The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-09-13
DARE DEVIL HOLD UPS !
An Express Car Blown to Pieces
with Dynamite.
THE ENGINEER INJURED.
Conflicting Stories as to the Amount
OF Money Taken.
1t May Be Anywhere from $4,000 to
SsOo,O0O-A Rumor that tile Robbers
Have Been Surrounded by
Sheriff's Posse.

KENDALLvTLLE, Ind, Sept. r. The
most daring train robbery, probably the
most daring in the history of railroading,
occurred here last night.
Train No. IA on the Lake Shore & Mich
igan Southern, which left the Rock Island
depot at Chicago at 7:45, was attacked
and held up by twenty men as it neared
the switch at this point. The story of the
robbery, as obtained from tramp who
was riding on the pilot of the engine, is
that twenty mon had turned the switch
lamp of the switch, leaving the switch in
the regular position. The engineer
stopped the train, and, as soon as they
came to stand-still. the twenty men
emerged from the darkness and, ap-
preaching the express car, commenced
the work OF destruction by placing dyna-
mite cartridges under it and blowing it
up. There was a large sum of money in
the safe which, it is said, the robbers
captured and carried away.
Just before the robbers blew up the car,
the engineer made a show OF resistance,
whereupon the robbers fired at him and
wounded him, but it is not thought he is
fatally injured. Martin Loop was the
conductor of the train.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Following is another account of the
robbery: The Lake Shore & Michigan
Southern passenger train No. IA was
held up by gang OF robbers this morn
ing at Kesler Siding, about five miles
west of here. The west switch was
thrown: showing a red light and when
Engineer Knapp stopped his engine, he
was fired upon and hit in the shoulder by
bullet from Winchester rifle. The rob-
bers then covered the train with rifles
and after blowing open the door of the
express car, three of them entered and,
covering the express messengers, pro-
ceeded coolly to blow open the safe, 1t
took five cartridges to accomplish this.
The robbers, after taking what they
wanted, departed. The train was held
about an hour. Engineer Knapp will
recover. The amount taken from the
safe is not known.
1t is now reported the robbers secured
nearly $500, 600, there being a consider
able sum in addition to the $3.50, 600 al
ready reported. 1t is believed the rob-
the expresses car was the body of Mrs.
Hallock OF Marches, Long Island, who
committed suicide at the Gait House a
few days ago, after having committed
bigamy in New York.
Engineer Knapp brought the train
here. but was unable to go on further, on
account OF his wound. 1t is believed he
will recover. There were two safes in
the express car, one for through matter,
to which the messenger had no key, and
one for local matter. The robbers COM
PEELED the messenger to open all the safes,
from which several thousand dollars in
currency were taken. They then blew
open the big sale with dynamite. In the
other compartment was quarter of a
million dollars in gold, with which the
robbers loaded themselves, not stopping
to open the inner compartment,
in which was lot more money.
In their haste to get away, the robbers
also overlooked two gold bars. The train
is the heaviest for express on the road,
and frequently carries a half million dol
lars. 1t is believed this fact was known
to the robbers. When they left the train
they went in a southerly direction. The
point at which the robbery occurred is in
q deep cut in the woods. but all the
around is thickly populated, with
little timber. and it is believed impossible
for the robbers to escape. Posses are out
securing the country in search of them.
Up to late hour tonight there was no
definite information as TO the where
abouts of the robbers. -Four suspicious
characters have been arrested at Wolcott-
vile, Ind, and another at Peru, but
6u6T6 Is no pOSlIlNS lllOEuaV1Ou COHQ6CI- |
ing them with the crime.
SOME FORMER EXPLOITS.
From 1867 to 1872 Kendallville and the |
adjacent country to the northeast were |
headquarters for one of the most desper-
ate gang of train robbers, horse thieves
and cut throats that ever infested the |
west. In the early seventies they had a
regular system of robbing the freight cars
Of the Star Union line, opening the cars |
en- route and throwing off the plumber to
the plumber in aggregate
to vast sums. About that |
time they varied the monotony by rob-
bing the Kendallville bank. The gang
had strong political pull and for long |
time escaped justice. Finally the citi- |
zens took the matter in hand. Posses
were formed throughout the section and |
the work began. In the conflicts which |
followed dozen robbers were killed and |
2 number of farmers wounded. Twenty |
Of the leaders OF the gang including the |
notorious Red Leary, were landed in the |
ffor