The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-01
ROBBERS CONFESSION
Joe Hardin Tells About the llli-
nois Central Hold-Up.
Jones Was Too Drunk TO Play His Part
Well and the Bandits Plans
Were Confused.

ST. LOUIS. Sept. 30.--When detective
Smith reached Odin. ILL.,. tonight with
train robber Joe Hardin. whom ne captured
In Cincinnati, q sheriff boarded the train
with a warrant for Hardin and demanded
the prisoner. Hardin was turned over TO
the sheriff, who took him to Centralia. the
scene of the robbery for which he was ar
rested. The ST. Louis police are indignant.
as they were in q fa,r way to sweat" the
truth from Hardin concerning the Forest
Lawn I'LL and the st. James MOI rob-
berries.
While the officers were disputing over
the possession of the prisoner some one re-
ported in the hearing OF Hardin that news
of his detention In Odin had been tele-
graphed TO Centralla. and three hundred
railroad men were on route to Odin on
special train TO lynch him. He begged tn
officers to hurry him Oft TO jail.
He then made d full confession OF the
robbery. There were of us implicated
Jones. ODwyer and myself" he said. The
robbery was planned at No. 1913 Choteau
avenue, st. Louis, over three months ago.
Jones was too drunk to play his part well.
He held mp the engineer and fireman before
UDwyer and | were ready to attack the
car. and our plans were thrown into con,
gagemaster Armstrong. and was never
able from that moment 10 fully
release yself. l saw man coming into
the car with q gun and supposed we had
been trapped by fixed up job. and that mo.
ment my sole object was to try to get out OF
the car l endeavored to keep Armstrong be-
tween myself and the gun. and did so pref
ty successfully until impulsiyely reached
tor the bell-cord to stop the train. 1t
was then tnst Saunders shot me- IN the
arm. The shooting filled the car full OF
smoke and l managed to jump out at the
east door,. O'Dwyer WAS few feet ahead
of Ine. We both landed outside about the
same time. We ran east until we reached
ODwyers house, where he stopped. /
passed ON In q circuitous route until L re-
turneh TO the Illinois Central track.
nearly o mile from the hold.up. My
arm was paininz me, and l crawled
into q culvert and lay down. While
lay there wild engine bound for
ST. Louis on the air line pulled up TO the
depot and stopped. While the engineer ann
crawled out and secreted myself on the en-
gine. on which / rode into ST. Louis. l
went TO Mrs. Kay's and was treated
by doctor. as reported IN the dispatches.
lett Mrs. Ksy's about o'clock in the
morning after the robbery. having been in
the house only a few hours | kept myself
| secreted during the day in the vicinity of
the relay depot in East It. Louis. and at
i. Ne, sept. Il DO3TQeu OuiO N MIS-
sissippi train and rode to Cincinnati. No
one on the train suspected me. L have
friends In Cincinnati and / went direct TO
the City Hospital. after resting no a little.
and bad my arm dressed. L
registered under they nome of Kay.
| had been reading the papers
regularly ant, supposed that the detectives
were searching for me in Missouri and
Indiana. IL was this that caused ne TO be
of nay guard when arrested. think 1t
W as the description of my wound, given to
the press by the st. Louis woman. that
cansed the City Hospital authorities to
identify me and give me away"
The bandit's arm is by no means IN bad
condition. and be can use it freely. Har-
din told the officers be left the revolver in
the culvert wbete he rested the night of the
hoid.up and they found the weapon.
Tba kS,lhharr