Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-09-16

FORTUNE FOR FOUR
The Latest Train Hold-Up Pans
Out Very Well.
NEARLY $4,000 FOR EACH ROBBER,

And the Job Done as easy Lying''-
Workmen Will Have to Wait For Their
Wages, However - Particulars of the
Scoop on the Mineral Range Railway
Near Hancock. Mich.-The Messenger
Explains How 1t Was Done-SeveraI sus-
poets Arrested.
HANCOCK, Mich, Sept. 16.-It is getting
very unsafe to send money by express in
this country. This is what the governor
of Michigan might say to the governor of
Indiana. That is also what the
American Express company might
think as it broods over the loss
OF $4,000 entrusted toit, though the
operations of the festive train robber.
This last exploit was performed on the
Mineral Range railway. between here and
Calumet, and four masked men did the
business with the greatest ease. The
worst feature of the matter is that the
money was being transported to the offices
OF the Calumet and Hecla Mining Co.
for the purpose of paying their hands.
Made Blood Curdling Threats.
How the train was stopped has not de-
veloped, but when the robbers got aboard
two of them engaged the attention of the
engineer and train crew, and uttering the
most blood-curdling threats .the other
two proceeded at once to the car contain
ing the safe. There was no trouble in
getting into the safe The robbers ordered
the messenger to do that, and he did it,
handing out the $4,000 very promptly.
There was resistance on anybody's
part; the thing was too easy. After Sc
curing the booty the robbers fired volley,
and the one who was guarding the en-
glneer and fireman ordered the former to
go ahead % quick" He did. The af-
fair WIS complete surprise. The train
was crowded with men. and as people up
in this section of the country are a deter
mined lot, as a class, the robbers might
have been defeated in their purpose if
warning had been given.
Selected Good Locality.
The place selected for the outrage was
short distance from this town, at a wild
spot. Indeed, the whole country here
abouis is wild and broken, and they could
not have found place that was not
adapted by nature for robbery. The men
were only in sight a few minutes after
they started away from the scene of their
been
found. The authorities at Hancock and
Calumet were notified of the robbery as
soon as the train could he pulled into the
town and pursuing parties were hastily
organized. 1t was two or three hours.
however. before really formidable posses
could be put on the trail, a sufficient time
to enable the robbers to get n great start.
Easy Place to Get Away From.
sE.E * -
into Lake Superior like thumb a distance
of sixty miles or more. 1t is close to the
lake on the north and within easy reach
ing distance OF the water on the other side.
q days journey over a wild and broken
country sufficing to bring quick travellers
to points on the coast where they could
take passage by boat up or down the lake.
If they should not have a marine trim in
view the country would afford them shell
ter for an indefinite period of time In fact
Il better place for the commission of n
train robbery and for the escape of the
perpetrators could not he found in the
state than the point selected The robbers
must have had notice of the large shin
ment of cash by the Calumet and Hecla
company, for i: is seldom that such large
sums are transferred over the road in that
form.
Perhaps the Indiana Gang.
The robbery is not dissimilar in MANY
respects from the Indiana holdup n few
days ago, and the theory is entertained
hereabouts that the same men committed
both deeds. They had ample time to
make the trip from Kendallville to Han
cock, and there is no good reason why they
should not have done 50. The entire
country is up in arms and the widest ex
element prevails. This is the biggest rob
berry ever committed in northern Mich
igan. The country is full of idle and des-
perate men. The Calumet and Hecla COM
pany will offer a large reward for the an
prehension of the daring marauders.