Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-09-21
A DARING TRAIN ROBBERY.
Tho Express Car Shattered by Dynamite
and n Largo Amount OF Gold Taken.

|
CHICAGO, Sept 13.-A score OF masked
men held up Lake Shore train 40 mil es
from Chicago last night, and after wound
Ing the engineer, blew open the safe in the
United States Express company's car and
stole its contents said to be $3.50, 600 in gold
which was being shipped East by Chicago
| bank. The train reached Kendallville, a
| small station In Indiana, about midnight.
1t went past the town and had gone a mile
through stretch Of timber land, when, as
the engineer slowed up near curve, he
saw red light ahead.
| A dozen men sprang into the cob and
leveled rifles at the heads of the engineer
ana firemen. The robbers said: Throw
up your hands, The fremen lifted bis at
once, but the engineer paid no heed to the
men, and with cry OF warning on his lips
turned toward the passenger coaches A
dozen rifles were quickly turned toward the
plucky fellow and dozen shots startled the
passengers, who had been awakened by the
sudden stopping Of the cars
The conductor and the brakemen hurried
to the platforms only to be covered by
Winchesters in the hands of men. A guard
was put at the end of each car and the ex-
press car was attacked. The messenger, be
hind his barricaded door, refused to obey
the command OF the robbers to open the
express car entrance. Shot after shot was
fired at the car but the robbers soon saw
they gain no entrance by intimidation.
They were prepared for this resistance, and
blew the car up with dynamite. The mes
senger was soon dsarm med and struck sense
less
Half dozen OF the mon then looted the
express dynamite was ngsin used in open
ing the safe, and the thieves used their ovn
time in taking everything they thought
worth carrying away. The guards at the
doors of the passenger coaches we're called
OFF, few parting shots we're fired, and the
band of robbers disappeared in the wooded
stretch of land that skirts the railroad
Messengers ran to Ksndalville to spread the
alarm.
The train held up was ,he New York ex-
press, which was ade up Of 10 coaches,
two express cars and one baggage car The
dynamite having wrecked only one expre's
car, the robbers contented Themselves with
looting this alone, and made effort to
force an entrance to the second. 1t is said
that none of the passengers were robbed.
The IXpress Messengers Story.
NJ. Weiss, the express messenger, who
was in charge of the car at the time of
the attack, said
ue hEab hueW OF lne dithCh was al Ter
the train had stopped, when l heard two
shots on the outside fired in rapid succession.
My helper, b. Il. Hamliu. hen yelled to
me that one OF the shots cama through the
door. 1t came near hitting him. a nom
ent later the car was almost fled from the
track by a terrific explosion, and at the
same instant Hamln and myself were
knocked violently to the floor on our backs.
| was stunned for a moment. When l
regained my senses | found myself under a
large hemp of baggage and shattered wood
work, two men wearing masks standing
close by, one having Winchester aimed
at my head and the other covering my
helper in a similar manner. One OF the
men spoke, telling MS not to move or they
would blow out our brains. There was not
much talking done. One OF the robbers at
once proceeded to drill the safe. 1t took
! him more than half an hour % do the job.
| When this safe was finally bursted open the
robbers at once began rifliug it of its
contents and carrying tho packages of
money to the door, where they banded it
out to their pals. No help arrived on the
scene Until the robbers had una ls their es-
cape.
Weiss declined 10 give any Information
as to the amount taken by tho robbers, say
| ing that he would leave that for the com
peny to do. Weiss was taEen to the com
pany's office to make report on the mat
! ter.
In Pursuit of the Robbers.