The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-06-10
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ROBBERS HOLD UP A TRAIN.
They Knock The Express Messenger
Out With an Ak.

Two OF the Gang Intimidate the En-
gineer and Fireman With Revolvers.
The Other Four Leap Into the Ez-
press Cara Lively Exchange OF
Shots With the Trainmen After the
Robbery-S1 900 Carried or.
Columbia, H., June 9.-Six masked
men held up the New Orleans express on
the Mobile and Ohio railway at Forest
Lawn, eight miles north Of here, at o
o'clock last night, robbed the express car
Of $4,000 in cash and valuables worth a
large amount. The robbery did not occu-
py over twenty minutes time. A large
posse went In pursuit Of the bandits.
The express makes a short stop at Forest
Lawn, and when it came to a sta ndstill
last night two men jumped on
the engine, and, pointing re-
volvers at the heads of the engineer
and fireman, told them not TO attempt to
start the train again. At this time four
men appeared at the side of the express
car. One placed q short ladder against
the car and then chopped hole in the
door. 1t took but moment, and before
the astonished eXpressman realized what
was happening the door burst open and
the four men were in the car.
THE MESSENGER FELLED
Messenger Branford attempted resist
ance but was silenced by blow with the
hatchet In the hands of the robber who
had chopped the hole in the door. The
bandits lost no time in ransacl1ing the car.
Branford was partially stunned by the
blow he received, and his ASSISTANTS re-
vived him and forced him to open the safe.
Its contents they placed in n sack, together
with what other valuahles they secured.
Branford was then bound, gagged and
cast into a corner of the car. When the
bandits had completed their work In the
express car they jumped to the ground.
THE TRATNMEN GIVE BATTLE.
The conductor and several Of the train
men opened fire on them. They returned
II with interest, though none Of the bull
lets, so far as known, took effect The
bandits were armed with Winchesters
and revolvers, and drove their assailants
into the cars and among the passengers,
who were rendered panic-stricken by the
fusillade. The volley of shots was appar-
emily fired for the purpose of intimtda-
tion, and the robbers took to their horses.
There was every chance for them TO es-
cape, as the place is o lonely one, with q
swamp and underbrush on each side Of
the track for a distance of two or three
miles. There is no telegraph station at
Forest Lawn, rendering the summoning
Of aid in that way an impossibility.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BANDITS.
The members of the train crew are
positive that the bandits numbered six.
Messenger Branford states that every
thing of any value was taken from his
car. The exact amount of the money he
declined to name. One of the robbers
who entered the car was addressed by his
pals as Bob" and wore chin whislsers.
One of his hands was bleeding
from injuries received in enter
ing the car. He wore
fox-colored suit, and weighed
about 140 pounds Another one of the
robbers, who extended his attentions to q
brakeman and made him obey orders,
was about feet inches tall,
smooth faced, aged about % and weighed
l45 pounds. The two who waited on the
engineer were about % or 25 years OF age,
one measuring feet 9 inches and the
other about feet. No other positive de-
scription could be obtained of others ex-
cept that they wore black masks and dark
guitS