New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-13
LAKE SHORE TRAIN HELD UP
ATLANTIC EXPRESS ROBBED.
DYNAMITE USED By THE OUTLAWS, WHO
GET NEARLY $4,000.

DYNAMITE USED BY THE OUTLAWS, WHO
GET NEARLY 100000.
THE ENGINEER SHOT BY THE BANDITS.
TRAVELLERS RETURNING FROM THE WORLDS
FAIR HAVE A THRILLING EXPERIENCE AT
LITTLE STATION IN THE WOODS OF
NORTHERN INDIANA-sTRoYG BOXES
FULL OF GOLD OVERLOOKED
STORIES OF THE TRAINMEN
AND PASSENGERS
Chicago. Sept 12.-Tran robbers stopped tho
Atlantic express train on the Lake Shore Road
at KcS,ler. Ind, about midnight last night shot
the engineer James Knapp, woundng him
vcrely: broke into the express car, blew open the
United States Express Company's SAFE and took
its contents, consisting of four packages. Th"
express officials are rcticent on the question OF
the amount of money secured by the robbers, but
IL can positivcly he stated that the total value
was SlQ1O46 60 Two bars Of gold, valued AT
SIG 600. were overlooked The express mess'n-
rcr saved the company 81, 900 in cash by secrctne
thu money before the entrance to the car was
effected
The number of highwaymen was estimated by
some Of the trainmen at twenty, but there were
probably not half many. lhe passengers on
the train wcre not molcsted. Alter the robbery
the thicve, fed into the thick timber surrounding
the place where the robbery was done Inc traln
proceedcd on It's way The railroad and express
officials at once informed the police IN all cities
from Chicago 10 Cleveland. and u" ctlzens oi
tho vicinity OF the robbery formed posses 10 hunt
down the bandits.
4 DANGER SIGNAL AT HE SWITCH.
Kessler. near where the robbery took place. l.
a small station on the Lake Shore road about l4o
miles from Chicago. just this side OF Tn" stop
pinr placc is sharp curve IN the line. ana the
train here passes through "A tlmbcr"d district As
the train wa, approaching this district th" engi-
ncer. James f. Knapp. of Toledo. saw the switch
light showing rcd, indicating that the switch was
open He brought the train TO stan istlll, ana al
tina, moment men laped from the darkness, lev
clcd rifles at the heads Of himself and his fireman
and ordered them to throw up their hands Inc
fireman ohnyed but Knapp showed hsht ana u
shot was fired at him. th" bullet tearing through
his shoulder The robbers, having control of the
engine proceeded 10 the work of lootln- the eN-
press car II was found atterward that IN" switch
had not been turned, but the light only had been
changed. II the train had not stopped II wuuld
have passed on unniurod.
TIN. nain was the Atlantic Express and l"ft
Chicago AZ 7:ij o'clock last night. II consisted
Of twelve coaches and sccpcrs and was in "har4"
Of Conductor NJ \. LOup, of Chicago. II cdrri"d
a large number Of passengers, many of whom were
Worlds Fair visitors returning home. lh" most
vigorous measures were at once instituted 70
capture the bandits The Sheriff of Noble County
otgan2ed a posse of | 90 ucn, and began system
attic search OF the surrounding country. Every
town aud hamlet for miles WAS asked to watch
for thieves II was thought that the robbers
wonld cndcavor TO escape TO Chicago or Clev"-
land. either of which places they coild reach by
daylight hy trains on other roads.
The robbery j. considered one Of tho most llr
M, pcrp ,rnfcd cast OF the Mississippi. The stor"-
told bv the m.~ssn-cr AMI fireman show that TWO
mon hold the engine crew Will. thr", others at
! tended TO the express car. Some of IN" Chicago
nolcc officers are of III" opinion that tli" IOh was
done by professional salc-blow"rs. and an cN-con-
Wet who j. known 10 have been for som" nm" IN
| that part Of Indiana is suspected OF having had
hand i'm tho crime. if h" was not th" ln>tleaf"r
and leader Of IT, The fact that only the express
ear was attacked and that a train CARRYING an
unusually large sum was selected argues superior
| tnovlodcc of the express business or rare good
luck on the part of the robbers.
PASSENGERS WILDLY EXCITED.
During the robbery the passengers on the train
were in "A state of wild excitement. Women
fainted and men hid their valuabl"s under the ear
seats and in their shoes. and IN any pac" suggest
ing safety from the robbers search. Only i"w
Of the passcngers were armed. and a. IN" bandits
on the outside had " the drop on any person who
might show himself at door or window r'-iNtanr"
wa, not much considered However. the robbers
contcuted Themselves with pundeling the express
ear. and did not nolcst the passengers.
At the Offices of General Manager {. II. Crosby
some information impaired this afternoon
about the work done in the way of pursuit WIN
| in two horrs Of the commission of the crime Cap
tain Byrnc was on his way 10 the seen" with q
detachment Of detectives from his Buffalo dis
trict. The first trains out of PlttrburG' Slncln-
matt Toledo Detroit, indianapolis, Chicago and
81 Louis carried squads Of detectives in the en-
plov Of the United States Express Company and
the confcdcrated companies. The Lake Shor"
tbr.,y a force OF men on the work from its Clevc-
| land office: - that, in the opinion OF Secretary
| Henry. not less than 100 trained detectives are
already on the trail Of the robbers. He did not
hclieve any gang of crooks could escape the force
put after them.
Detective Mullancv, chief Of the secret service
men Of the Lake Shore road, believes that the
robbers are concealed in the swlmps OF Northern
Indiana, and has several sh"rihs posses securing
the counties on all sides Of the scene of the
robbery.
President Newell about noon ordered that 1000
posters be- printed Offering "A reward OF Sl'ooo
for the capture and conviction of the robbers, and
| hat fh.vb b,. pr,I broadcast
try lie also ordered that advertisements offer
ing the same reward be published in all local
| newspapers along the line OF the Lake Shore, ne
tween Elkhart, Ind and Toledo.
TRYING TINE IN THE EXPRESS CAR