
glneer Wagner: Stop the train" and the
engineer complied with alacrity.
As soon as the train came 10 q stand-still
the robber-chief commanded the engineer
and fireman TO turn about face and march
off the cab" one of the bandits having
meantime dismounted and stood guard at
the side of the engine. The engineer and
fireman were then taken to the express car.
In the meantime the express messenger, who
suspected that something was wrong, had
closed and bolted the doors of the car and
Entrusted to his care. But the odds were
against him, and the poor fellow now lies
In o dangerous condition at North Spring
field. When the two robbers had piloted
the engineer and fireman to the car they
placed them under guard and commenced,
first by persuasive means. TO induce mes
senger Mulrenrn to open the door OF the
car. But the latter was obdurate. He
would sell his he said. before opening
the door and Ne the car to the mercy of
the .would-bo .Ooters. The chief of the
band, seeing that ~cOaxing did no good,
commanded his lieutenants to demolish the
car door which stood between them and
the coveted prize. The new mode OF at
tack, dynamite. was employed.
BLOWN OPEN WITH DYNAMITE.
A stick of the deadly explosive was
placed against the car, and the fuse lighted.
In a quarter of a minute q loud 'bang"
reverberated through the surrounding
woods. and DR.. Higgins, who lives but q
short distance from the scene of the rob-
berry. was aroused from his slumbers. and
thought an earthquake was on. He was
undeceived, however, for in q minute IN
other stick was exploded at the car door,
and the flying splinters indicated that the
dynamite had performed it's mission. As
the door fell in the robbers entered the
car, and. taking the keys from the messen-
ger. soon had the safe open. Everything
in the safe was taken. and also the messen-
ers gold watch and chain. Estimates as to
the amounts secured vary widely, ranging
from $4,000 to $50. 600, but nothing definite
is yet known on this point. Superintend-
ept Damsel, of the Express company, says
it will be several days before the exact
amount can be ascertained.
While two of the robbers were doing the
work at the express car, the other four
bandits kept the trainmen and passengers
in q state of terror, q constant fusillade be-
ing kept up all the while. A more reckless
set of robbers probably never undertook
into the smoking car. but, fortunately.
none of its inmates was hurt. Dr.. Higgins.
mentioned above, said that after he
heard the explosion, he suspected that
q robbery was being attempted. and
one in his front yard. but canno say who
it was. On the south side OF the track,
about $50 yards from where the robbery oc-
Cured. Is q wagon road running through q
strip of wood. Along this road the de-
tective who went to the scene last night
found the fresh tracks of a horse and wagon
coming toward ST. Louis. The railroad
officials believe that one of the robbers is q
railroad man, as he Is said TO ave in
structed the fireman to not put any more
coal in the furnace.
The only description of the robbers OBJ
tanned is of the two that climbed into the
engine. Ore of them was O young man,
tall. light complexion and heavy mustache.
The other had O dark complexion, dark
sinister-looKing EYE, very quick in motion,
and both wore light overcoats.
The first r1mOrs that the postal car had
also been denuded are erroneous, as
authentic reports say that only the express
car was attacked. Express messenger
Mulrenen is said to have been seriously in
Jured in tho hip by the explosion and bat
tered about the head by the butt ends of
revolvers in the hands of the robbers. A
large posse is making a search for the ban
dts, and the city officers are straining
every nerve to uncover the hiding place of
the outlaws.
Nothing is yetdsfinitely known as to how
much money was stolen by the robbers,
Manager Damsel. of the Adams Express
Company. was seen this afternoon. and said
that while he knew nothing definite as to
the amount of money and valuables secured.
he was sure that the amount exceeded
$4,000. AT the railroad office it was stated
that the amount was about S75, COO. Dis
patches received from Monette. Mo-, state
that the conductor. engineer and fireman,
in an interview confirm the account of the
robbery sent in these dispatches. The rob-
bers performed their work so effectually
and covered their tracks so we'll that there
is not the slightest clew to their identity or
their whereabouts.
About five years ago q train was held up
and robbed at about the same place. near
Glendale.