The evening world., 1893-09-21
TRAIN RoBBER SHOT.
Pluoky Fight with Three Thieves
on tho Illinois Central,
Engineer, Fireman and Conductor
Badly Wounded.
Two Desperadoes Escape, Leaving
Their Injured Comrade Behind.

CENTRALIA. ILL.,. Sept. c1.-'The New
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 mortally
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 2 o'clock yes
terday afternoon and reached this city
at n:Oo T.. NJ. Three men. heavily
came into play, boarded the front end
Just beyond Centralia Engineer
noise on the tender behind them. Both
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
i iell wounded on the platforms connect
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
were the messenger of the American
, Express Company and Conductor Odum.
Open the door. or ri blow you up"
they heard a man cry.
Their reply was shot from n re-
volyer. This was followed by another
and another. The man outside the car
also took part IN the fusillade.
| The men In the car emptied their re-
voivers, and were reloading them. In
| this lull the robbers tried novel plan
for for which ,,f,sl they had prepared. They had
to the top Of the express car. and with
| ropes lowered themselves 10 the top OF
the door. This was done to avoid being
| target for the bullets that soon com
menced to pour through the side of the
coach from the inside.
The railroad men were aiming low.
while above them the two robbers were
welding heavy siedgc. Soon an open-
ing was made In the door large enough
for the robbers to enter. Through this
they, leaped and, rrvolvers In hand.
| ilarly equipped.
Then followed a battle royal. The
messenger ana conductor. partly barri-
caded hy boxes and packages, fired at
the robbers as fast as they could shoot,
me thieves fired, too, but they were at
a disadvantage.
During the shooting the conductor re-
cSeived II slight pistol wound in the
hard.
The shooting aroused the passengers,
ana they began to conceal their Valu-
| ables
on the train, deadheading his way,
was p. j. Sanders, n brakeman on the
road. He came TO the rescue of the
| conductor and messenger armed with a
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
fall took to their heels and got away
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 fugltives.
Company In Chicago were notified early
this morning of the attempted robbery,
and two of them left for Centralia at
%Gio'R on ,he fast mail IT !; ,h not known
messengers care but 1t Is said the
| amount would exceed $4,000
II Is believed that the robbers were
three men W no had been lettering around
the Centralia depot all day Tuesday.
Monday night they Were driven Off the
same train Just after 1t left Centrala.
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. a. La was shot through the body.
Brakeman Sanders levelled a shotgun
AT him and fired point blank He was
rildled with shot and fell To the Moor
of the car bleeding and crying for mercy.
on his person were found passes
under the name of Dan l., Jones and
travelling card from II Chicago order
of railway trainmen issued Aug. "a,
also "a 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 IL telegraph pole,
but Centralia officers protected him and
locked him up under heay guard at the
city jail.
The wounded robber received the charG"
Of snot over the ltft eve, Engineer
benjamin Young wis shot In thc
shoulder and In the centre of tn" bnck.
The fireman was hit in the chin and
forehead. the hall lodging in the neck
Conductor Odum received painful
wound In the right wrist,