The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-22
TRAIN ROBBERS BAFFLED.
SOME VERY GOOD SHOOTING DONE
ON THE OTHER SIDE.

Two Robbers Take to the Woods When
They See Their Conrade Laid Ont With
q Charge OF shot-The wounded Man
Conresser, nnd His Fellows Arc Caught
In 81 Corn Field The Brave Engineer
Mortaiiy Wounded. and the Conductor
aud Fireman or the Train Also Hurt.
CENTRA1IA. ILL.,. Sept. 21.-Three train rob-
bers attempted to hold up the New Orleans
limited on the Illinois Central road just out
side OF this city about IL o'clock last night.
The train hands showed fight. and there was
lively fighting for q little WHILE One Of the
robbers and three ofthe train men were badly
wounded.
The train left Chicago at . o clock yesterday
afternoon and reached this city at II :O5 p. NJ
While here three armed men boarded tho
front end of the express car. The lights OF
Centralia had scarcely disappeared from view
when Engineer Young and Fireman Mcdowell
heard a noise on the tender and saw mask ed
men pointing revolvers at them.
Keep your mouths shut and stop the ma
chine. or we'll shoot!" the robbers cried.
Instead OF obeying the command. the en-
gineer and fireman spranR toward the robbers.
They had hardly reached the foot Of the coal
heap when two shots were fred. and both fell
wounded. Ono OF the robbers jumped over tho
and stopped the train. In tho coaches the
passengers were all asleep. oblivous Of the
plight Of their train.
When the train had been stopped one OF the
robbers ran back to the coaches, and. revolver
In hand. stood guard over Baggage Master
Armstrong and brakeman Stacey. The two
other thieves climbed to the top Of the express
car. in which were the messenger OF the Amer
lean Express Company and Conductor Odum.
who at once heard a furious pounding on the
door;
heard man cry
The reply was several shots from their re-
volvers, which they sent through the door. the
man outside also firing repeatedly.
and were e reiosd adj when the robbers tried
new plan. for which they were prepared. They
get on TOP OF the express car and with crap
the, top Of the door where they escaped the
bullets that began to come again from the in
they supposed their assailants to be on the
welding a sedGe ham mer and soon broke in
the door and leaped into the car.
The messenger and conductor partly pro-
they could shoot thieves tr ea - too e'' hut
they were at disadvantage. The conductor
Help quickly came to the railroad employees.
armed % sns the
turn attacked, by the third robber. he
sho Of the . IN the
compa MON fall, bleeding; took to their heels
and get away through the trees and fields.
tralia with the news of the robbery. and the
town was aroused. In half hour posses OF
menwere securing the country for the fugi-
The wounded robher was rddled with shot
sed M to the v 0T befS a FIR Is
talked OF lynchinE him. but the train men
h% s9s be in ss carried s1 bach He1 to
said the other two robbers were Martin Mich
/. d. Tones. but papers were found on him ad.
fTessed to George JGnes and Dan L. Jones'
He admitted that he was the sy man o who shot
the engineer and ,n hrem man He said that he
Ing, At the hSme q mother il fhs
in St Louis loss than year ago on some
criminal ehaSsgs and nd has hard reputation
!ured early this morning 10 a corn Held not lar
from the scene Of the attempted hold up" A
fR sh ns s%e
north Of here. 81 Wien train No 40 on the liz
jump from tho smoking car before the train
stopped. He started, on run across the
where south. bound train was standing. The
Town Marshal Of Odin saw him, gave chase,
and captured him. The prisoner protested his
innocence. Town Marshal Beaver and Illinois
Central Agent, Beyington and Linton at Cen
tralih were notified Of the capture. and went at
once to Odin to question the man.
When Nichols and Hardin were captured n
great crowd OF the townspeople OF Centralia
had gathered about the railroad station and
as the, prisoners were brought in the cry Of
Lynch them!" was raised. Ropes were in
readiness. and only the courage and GOODNESS
of the officers saved the robbers from death at
the hands of tho mob.
Eng lneer Youngs, condition is critical. and
in the shoulder and in the centre OF the back.
The fireman was shot in the shoulder and
centre OF the back. He Will recover. All the
train crew live mt Centraa
This afternoon O'Dwyer. who. Jones Says.
was one Of his confederatsR. was arrested at
his mothers home in this city. The railway
officials believe that the robbery was planned
by railroad men.