The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-13

secured $500 900 was based upon a report
that one of the Chicago banks had shipped
$3.50. 900 in currency 90 one of it's New York
correspondents. This sum IL said TO be
ridin & around with the man who took It
from the broken express car. IL Is we'll
known fact that the train which the rob-
bers despoiied early this morning at the
lonely hamlet of Kessler. Ind. frequently
carries as much as 1000 in currency &C
one time. If the robbers secured only S15,-
eco. as the express officials claim, they will
have the herd-luck story TO tell each other
when they divide.
The railroad detectives and the local DO.
lice claim that the work was done by me n
inexperienced and new TO the business. bus
on the face OF the returns the figures show
that they knew what they wanted. and
lost no time or energy 10 get what they
went after. Their plan of action was care
fully considered. and boldly and systemat-
ically executed. They were all mounted,
as the tracks OF horses near the scene of the
robbery show. The correspondent saw to-
day places where they had IeveIed the
which they took their hasty de-
parture. Everything had been care
fully prepared as possible. The rob-
bers hrst turned switch on the
side track at kessler, knowing that the red
light thus shown would cause the engineer
10 stop. The calculation was we'll made.
Engineer james Knapp saw the danger sig
nal and applied his brakes. The next In
slant he was covered with @ revolver and
told to throw mp his hands while half q
dozen rnen clint ed into the cab To enpha-
size the order. Knapp. instead. made an
attempt To start his engine forw ard. bnt
the next moment fell with two bullet
wounds. one In the shoulder and one III the
left side. He was subsequently, taken 10
his home in Elkhart. and may not recover.
This was the only opposition 20 the rob-
bers. who numbered according 10 the
majority of she stories told, obout twelve
-
the engine. they went direct TO the express
car and, with g dynamite cartridge. at
tempted TO shatter the door. The first
effort failed. but n second was more sue
eessful. and the robbers rushed In on NJ. NJ.
Weist and Byron Is. Hamlin, the express
messenger and assistant. who. on
looking into the muzzles of q
rifle and half dozen revolv-
ers. obeyed the order 10 throw
up your hands, One of the robbers. with
heavy sledge. knocked the knob off the
express safe. while another produced
drill. anu In a few moments had hole
through the strcng box, into which dyna-
mite cartridge was inserted. These were
exploded without apparent result. as was
another and another, but as n fifth was
fired the door gave way and the robbers
seized the contents. and, running toward q
little grove where their horses were con-
cealed, they fired volley into the air to in-
timIdate possible pureuit. swung into their
saddles and rode away into she night with
their booty. The conductor of the train
and his crew kept very quiet, and she pss-
sengers wore not alarmed until the affair
was about over. when there was O great
scramble to secrete watches. pocketbooks
and other valcables. In q short time the
train moved on. Express Messenger Weist
went on TO Cleveland, while Hamlln went
back to Chicago 20 report. Can't. AlonZo
Wygant came 10 the scene of the robbery.
and took charge of the secret service of the
company. which was centralized here.