Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-17
LOST A BIG SWAG
Bold Express Robbers Were
Greatly Fooled
BY SHIPMENT THE OTHER WAY
The PIuntercrs Laid Wen Their Plans,
Bur They Did Not Work Well.
Story of the Assault

CHICAGO, April le.-The Illinois Cen
tEal train from New Orleans that was
held up by train ROBBERS seventy seven
niles north of this city, reached Chies-
- At7:2o TINS morning. hye hours late.
Ii. c. Page, Pullman car conductor.
s4s the only one Of the train crew on
tnty AZ the time of the robbery tnat
tame through 70 Chicago. He tells an
Interesting story OF the affair. which
wsz exciting in the extreme. IL seems
shat while the thieves got safe away
With $1,000 OF the Southern Express
rompany's cash. they were after big
ger hani. aud tney would have secured
1t but for strange circumstance. The
express company intended TO send y
large SUN OF money to Memphis on
the train, 20 be placed on the races.
Another blg lump OF cash was to nave
been sent into Mississippi for lottery
purposes. Al the last moment IL WAS
lound TO De necessary to change the
pisn and the money was sent over the
hsslsslppl Valley road the following
lay.
An Exciting Experience
ut was one of the most exciting ex-
perlences ever bad, and . railroad
nan IA tbs South has many" saId
Conductor Page today. 1--WE left New
Orleans Thursday night on time with q
sig train, including sieepers, for Chica-
70, ST. Louis and Memphis. About 8
,'cloek we stopped at Hammond for
water. There the first OF the gang
boarded the engine and covered Eu-
xineer Jarvis and his fireman with re-
solvers. Ten minutes later, when ne
Aad ordered Jarvis To pull out, the
lraIn went on siding to allow the
limited south bound to pass. We lay
tbere aboat 20 minutes; the brakeman
ihrew the swltches and all that time
ihe robLei kept Jarvis and the fireman
under control with bis pistols. When
he made them stop at the seventy
Jeven mile post MAS talking with Con-
suctor Robinson and we knew at once
,Omething WAS wrong. Robinson put
his head out OF the window to investi-
yste and somebody from the woods
yelled out: ''get back in there and be
IT'LL If you don't want TO be shot, He
Md 90 without further argument.
women ntd Their Jewels.
"The porter and pulled down all of
HE blinds IN the cars and locked the
ioors, and told the passengers we were
leld up by express robbers. Ii was
lunny TO see the way the ladies pulled
lhsir lewelry of anu put 1t under the
peats. One man took = big roll of bills
rom his pocket and gave it TO his
sife. saying: You can hide that bet
er than can Iput my money in .
hnen box. Then we heard several
)hots fired by the robbers, who wanted
% scare us. When they broke open
lhe doors Of the express Car the mes
)enger, Matthews, came running back
INTO the Chicago sleeper. lie was as
snite rs . sheet. He pulled Oft his
sverAlls and sat down IN . seat IS
though he wssa passenger. The ruse
,svcd MS lite. believe. for the gang
Mere mad ~ not tinaing the big amount
o. money they were after. They thought
th- baggagemaster was the express
messenger, and when he said he didn't
Know where the money was one Of
lhem Knocked him senselcss with . re-
,0lver. Af,crward when they found
he Was the wrong man. one OF the rob-
hers came back. shook hands with him
and said. We'll. Bul. I'm sorry I hit
fou. l thought you Was that id ex.
press messenger. We'll kill him when
se catch him. Good pignt.' And
shat Was the last seen OF them"