Passaic City record., 1893-09-16
HELD UP THE EXPRESS.
DYNAMITE USED TO BREAK
OPEN THE SAFE.

Travellers Returning From the
Worlds Fair Have Thrilling Ex-
pericnce at Little Station in the
Woods of Northwestern Indiana
The Engineer Shot.
number of masked men. armed with
Winchester rifles, held up the fast Atlantic
express on the Lake Shore Road, a
mile east of Kessler, Ind, shortly
after midnight. With the boldness
that characterized the operations of
Jesse James and his gang when
they were the terrors of Missouri. they
boarded the locomotive and wounded the en-
gineer. They exploded dynamite under one
OF the express cars. tearing hole in It's side.
Then the iron safe was blown open with
dynamite and packages of money amounting
to many thousands OF dollars were taken.
The money had been consigned to New York
City. The robbers escaped in the woods
Kessler is 14O miles east of Chicago. The
train had passed the little station and
was in stretch of timber land when on
reaching q curve the engineer slowed down.
AS the engine moved around the turn the
engineer, James Knapp, saw red light
ahead. His hand was at the lever in an in
stant, and as the train slowed up and the
red light drew nearer the engineer saw a
group of men. The train came to a stop and
dozen men sprang into the cab and leveled
rifles at the heads of the engineer and fire.
man, and the order was given, sThrow up
your hands p
The fireman Immediately raised his arms,
but the engineer paid no heed to the men
and with a cry OF warning turned toward the
passenger coaches. A dozen rifles were
quickly turned upon him and several shots
startled the passengers, who had been awak-
ened by the sudden stopping OF the cars.
n a
terrible expl osion The robbers had put
dynamite under the train. The explosion
tore open one side of the express car. The
conductor and the brakeman hurried to the
platforms, only to be covered by rifles. The
railroad men made no resistance. A guard
was put at the end OF each car and the ex-
press car was entered.
Half dozen of the train robbers then
looted the express ear. Dynamite was again
used In opening the safe, and the thieves
took everything they thought worth carry
ing away.
The guards at the doors Of the passenger
coaches were called off, few parting shots
were fired, and the band of robbers disap-
peared in the wooded stretch of land that
skirts the railroad.
The Sheriff was aroused from bed, and
soon posse of residents of Kendallville were
Fastening along the highway to the scene Of
the robbery. They secured the vicinity, but
they found no clews.
The train robbed was made up of ten
coaches, two express cars and one baggage
car The dynamite having wrecked only
one express car the robbers contented them
selves with looting this alone and made no
effort to force an entrance to the second.
When the engineer and fireman were
ordered to throw mp their hands by the men
who climbed on the engine Knapp had one
hand on the throttle and he attempted to
start the train. One of the desperadoes
pushed revolver against his shoulder and
fred The bullet passed through his body.
The express messenger on the train saved
one safe, the smaller of the two In the car,
by rolling it over to the pile of express pack
ages when he heard the first shot and cover
ing it with small stuff The robbers did not
notice it and the timely action of the mes
senger saved the company thousands of
dollars 1t is not known how much was in
the small safe, as the express agent did not
know himself. He does not even know the
combination of the safes in bis car, as they
are kept secret at both ends of the route. He
knew, however, that it contained valuable
property.
The car that was robbed is believed to
have contained nearly $300,0Oo, including a
shipment OF $3.50, 900 from Chicago to a New
York bank The booty secured by the rob-
bnra xraa ahout 500. 600