The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-26
THE TRAP WAS SURE.
st. Joe Policemen Bagged All
the Train Robbers.
THREE OF THEM WERE DEcoYs.
The Oncers and Their Tools Had Been
Working Up the scheme for
Long Time.

trated here just after midnight this morn
ing. and as a result two would-be train
robbers are dead and four are behind the
bars in jail. The robbers who were killed
were Fred kohler and Hugo Gelitz. The
four men captured are n. A. Hearst,
Henry Carver. Charles Fredericks and
Henry Gelitz. The train which the BAN
dts attempted to rob was passenger train
No. 3, OH the Kansas City, st. Joseph &
Council Bluffs road, which left Kansas
City at 9:o5 p. m. Sunday night and which
arrived here at 1880 Monday morning
Officials of the road had been notified
that robbery of the road had been planned,
and they notified the police. When the
train arrived here q dummy train was
made up and sixteen police officers, under
command of the chief of police, were put
aboard. In order to thoroughly deceive
the robbers the train was made up an ex-
act duplicate of train No. 5, aud consisted
of an engine and tender, an express and
baggage car, and the usual coaches and
Puhinans.
When the train reached point two
miles north of ST. Joseph the engineers
attention was arrested by aIighted lantern
moving TO and fro between the rails. He
obeyed the signal and soon six masked
men surrounded the engine. One of the
bandits mounted the engine and presented
one revolver at the engineers head and
another at the tireman's. keeping them in
subsection while the other five men hast
ened on to rob the express ear. They
ordered the messenger to open the door;
which he did. The bandits entered the
car. leaving two without to guard.
hn a~A
the train were distributed in vari-
Gus cars, the majority of them
being concealed in the express car. I'M
mediately the three bandits who had UNI
dertaken the work of robbng the car
entered the door the police within ordered
them to surrender. The robbers were
taken completely by surprise but they
opened fire at once upon the police The
police returned the fire and general fusil-
ade followed. about twenty-five shots be-
ing fred on both sides. When the smoke
had cleared the lifeless bodies of Kohler
and Gelitz were lying on the floor of the
car. They had been shot through the
head. The bullet which pierced Kohler's
head produced instant death. He never
stirred after he was shot. Gelisz was still
breathing. but he died shortly after he
was brought here.
While the fight was going on in the car
those of the police not engaged in it were
looking after the two robbers who had
been left outside to keep watch. The
police quickly took them in and placed
them under arrest. The bandit who had
been detailed to guard the engineer and
fireman quickly realized the situation
when he heard the battle gong on In the
express ear, and promptly made his escape.
A detail OF officers was put on his trail,
and quickly took up the pursuit. he was
captured at $50 O'Clock this morning at
the house of Mary Elsues, In South 81.
Joe, and proved to be Henry Gelitz. His
pockets were full of ammunition, and
three fingers of his lett hand had been
shot OFT. lie denied having taken any
part in the attempted robbery, but refused
doggediy to talk further.
All the robbers lived here. They had
been plotting robberies since early in
August, but on two or three occasions
their plans went awry. owing TO unforeseen
circumstances. The police and railway
officials have been kept informed of the
robbers intentions, and were prepared TO
meet them on each occasion. Hearst,
Fredericks and Carver. three of the men
placed under arrest, were not gem
uine robbers, but decoys in the
employ of the authorities. As
soon as firing began they dropped
to the ground from the car to avoid flying
bullets. The robbers had dynamite
enough with them to blow the car TO
pieces and threatened to use it unless the
door was opened. The sticks of dynamite
had fuses with Illuminating caps attached.
Fred Kohler, one OF the dead robbers, was
only 10 years of age, and leaves a young
wife. The other one, known as Hugo
Gelitz, is a stepson of Henry Gelitz pro-
prietor of the Occidental hotel. His real
name was Hugo Engel.