The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-13
TRAIN ROBBERS MOVE EAST.
THE VIEW FORK EXPRESS ON THE
LAKE SHORE HELD UP.

They Seemed n Lcaiop While the Bullets
wbixzea - The Engineer Wounded ana
Everybody Scarcd-A safe Opened With
Professional skill and $4,000 or More
LuRged Away-A Hundred Detectives
Hunting for the Trail, which Keeps Per-
versely Out OF View = $1,000 Reward.
KENDALLvILLE, Ind, Sept 12.-When big Enc
gineer James Knapp took tho night Lake
Shore EXPRESS out OF the Van Buren, street
station in Chicago at 7:45 o'clock last night
he did not know that seven bandits lay In am,
bush lao miles from the start waiting for his
train. The train Is known to railroad men a.
No. IA. Patrons Of the Lake Shore call It the
New York express. Although heavy train. 10
makes q fast run to Buffalo. where 1t takes the |
tracks OF the New York Central and completes
tho rest Of the distance to its destination In i
even faster time than marks its flight through
Indiana and Ohio.
The train last night was made up OF ten
coaches. two express cars. and one baggage
car. These were drawn by one OF the most
powerful engines on tho Lake Shore road.
The Engineer was James Knapp and the Are
man was James Butler. Sitting on q high-back
chair in the forward express car was Messen-
ger NJ W. Weiss The coaches were we'll filed
with persons returning to the East from the
Worlds Fair.
1t was 1880 o'clock this morning when the
great train burst out OF the forests and flashed
past the operator, who stood at the window OF
his office at Brimileld. About seven miles
west Of this village. there being no signals to
stop. Engineer Knapp had hauled the lever
back another notch as the train continued ito
flight through the darkness. Kessler 10 q ham
let three miles further east. 1t is called Kess-
ler's Switch. because it Is at this point that
freight trains are sometimes side tracked for
tho passage Of passenger trains A little tele-
graph Office stands near the tracks. but It 10
seldom used. Every night man leaves Ken
dallville to light the white and red lamps at
the switch, but he never stays there long. He
performed his duty last night. and then. salts
fled that all was right. returned to town. There
are no houses near the switch. and those one
secs in day time stand far away from the track.
The spot is a lonely one at all times. for the
entertainments are high and the foliage on
their sandy crests stretches away like green
blanket. only broken here and there by slash
Of red or yellow whore the present droughe
has splashed the color Of autumn.
Engineer Knapp's train was bowling through
this stretch Of country when he suddenly be-
held the white light Of the switch turn to Q
deep red. Springing to the lever Of the emer-
genoy brake. he gave the little steel rod o
twist. and in moment the long train was
nearly at dead stop. It was one Of the quick
est stops Engineer Knapp or any other engin-
eer ever made. Leaning out OF his cab win.
dow Knapp saw several men coming up the
track toward the engine.
What Ia 1t, boys 2" he asked.
The reply rang out from the mouths Of
Winchesters Ono bullet struck the engineer
in the right shoulder and. tearing its way
round the spine. lodged in tho left shoulder,
where 1t was afterward cut out By . surgeon.
The bandits then worked swiftly. Fireman
Butler was about TO alight from the engine
with q torch in his hand to discover tho cause
Of the red signal. when the volley which laid
Knapp low on his cab seat rang in his ears.
Hastily remounting the locomotive. Butler
dropped behind the boiler head. Twice he
ventured to thrust his head out Of the cab
window but the cracking OF the rifles Inn i,
pressed him 80 effectually with the danger of
too much inquisitIveness that he returned to /,
his place at the boiler head. where he remained |
while the bandits were at their work OF
plumber.
Engineer Knapp. half conscious and with his
blue jumper soaked with the blood pouring
from the great hole in his shoulder. had
scarcely fallen upen his seat when ono Of the
desperadoes spranR into the cab He did not
have to tell the engineer to lie down. but no
levelled his gun at Fireman Butler and held
him in a crouching position at tho hot boiler
head. The bandit was grimly cool. His orders
were issued in q firm voice. and although tho
firing outside was terrific he never turned his
eyes away from the fireman at his feet.
With the engineer and fireman at their
mercy. the desperadoes turned their attention
to the forward express car. Messenger Weiss
had scarcely boted the door. and. with his
helper. stood In terror In the darkened car.
Suddenly there was terrific explosion. and
tho boltod door fell into pieces. The bandits
had exploded a heavy charge OF dynamite on
the sill. The conclusion hurled the messenger
and his companion to one end Of the car.
Through the white smoke sprang two mon
with red handk erchiefs tied about the lower
portion OF their faces, each armed with revol-
vers. and each commanding In loud voice
that the messengers remain where they were
under pain Of instant death. The destructive
force OF the dynamite was everywhere APP
parent in the car. A great hole was torn
through the floor. Express natter was hurled
about in confusion. and the door lay in splln-
tiers along the track. One OF the men with red
masks covered the messengers with reyolvers.
while the other ex ploded dynamite bomb on
TOP OF the safe.
The steol door flew open. and with q somer-
sault the strong box broke In the fash and
smoke Lying at tho feet of the bandits was
the booty they sought. 1t consisted OF gold
bars and bags and packages Of money Thero
Is yet no definite idea OF the value OF the con-
tents. The lowest estimate OF Its worth 10
$4,000. Tho treasure was made up In Chi
cago and was in charge OF the United States
Express Company. With the exception two
gold bars. which were pinned to the floor by
the somersault OF the safe. all the treasure
was taken.
There was no time nor inclination TO repel
the onslaught OF the bandits. 1t was too sud-
den too sklfully planned. and too desperately
carried out The rattle of the rifles and the
terrific explosion OF dynamite terrified the
passengers. who remained In their seats or
berths. Not one OF them was molestod.
although standing upon either embankment
was a sentinel with red mask and auieting
gun. ready to shoot down the first man to In.
terfere in their work
Having gathered up all the treasure they
could lind in the express car the bandits leaped