The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-09-29
ROBBERS Fooled.

An Attempt to Hold Up an Illinois Central
Express Train Defeated by the Bravery
of the Conductor and Express Messenger
Two of the Robbers Captured.
CENTRALIA, ILL.,, Sept 22.-The train
robbing epidemic reached this place
shortly before IL o'clock Wednesday
night. when three men attempted to
hold up the Chicago-New Orleans linn
tied express train on the Illinois Central,
which arrived here from Chicago two
hours late. The attempted robbery
occurred at the coal chute just south
of the city. The robbers were given q
warm reception and were finally beat
en- off. One of the robbers was badly
wounded and three of the trainmen,
two of them seriously.
Wednesday afternoon three strangers
were noticed lounging about the Illi-
nois Central depot here as if waiting
for train. 1t is supposed that these
were the robbers. 1t is believed that
when the train pulled up here the rob
bers got on the front end of the ex-
press car. When the coal chute was
reached, where coal was taken on, they
climbed over the tender. AS the train
was about to start, after coaling, two
of the men confronted Engineer Ben
Young and Fireman Mccullough and
commanded them to stop.
Don't move for your life," cried one
of the robbers, but the engineer and
fireman paid no heed to the command,
and made a spring for the robbers
They were met with shots from the re-
volvers in the hands of the robbers,
which laid them low for the time being.
Engineer Young was seriously
wounded. He was shot twice, one of
the bullets entering his shoulder and
blowing through the arm down to the
elbow, where it made its exit, and the
other penetrating his back and lodging
in his left hip. The fireman received
shot in the forehead and one in the
leg.
The two robbers then proceeded to
the express car to demand admittance,
but they were met with a volley from
the express messenger and Conductor
Odum, who had gone to the express car
to see the messenger. Volley after vol
ley was fred by both besieged and be-
siegers, until the door was shot full of
holes. Finally, the bandits, with a
sledge hammer, broke in the door. The
trainmen had erected barricade of
boxes and express packages, and a reg
ular fusilade began.
The robbers introduced novel tactics
in gaining an entrance to the car.
When the men in the express car had
emptied their revolvers and were reload
ing them, the robbers tried plan for
which they had prepared. They had
grab hooks. These they fastened on
top of the express car and with ropes
lowered themselves from the roof
to the top of the door. This
was done to avoid being tar
get for the bullets that soon began to
pour through the door from the inside.
The railroad men were aiming low,
while serenely above them the two
robbers were welding a heavy sledge.
The door did not withstand the assault
and soon an opening large enough for
the robbers to enter showed itself.
Through this they leaped and, revolv-
ers in hand, faced the conductor and
messenger, both similarly equipped.
Then followed the battle royal.
In the meantime one of the brakemen
had gone to the rear and aroused the
passengers and asked those who had
arms to come to the assistance of the
trainmen. Among the passengers was
an old time brakeman named Jake
Sanders. He had been out hunting and
had shotgun with him. He imme-
diately proceeded to the express car,
shotgun in hand, and on arriving there
began firing on the two robbers in the
car, who were slowly gaining supre-
macy over Conductor Odum and the ex-
pressman. One of Sanders shots took
effect on one of the robbers and he
sank to the floor of the car.
While Sanders was doing yeoman
service the third robber, who had kept
in the shade up to this time, came out
and began firing at Sanders from the
shadows of the coal chute. His aim
was bad, however, and Sanders escaped
unhurt
When the wounded robber fell to the
floor the two others, seeing the game
was up, started on run and disap-
peared in the darkness.
The wounded robber is known as d.
l.. Jones. He carries card from the
order of Railway Trainmen, issued by
one of the Chicago lodges, and he also
has switchmen's card from the Atch-
ison, Topeka Il Santa Fe at Kansas
City.
The wounded bandit was threatened
with lynching unless he made full
Jones is a Catholic and
priest was introduced and Jones then
gave the names of the members of the |
gang as ODwyer and Harding. He
also implicated a man by the name of |
Martin, from DuQuoin, whom he claimed |
was not with the gang at the time of |
the robbery.
O'Dwyer's home is in this city and |
his house was Immediately surrounded |
and his surrender demanded. His |
mother denied admission to the search |
ing party and they kept guard over the |
house until daylight, when ODwyer |
gave himself up and is now in Jail with |
Jones
One of the escaped men was badly |
by shot from the hunters |
gun fred into the car where Conductor |
Odum was accidentally shot. O'Dwyer
is injured. He bears hard reputation. |
Latest reports have it that Jones in
injuries were chiefly at the hands of |
Fireman Charles Mccullough, who. |
during the struggle on the engine,
struck Jones on the head with mon
key wrench, knocking the robber clear |