The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1893-09-21
TRAIN RoBBER SHOT.
Pluoky Fight with Three Thieves
on tho Illinois Central,
Engineer, Fireman and Conductor
Badly Wounded.
Two Desperadoss Escape, Leaving
Their Injured Comrade Behind.

CENTRALIA, H.. Sept H.-The New
Orleans limited train on the Illinois
Central road was held up shortly before
midnight last night just outside this
city. In the battle which followed be-
tween the three robbers and train hands
one of the robbers was MORALLY
wounded and three of the crew were
badly hurt.
The thieves got nothing in the way of
booty. All the grown inhabitants Of
| this place are on the hunt for the two
who got away.
Those who were hurt in the shooting
incident to the attack were Engineer
Young. Conductor Odum, Fireman Nc
Dowell and the robber. whose name is
George Jones.
The train left Chicago at O. clock yes
terday afternoon and reached this city
at ll.o6 T.. NJ. Three men, heavily
armed and carrying tools which later
came into play, boarded the front end
of the express car.
Young and Fireman Mcdowell heard a
turned ana saw me muzzles of two big
revolvers staring them in the face.
Keep your mouths shut and stop the
machine. or we II shoo'," the robbers
cried
The engineer and fireman sprang at
the robbers, who fired, and the trainmen
fell wounded on the platforms connect
| ing cab and tender.
One of the masked robbers sprang
over the forms of the bleeding men and
| stopped the train. Then one of the
robbers ran back to the coaches, and,
revolver in hand, stood guard over Bag
gagemaster Armstrong and Brakeman
Stacey. The two other thieves climbed
to the top of the express car, in which
Express Company and Conductor Odum
open the door. or I'll blow you up"
they heard man cry.
yo Their TsRsy Wss foa shot from
and another. The man outside the car
also took part IN the fusillade.
me. Inc men IN the car emptied their re-
| NolVers. ana were reloading them. In
this luil the robbers tried a novel plan,
for which they had prepared They had
graphing hooks. These they fastened
ropes lowered themselves to the ton of
the door, This was done 10 avoid being
target for the bullets that soon com.
| coach from the inside.
The RAILROAD men were aiming low,
| while above them the two robbers were
welding heavy sledge. Soon an open-
ing was made In the door large enough
FOR the robbers to enter. Through this
| they leaped and, revolvers in hand
| faced the conductor and messenger sim
|
Then followed a battle royal. The
messenger and conductor, partly barri-
| caded by boxes and packages, fired al
the robbers as fast as they could shoot
| a disadvantage.
During the shooting the conductor re-
ceiyed a slight pistol wound in the
The shooting aroused the passengers.
and they began to conceal their vaiu.
| ables.
| On the train, deadheading his way,
was p. j. Sanders. a brakeman on the
road. He came to the rescue of the
| shotgun.
He attacked the robbers from the rear.
and, though in turn attacked by the
third robber. managed to shoot one OF
| those In the express car through the
The others, seeing their companion
| through the trees and fields.
One of the train hands hurried back
to Centralia with the news of the rob-
| berry and the town was aroused. In half
an hour posses of men were beating
the country In hunt for the fugitives.
The officials OF the American Express
Company In Chicago were notified early
this morning of the attempted robbery,
| and two of them left for Centrala at 3
o'clock on the fast mail. 1t is not known
how no much much money wa was IN the express
1t IL believed that the robbers were
three men who had been lettering around
the Centralia depot all day Tuesday.
Monday night they were driven off the
same train Just after II left Centralia
one OF them was heard to remark that
the next time they would be more sue
cessful
The Express Company officials received
message early this morning, saying
that the wounded robber could not
live, AZ he was shot through the body
Brakeman Sanders levelled a shotgun
at him and fired point blank. He was
riddled with shot and fell to the floor
of the car bleeding and crying for mercy.
On his person were found passes
under the name OF Dan l.. Jones and "A
travelling card from Chicago order
OF railway trainmen issued Aug. q,
also IA switchman's card Issued by the
Santa Fc route at Kansas City.
He gave the names Of the other two
robbers as Martin Nichols and J. Hardin.
There was some talk by the passengers
of hanging Jones to n telegraph pole,
but Centralia officers protected him and
locked him up under heay guard at the
city jail.
The wounded robber received the chargo
OF shot over the left eye, Engineer
BENJAMIN Young WA shot In The
shoulder and in the centre of the back
The fireman was hit in the chin and
forehead the hall lodging in the neck
Conductor Odum received painful
wound in the right wrist.