Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-09-22
TRAIN ROBBERY.
One Of the BoldeSt HOld-UpS On
Record Near Chicago.
EXPRESS CAR BLOWN UP.
A weIl-organIzed Band Makes
Rich Haul on the Lake Shore
Road The Passenger Coaches
Not Entered-Erave EngIn-
EoNanaS

Twenty masked men he'd up Lake Shore
train 10 miles from Chicago near mil
nj Sht, and, after wounding the engineer,
blew open the safe In the express car and
etole its contents. The train was the one
which drew out OF thu Twelfth street depot
of the Illinois Central road at ;45 P. NJ. 1t
reached Kendallville, q small station in lndi'
ann, little eholt of four hours later. Ii
". Mt past the town, and had hardly gone
mile through a stretch Of timber land, when
the engineer slowed up near curve. AS the
engine ratified round the turn, the engineer
saw red light ahead, When the train came
to stop dozen men, sprang into the cab,
rnd leveled rifles at the heads of the engin-
eer and firemen The two railroad men
stood stupeied as the rife barrels CLEANED
in the fickering light and the robbers said:
Throw up your bands. :"
The fireman was peaceful enough. and
lifted his arms at once But the engineer
was not so timid. He paid no heed to the
men nor to their arms and, with cry OF
warning on his lips, turned toward the pas
senger coaches A dozen rifles were quickly
turned toward tie pucky fellow, and
dozen shots startled the passengers, who had
been awakened BY the sudden stopping OF
the cars.
How many OF the shots struck the poor en-
gineer was not determined, but he fell with
the blood gushing from an immense wound
AS the train came to pause, there was
terrible exp losion. The robbers had put
dynamite under the train, and, as the still
ness OF the lonely place was broken, the ex-
press car cracked and split, and showed a
huge cash in lis side.
The conductor and the brakeman hurrieo
to the platforms only to be covered by Win
chesters In the hands OF men who said they
would shoot 20 kill If a move was made. The
railroad mon became motionless and dumb
A guard was put at the end Of each car. and
the express car was attacked. The messen-
ger behind his tarricaded door refused to
obey tie commands of the robbers to open
the express car entrance Shot after shot
was fired at the car but the robbers soon
saw lat they would gain no entrance by in
timidation They were prepared for this re-
sistance, and blew the car open The mes
senger was knocked to the floor, sensoless.
Halt dozen of the twenty men then looted
the express car. Dynamite was again used
in opening the safe, aud the thieves used
their own time in taking everything they
thought wor carrying away. The guards
at the doors of the passenger coaches were
called of, few parting shots were fired
perhaps in the air, to warn those on the train
that pursuit meant death-and the band oil
robbers disappeared in the wooded stretch
of land that skirts the railroad.
As fast us legs could carry them, messen-
gers ran to KendaIlvlle to spread the alarm.
The sheriff of the county. aroused from bel,
called on all near him for help, and soon
nosse OF residen OF KendallvilIe were spread.
ing aIoug the highway 10 the scene OF the
hoId-up They secured the vicinity, beat
through the bush, and Travelled miles through
the woods, but they could find nothlng'
Guessing that the robbers had come from
Chicago. the sheriff routed out q telegraph
operator, and wired to tho Chicago ponce
the story of the robbery.
THE EXPRESS CAB LOOTED.
The train held up was the New York ex-
press on the Lake Shore road, which reaches
Kendallyille about midnight. 1t was made
ND OF ten coaches, two express cars and one
baggage car. The dynamite having wrecked
only tbs express car, the robbers contente
themselves with looting this alone. and made
no effort to force an entrance to the second
II was $50 A. NJ. when the special Officer
at the Lake Shore depot rushed into I'M
Harrison Street Station and told the lieuten'
ant in charge that No. IA had been held W
and robbie while rolling over the Indiana
marshes. Lieutenant Shepard at once sen
half dozen officers to intercept the bandits
If they came toward Chicago. The ofiicer
were given orders to so to South Chicag'
and wait there until daybreak.
The sheriff of the county In which tn
train was held up telegraphed Sheriff Gil
bert. of Cook county, to be on the lookou
for the robbers as they we're coming thi
way.
A tramp who was stealing a ride on IN
express car OF the train, said there mus
have been twenty or twenty-five men in tn
gang. He says that as soon as the tral
came to a standstill the men ran along IN
train to the rear end, and when the train
, men came out on the platform to see VIVA
was the matter they were confronted D
Winchesters. It is said that none OF tn
passengers were robbed.
a BRAVERY OF THE ENGINEER.
, Engineer Knapp and his fireman were
dered to throw up their hands by the me
y who climbed on the engine Knapp had OF
= hand on the throttel, and he attempted
= start the train. One Of the desperad
r pushed big revolver against his should
r and f. ed. The bullet passed through, tea
. ing hole in which lead pencil could
l. laid. The noise caused by the crashing
IS the express door when the dynamite bor
4 was hurled against it, was the first intim
It ton that the passengers had that the ira
It was In the hands OF robbers.
l. There was lively scramble among t
messengers to crawl under seats and secre
what yaluables they had in sight, sucn
!. watches and other jewelry. The EXPIRE
J. train robbed was one used by the Unit