The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-10-11
TRAIN ROBBERS TRAPPED.
TWO OF A BAND KILLED AND
FOUR IN CUSTODY.

A Dummy Train Sent Out From St.
Joseph, Mo-, With a Force of
Men Inside-A Battle In the Ex-
press Car-One Bandit Betrays
His Fellows.
The Kansas City, st. Joseph and Council
Bluffs Road foiled night attempt to rob one
Of its passenger trains, killed two Of its rob-
bers and captured four others at Francis, one
and half miles from st. Joseph, Mo. The
dead are Fred Kohler and Hugo Engel. The
names of those captured are Charles Fred
e=.ok, ". a. Hurst, Henry Gleitze and Will
liam Carver.
Train No. left Kansas City at sos o'clock
D. m. and arrived at 1880 a. m. The Off.
cials of the road had been notified that the
robbery had been planned, and informed the
police. When the train arrived dummy
train was made up and sixteen police officers,
under command OF the Chief OF Police, were
put aboard.
In order thoroughly to deceive the robbers
the train was made an exact duplicate OF
train No. 8. consisting OF an engine and ten
der. an express and baggage car and the
usual coach and Pullman. When the dummy
train reach point two miles north Of st.
by lighted lantern moving to and fro be-
tween the rails. He obeyed the signal, and
blk masked men surrounded the engine. One
of the six mounted the engine and pre-
senting one revolver at the engineers head
and another at the freman's held them IN
subjection while the other five fastened to
rob the express car. They ordered the
messenger to open the door, which he did
forthwith. Three of the robbers at once
- 1oa In frun Ia m
keep guard.
The policemen who were guarding the
train were distributed in the various cars,
the majority of them being concealed in the
express car As soon as the three bandits
who had undertaken the work Of robbing
the car entered the door, the police ordered
them to surrender. The robbers were taken
completely by surprise, but they opened fire
OF once upon the police. The latter returned
the fire, and general fusilade followed.
About twenty-five shots were fired on both
sides. When the smoke cleared away, the
lifeless bodies of Kohler and Engel were
found on the floor of the car. Both had been
shot through the head. The bullet which
struck Kohler produced instant death. Engel
was still breathing, but he died soon after
ward. Frederick, the third robber engaged
In the fight in the car, was uninjured and
was placed under arrest. None OF the police
men was injured.
While the fight was going on In the car,
those Of the police not engaged in 1t were
looking after the two robbers who had been
left outsidet to keep watch. The police quickly
placed them under arrest. The bandit who
mad been detailed to guard the engineer and
flremen quickly realized the situation when
he heard the shooting in the express car, and
made his escape. His name is Henry Gleltze.
Several policemen were promptly put on his
track and he was caught.
A remarkable feature of the fight, in the
express car was the escape Of all the police
men from injury. The three robbers In the
car were each armed with brace OF reyolv-
ers and used them freely, but they did no
damage.
Kohlers body was pierced by forty-tkree
bullets, yet while he 10y on the ground he
managed to fire four shots before he died.
Engel was struck by fourteen bullets, yet
lived short time. The coaches were rid
died with bullets and all of the windows were
shot out. Kohler married an esttmable
Young woman about three weeks ago.
The robbers had two sticks OF dynamite, to
each OF which was attached fuse about
three feet long. 1t was known to the officers
on the train that dynamite might be used
and 1t was at first proposed to let the robbers
explode some OF 1t before firing on them. Be-
fore leaving st. Joseph, however, Chief Bro
der decided 1t would be dangerous risk and
be instructed the messenger to open the door
before the robbers had chance to e1.
plode Il.