The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-09-13
TRAIN ROBBERS ACTIVE.
Ths Most Successful Exploit Of
the Tribe so Far This
Season.
Train Stopped in the Woods of
Indiana and Rich Plunder
Carried Off
Estimated to Amount From 100000 to
.0,ocO-DynAmite Employed on
the Safe.

hENDALLyILLE. Ind, Sept. 12.--Another
daring and successful train robbery goes
on record. The New York express train on
the Lake Shore road which left Chicago at
7:46 last night reached the siding at Keslar r,
nve miles wost Of here. Al ono O'Clock this
morning. On approaching II Engineer
Knapp noticed tho red danger signal light
At the switch and stopped his train. As he
did 10 several men armed with Winohes-
ters sprsnQ out OF tho woods and scattered
along ths train. covering the trainmcn,
while one fred at tho enein.er. inflot.
ing wound in the shoulder. WITH
everything In hand the robbers then pro-
cesded to blow open the forward ex-
press car with dynamite. Then knock
ing tho express messenger senseless, they
exploded Eve dynamite cartridges In suoces.
sion against tho safe before IL yielded
They then helped themselves to its con
tents. The whole performance occupied an
hoor. whom, without making An attemf 4
on the other express car. or interfering
with the passe myers. who remained In the
cars panic stricken, they fred few warn
ing shots and disappeared In the woods.
II was rumored that the robbers secured
a quarter of a million dollars, In transit
from one Of the Chicago banks to Now
York. The train came ON here. tho alarm
was given, and the sheriff at once sum
moncd posse and started In pursuit of the
bandits.
Thers were two safes in The express car,
ono for through matter to which the mes.
senas. had no key. and one for local matter
Tbs robbers compelled the messenger to
opsn all the safes, from which several
thousand dollars in currency was taken.
They then blew open tho big safe with dyn-
nmite. In an outer compartment it wai
said there was quarter o: . million dollars
in currency with which tho robbers loaded
themselves. They did not stop TO open the
inner compartment, in which was q lot
moro money. In their haste to get away
the robbers also overlooked two gold bars.
When they left the train they went in a
seutherly direction. The point at which
the robbery occurred il in deep cut in the
woods. but all the country around is thickly
populated, with little tim Dor, and IL Ia be-
lievetat Ii will DO impossible for the rob
bers TO escape. Posses are out securing
the country In search of them.
From 1867 to 1879 Kendallville and the
adjacent country to the northwest was
headquarters of one of the most dssperate
gangs of train robbers horso thieves and
cutthroats that ever infested tho west. In
tho early '70s they had a regular system OF
robbinC freight cars Of the tar Union line,
opening the cars enroute and throwing of
the plumber 10 confederates, the plunder in
aggregate amounting TO vast sums. Abou,
that time they varied the monotony by rob-
ing the Kendallvills bank. The gang had q
strong political pull and for long time
escaped justice. Finally the citizens tooh
the matter In hand, posses were formed
throughout the section, and work begun
In the conflicts which followed dozer
robbers were killed and number of farm
ers wounded. Twenty Of the leaders OF
the gang. including the notorious Red
Leary. wsrs landed In the penitsntiary.