The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1893-09-23
Robbers Meet with Warm Recep-
tiOn From Illinois Central Train
men.
After q Desperate Fight One Of the
Would BE Robbers Was Mortally
Wounded.
Conductor Engineer and Fireman
Also Shot-Two Robbers Cap
tured.

Central road was held up shortly after
IL o'clock D. m. just outside the city,
and in the battle which followed be-
tween the three robbers and the train
hands. one of the robbers was NOR rtally
wounded and three of the train crew
were badly hurt. The thieves got
nothing in the way of booty and all the
grown inhabitants of this place are on
the hunt for the two daring thieves
who got away.
Those who were hurt in the shooting
incident to the attack, were: Engineer
young, Conductor Oium, Fireman Nc
Dowell. and the robber, name not
known.
How IL Happened.
The train held up left Chicago at 2
o'clock in the afternoon and reached
this city at 1l:l5 p IN. Its stop was
very short, but in that time three men,
heavily armed and carrying tools
which later came into play, boarded
the froat end of the express car
The lights of Centralia's streets had
scarcely disappeared from view and
Engineer Young had hardly pulled
open wide the throttle when both Fire
man Mcdowell and the engineer heard
n noise on the tender behind them.
Both turned in alarm. Their fears
were realized, for staring them in the
face were two big revolvers.
Keep your mouths shut and stop
the machine, or We'll shoot" the rob-
bers cried.
Tackled the Robbers.
The engineer and fireman both sprang
mt the robbers There was clear track
ahead. The two railroad employees had
hardly reached the foot of the coal heap
when two sheets of fire flashed in their
faces and both fell wounded on the
platforms connecting cab and tender.
One of the masked robbers sprang
over the forms of the bleeding men, and
putting his hand one the lever, stopped
the train. When the train had been
stopped one of the robbers ran back to
the coaches and, revolver in hand, stood
guard over Baggagemaster Armstrong
and Brakeman Stairy. Two other
thieves climbed to the topof the express
rar. in which were the messenger of
the American Express company and
Conductor Odum. They were just be-
ginning to get curious as to the stop
ping OF the train when they heard a
furious pounding on the express door.
sOpen the door or We'll blow you up"
they heard man cry,
Replied With Revolvers
Their reply was a shot from revol-
yer. This was followed by another and
another. Tee men outside the car also
took part in the fusilade. The attack
took new turn. The men in the car
had emptied their revolvers and were
reloading them. In this lull the rob
bers tried novel plan for which they
had prepared. They had graphing
hooks These they fastened on the top
of the express car, and with ropes low
cred themselves to the top of the door.
This was done to avoid being target
for the bullets that soon commenced to
pour through the sides of the coach
from the inside The railroad men
were aiming low, while serenely above
them two robbers were welding a
heavy sledge The door did not with
stand the assault, and soon an opening
large enough for the robbers to enter.
showed itself Through this they
leaped, and. revolvers in hand, faced
conductor and messenger, both SINH
larly equipped. Then
Followed n Royal Battle.
The messenger and conductor were
plucky, and, partly barricaded by boxes
and packages, fred at the robbers as
fast as they could shoot. The thieves
fired, too, but they were at disadyan-
tage. During the shooting the con-
ductor received slight pistol wound
in the hand. Neither side seemed to be
able to conquer, when help came to the
railroad employees. The promiscuous
shooting had aroused the passen gers,
and they, terrified and just waking,
had been busy concealing their valu
ables.
On the train. deadheading his way
was P. ]. Sanders. brakeman on the
road. He came to the rescue of the
conductor and messenger armed will
shotgun. He attacked the robbers
from the rear, and. though in torn at
tackled by the third robber, managed /,
shoot one of those in the express car
Through the Body.
The others, seeing their companio,
fall, bleeding, took to their heels an,
got away through the trees and fields
One OF the train hands hurried back i
entralia with the news OF the robbery
and the town was aroused. In half a,
hour posses OF men were beating tn
country near the place where the trail
was held up in hunt for the fugitjyes
1t is not known how much money wa
in the express Messengers care, but i
is said that the amount would excee
$4,000. 1t is believed by the railroa
employees that the robbers were thre
men who had been seen loiterin
around the Centralia depot all da,
The night before they were driven B
the same train just after it left Ger