Grand Rapids herald., 1893-09-13
TRAIN WAS HELD UP
EXPRESS CAR WAS DYSAmITEr
Engineer Shot "a His Po~s--fsobbers
secured $500. .eoo- --Pessengers
Unmoiessod--In Pursuit

KEsDALLvfLLE. Ind. Sept i2-Lake
Shore express train No. Ia Was held up
and robbed at kesler siding. west of
here. this morning. just before the
train reached there Is y stretch Of tim
berland near which is switch. As the
train reached the latter the engineer
saw red light ahead As the train
slowed up Engineer Knapp and his ire
man were ordered 10 throw up their
lands by five men who climbed on the
engine. Knapp had one hand on the
throttle and he attempted to start the
train One Of the desperadoes pushed
big revolver against his shoulder and
fired. The bullet passed clear through.
tearing a hole in which a lead pencil
could he laid.
As the train came TO a pause there
was terrific explosion. The robbers
had put dynamite under the train. The
express car cracked and split and
showed huge cash in its side.
Covered With winchcsters.
Tho conductor and the brakemen
hurried To the platforms only % be Gov
erred by Winchesters. A guard was put
at the end of each car and the express
car was attacked. The messenger re-
fused 10 obey the command of the rob
bers 10 open the express car entrance.
Shot after shot was tired al the car. but
the robbers soon saw they could gain no
entrance by intimidation. The messen-
ger returned the fire through the open
ing. but he was soon disarmed and with
a blow on the head rendered senseless.
Half dozen OF the twenty men then
looted the car. Dynamite was again
used in opening the safe and the thieves
used their own time in taking every
thing they thought worth carrying
away. Tho guards at the doors OF the
passenger coaches were called OFT, few
parting shots were fired and the band OF
robbers disappeared in the wooded
stretch Of land that skirts the railroad
Securing the Country.
Messengers ran 10 Kendallyille TO
spread the alarm The sheriff OF the
country was aroused and soon a posse
OF residents OF Kcndallville were speed
ing along the highway to the scene Of
| the hold-up. They secured the vicinity.
beat through the brush. and travelled
miles through the woods. but could find
nothing. The Chicago police were wired
OF this robbery.
A tramp seen stealing a ride on the
express car of the train said their must
have been twenty or twenty i've men in
| the gang. lie says that as soon as the
| train came TO a standstill the men ran
| along the train 10 the rear end. and
when the trainmen came out on the
| platform 10 see what was the matter
| they were confronted by Winchesters.
Ii is said that none Of the passengers
was robbed.
The noise caused by the crashing Of
the express door when the dynamite
bomb was hurled against il. was the
first intimation that the passengers had
that the train was in the hands Of rob-
bcrs.
$500, 900 stolen.
The express car robbed was one used
by the United States Express company
and is supposed 10 have contained a
large sum OF money. At 4 o'clock this
morning on the announcement that the
train had been robbed. one Of the Lake
Shore officials hastened 10 the home al
Manager Wygant. who started at once
for the train dispatchers Office at the
depot. where a special train was being
made up for tho officials OF the rail.
road.
Ii in reported that the loss 10y the rob
berry amounts 10 nearly 10000, includ
ing shipment of $4,000 from a Chi
cago to a New York bank. The crime
Is thought 10 be the work of gang oi
trampe. In the express ear which was
robbed was the body of Mrs Hallock ol
Moriches l.. J.. who suicided in the
Gault house. Chicago. after descrtinl
her husband and being in turn deserted
by her paramour.
General Superintendent Crosby of the
United States Express company. de
clared this afternoon that the total los.
l.. l..I....- :. ~ lalhl