The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-12-02
HELD UP BY SIX DESpERlDOEs.
A Daring Train Robbery Near
St. Louis.
The Express Car, Containing SIT, 200 and
the Resistered Mail, Rihed-The Car
Blown Open With Dynamite, and the
MesscnGcr Severely Beaten with tho
Butts of Revolvcrs- The Whole Affair
Well Planned.

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 1.-TSpeciall One Of
the most daring train robberies that
mas occurred for years was perpetrated
on tho st. Louis and San Francisco
road, almost within the limits of St.
Louis last night.
When passenger train No. on that
road left the depot last night at s:e5
O'Clock, it was just twenty-five minutes
late. The limits of the city had been
passed and the engine preparing to
make up for lost time, when three men.
who boarded the train at Old Orchard.
climbed over the water tank and coal.
and covered the fireman and engineer
with revolvers. The engineer was or
dered to stop the train near Glendale.
and as an additional inducement to
him to obey orders, three men who were
in ambush at that point. opened fire on
the train with rifles, but whether thew
succeeded In wounding any ono is not
yet learned.
When the train had been brought to a
standstlll the engineer and fireman
were ordered from the cab, and, after
detailing two of the band to keep guard
over them, the other four men started
back for the express car in which was
the safe OF the Adams Express Company
containing about $4,000. Messenger
Mulren in charge of the car had OBJ
served the slackeniDg up of the train,
and had opened the door of the car to
SEQ what the matter was. Suspectirp
something wrong and becoming suspi-
cious of tho men he saw advancing
toward him, he hurriedly closed and
secured tho door just as the men
reached it.
The robbers first tried to induce him
to open it, and failing, tried to PRIV it.
open, but the stout door foiled ali their
efforts, and after spending about ten
minutes in this work, they put charge
of dynamite under it and blew it open.
AS soon as the door was broken, the
four men leaped into it. Mulren made
brave resistance, but the iobbers turned
on him, and after beating him into a
condition of FEASIBILITY with the butts
of their revolvers, began operations on
tho safe.
This did not long resist their attacks,
and after rifling it of its contents the
guard was called off and the seXtet of
desperadoes took to tho woods. Tho
men were all masked and had evidently
planned their work we'll, as each one
seemed to know exactly what to do and
but fow words were spoken during
the entire operation. Immediately on
receipt OF the news q special train we'll
manned with officers was sent to the
scene. During the time the train stop
ped at Glendale some of the trainmen
and passengers attempted to come to
the assistance of the engineer and meg
scnger, but tho guard placed over the
former, covered each side Of the train
with their rifles and warned them back
on tho penalty ofdeath. Besides rifling
the safe of the express company, the
robbers opened several bags of regis
tered mail matter OH the car and dis
sected what appeared of great value
and carried it off. About six years ago
train was held up and robbed atabout
the same place near Glendale.