The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-22
Beaten Off After Desperate Battle
in the Express Car at the Coal
Chute Near Centralia.
ENGINEER ANDFIREMAN SHOT
One Of the Robbers Severely
Wounded, and All Captured.
Spirited Out Of Town to Avoid a Mob
Heroic Work of q Hunter
with Shotgun.

CENTRALlA, HI, sept. 2l.-lllln0ls VIII
not be q popular field for train robbers
hereafter. Last night three bandits at>
tempted to hold up an Illinois Central train
near here, but with far different results
than the recent robberies on the Lake
Shore d Michigan Southern at Kessler.
Ind. and Mineral Range road at Hancock.
Mich. The Illinois Central trainmen did
not give mp to the. robbers. Instead, they
fought them 30 such good purpose that one
of the bandits was seriously wounded and
captured and the others forced TO seek
safety in flight. The engineer and fireman
were severely wounded and the conductors
shot in the hand.
The train that was attacked was the
ChicaRo-New Orleans limited, which left
Chicago att o'clock last night. It was q
heavy one and could not keep up to sohed-
ule time. arriving here about two and q half
hours late. The point of attack was the
coal chute, south of the city. and the hour
midnight. Yesterday afternoon three
strangers were noticed lounging around
the Illinois Central depot, but nothing was
thought Of 1t at the time. 1t Is supposed
that these were the robbers. It is believed
that when the limited pulled up here the
robbers got on the front end of the express
car. and when the coal chute was reached.
where coal was taken on. they climbed
over the tender ready to hold up the train.
AS the train was about TO start after
cosling two of the outlaws confronted En-
gineer Young and Fireman McDonough
and commanded them to stop. 'Don't
move, for your life" Missed one of the rob-
bers, but the engIneer and fireman paid no
heed to the command and made o spring
for the robbers. They were met with shots
from the revOlvers in the hands of the rob-
bers. Engineer Young was seriously
wounded. He was shot twice. one of the
bullets entering the shoulder and blowing
through the erm down TO the elbow, where
it made its exit and the other penetrating
the back and lodging In the left hin. The
fireman received a shot in the head and one
in the leg.
BATTLE IN THE EMPRESS CAR.
The two robbers then proceeded TO the
express car. where they demanded admit
tance. but were met with q volley from the
express messenger and conductor Odum,
who had gone to the express car to see the
messenger. Volleys were fired by both the
besieged and besIegers until the door was
shot full of holes. Finally the bandits, with
the aid OF o sledge hammer. broke in the
door. and then began another battle be-
tween the tralnmen and the robbers. the
former shooting from behind q barricRde Of
boxes and express packages.
In the meantime one of the brakemen
had gone TO the rear and aroused the pas
sengers and asked those who had firearms
TO come To the assistance of the trainmen.
Among the passengers was an old time
brakeman named Jake Sanders. OF
Duquoin. He had been hunting and had O
shotgun with him. He Immediately pro-
ceeded to the express car. shotgun in hand,
and. on arriving there. commenced firing on
the two robbers in the car. who were
slowly but surely gaining supremacy over
Conductor Odum aud the express mes
eenger. One of Sancers's shots took effect
on one of the robbers, and he sank TO the
floor of the car bleeding profusely. While
Sanders was doing yeoman service the
third rObber who had kept out of sight up
TO this time, came out and commenced fir-
Ing at Sanders from the shadows of the
coal chute. His am was baC. however,
and Sanders escaped unhurt. When the
wounded man fell to the floor the two
others, seeing that the game was up. start
| ed on q run and disappeared In the DARK
ness.
An eye witness, in describing the fight.
| says the robbers introduced some novel
tactics In their work. When the men In
the express car had emptied their revolv-
ers and were reloading the robbers tried q
plan for which they had prepared. They
had graphing hooks. These they fastened
on the top of the express car, and with
ropes they lowered themselves to the door.
| This was done TO avoid being target for
| the bullets that soon commenced 10
| pour from the inside. The railroad
men were aiming low, while serenely
| above them the two robbers were welding
| a heavy sledge. The door did not with
| stand the assault. and soon an opening
| large enough for the robbers TO enter
showed itself Through this they leaped.
| and. revolvers III hand, faced the conductor
| and messenger, both similarly equipped.
| Then followed the battle royal. the issue
| of which was in doubt until the timely ap-
pearance of brakeman Il. j. Sanders and
his trusty shotgun.
WANTED TO LYNCH HIM.
As soon as the outlaws had taken their
departure one of the train hands went
back TO Centralia and aroused the mar
| shal. who Immediately organized search
ing parties. These are now securing the
country. When the facts became known
generally, excitement was at q high pitch.
| and there was considerable talk OF
lynching. but fortunately for the wounded
man, the cooler heads IN the party con-
trolled and he was taken TO jail. where q
physician dresRed his wounds lt Is Dot
thought ne can survive. While the Shoots
ing In the express car was going on con
| ductor Odum was slightly wounded IN the
hand. AS soon as the passengers on the
train had been notified that robbers were
attacking the express car they nurriedly
secreted their yaluables as best they could
aud stock about the car almost terror
stricken.
The wounded bandit In custody was
| forced by threats to make confession His
name is ID. l.. Jones' He is a Catholic, and
a priest was introduced, and Jones then
| gave the names OF the gEn., whom he
claimed were ODwyer. Harding and Mich.
| OILS. lie also I'm plIcated Is mau by the name
| of Martin, from DnQuoin. who, he
| claimed. was not with the gang az
| the time of the robbery. ODwyer's home
| Is In this city aud his house WAS immedI-
| ately surrounded and his surrender de-
| manded. Hismother refused admission 20
| the searching party and they kept guard
over the house until daylight. when
| ODwyer gave himself MP and 10 now in
| jail with Jones One of she escaped men
was badly wounded by a shot from the
| hunters gun fired into the car where
| conductor >Odum was accidentally shot.
! ODwyer Is uninjured. He is a resident Of
| this city and bears hard reputation. One
| report says that Jones's injuries were
1 ohiefiv at the hands of fireman Charles Mo.