Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1893-09-21
Held UP BY THREE
Trainmen of a Limited
Have an Exciting Time.
BRAVE FIREMAN MCDOWELL
He Pluckily Attacked the Thieves
With His Shovel.

In the Attack by Three Train Robbers on
an Illinois Central Train. Three of the
Crew Are Badly Injured, aud One of
the Robbers FatalIy-A Discharged
Brakeman, Concealed in the Baggage,
Came to the Rescue of the Trainmen BY
Firing Into the Robbers, Thus Ending
the Fight.
CENTRALIA, Ill, Sept. 21.-The New
Orleans limited train on the Illinois Cen
tral road was held up shortly after II
o'clock last evening just outside this
city, and in the battle which followed be-
tween the three robbers and the train
hands one of the robbers was mortally
wounded and three of the train crew
were badly hurt.
Failed TO Get Any Booty.
The thieves got nothing in the way
of booty and all grown inhabitants OF
this place are in the hunt for the two
daring thieves who got away.
Those who got hurt in the shooting
in the attack were Engineer Young,
Conductor Odum, Fireman Mcdowell
and George Jones, one of the robbers
The train held up left Chicago at 2
o'clock yesterday afternoon and reached
this city at IL. % o'clock. Itsstop was very
short but in that time three men heavily
armed and carrying tools which later
came into play boarded the front end
of the express car.
Opened Fire on Trainmen.
The last coach had scarcely left the
c. & E. l. crossing when two men
climbed into the cab over the tender and
presented pistols at the heads of the
two trainmen and ordered them to stop
the train. The order was not instantly
obeyed. The robbers seeing that Young
was slow, began firing. The first ball
struck him in the shoulder.
Fireman Mcdowell attempted to
seize his shovel The robbers saw the
motion and directed their fire on him
The first shot struck Mcdowell in the
leg He obtained the shovel end at
tackled the thief The robbers com
panions renewed the fire but Mcdowell
succeeded in striking his opponent q
blow which sent him tumbling from the
engine Scarcely had the robber fallen
when a second shot struck the plucky
fireman in the forehead. He fell TO the
floor of the engine cab unconscious
Another shot was then directed al
Young. 1t struck him in the back
making dangerous wound.
Fight in the Express Car.
Tire robbers shut down the engine anC
crawled up onto the roof of the baggage
and express car. They were supplied
with ropes, pulleys and great iron hook
which were attached to the sides anS
bottom of the car and the door pulled
off Conductor 0dum had rushed int
the express car when the first shot
were fred into the engine cab and a
the robbers filed into the car Odum anS
Express Messenger Armstrong opened
fire. This the robbers returned, advanc
ing as they fred.
Discharged Brakeman Renders GoOt
Service.
A dozen shots had been exchanges
when a man covered with sacks and ly
ing in the corner Of the car, ,sprang up an
fred two shots from double-barrelei
shot gun into the robbers The foremos
robber fell and the other two jumpe
from the car. The man who came I
the rescue of conductor and baggagema
was p. ]. Saunders. discharged lllino
Central brakeman. Saunders was dead
heading" his way to Duquoin and ha
kept out of the way of the conductor a
he hurriedly entered the car.
Robbers Took Refuge in Flight.
This ended the fight. Seeing their con
panion wounded the other two fled
the woods. The train ran back to IL
city, bringing the wounded Jones
shot in the head and face, Engines
Young in the shoulder and back, Fir
man Mcdowell in the leg and torches
and Conductor Odum in the right han
On Jones were found passes under Il
name of Dan l.. Jones and a travelir
card from a Chicago order Of rail ws
trainmen issued August 4, also switcl
mans card issued by the SantaFe route
Kansas City.