The record-union., 1893-09-13


other daring and successful train robbery
goes on record. The New York express
train on the Lake Shore Road, which
left Chicago at 7:45 last night, reached
the siding at Keslar, five miles west
from here, at o'clock this morning. APP
preaching it, Engineer Knapp noticed a
red danger signal light at the switch
and stopped the train. AS he did so
twenty men, armed with Winchesters,
sprang out of the woods and scattered
along the train, covering the trainman,
while one fired at the engineer, inflicting
wound in the shoulder.
With everything in hand. the robbers
proceeded to blow open the forward ex-
press car with dynamite; then, knocking
the express messenger senseless, eX-
ploded five dynamite cartridges in sue
cession against the safe before it yielded.
They helped themselves to the contents,
the whole performance occupying an
hour, when, without making any at
tempt on the other express car or inter-
ferlng with the passengers who remained
in the cars panic-sUricken, they fired a
few warning shots and disappeared in
the woods.
1t is rumored that the robbers secured
$3.50, 900 in transit from one of the Chicago
banks to New York.
The train came on here, the alarm was
given and the Sheriff at once summoned
posse and started in pursuit of the BAN
dts.
II was reported later that the robbers
secured nearly 100000, being a consider
able sum in addition to the S25000 al
ready reported. 1t is believed the rob-
berry was the work of gang Of tramps.
In the express car was the body of
Mrs. Hallock of Noriches, Long Island,
who committed suicide at the Gait House
few days ago, after having committed
bigamy in New York.
Engineer Knapp brought the train
here, but was unable to go farther on ac-
count 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 the
local matter. The robbers compelled the
messenger to open the small safe, from
which several thousand dollars in cur
rency were taken. Then they blew open
the big safe with dynamite. In the outer
compartment was 100000 in gold, with
which the robbers loaded themselves, not
stopping to open thesinner compartment,
in which there 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 $500, 600.
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 deep cut In
the woods, but all the country around is
thickly populated, with little timber, and
1t is believed 1t is impossible for the rob-
bers to escape the posses out securing the
country in search of them.
Loss SAID TO HAVE BEEN EXAGGERATED.
CHICAGO, Sept. 12.-General Superin-
tendent Crosby of the United States Ex-
press declares the total loss is less than
1900. He says the robbers thought
they were carrying away bank notes, but
secured mostly papers worthless to them
and overlooked $4,000 worth of gold
bullion. He emphatically denied the
report that S275,O00 was taken. The pa
pers carried off by the robbers consisted
mostly OF settlements with the agents,
receipts for money, legal papers, etc.,
done up in packages about the size and
shape of bank notes, marked one thou
sand, two thousand, and so on, to indi-
cate the amounts receipted for, etc. He
says only five or six men were concerned
in the robbery.
President Newell of the Lake Shore
Road this afternoon offered a reward of
81 900 for the capture and conviction of
the robbers.
RENDEZVOUS OF A DESPERATE GANG.
CHICAGO, Sept. 12.-From 1867 to 1872
Kendallville and the adjacent country to
the northwest were the headquarters of
one of the most desperate gangs of train
robbers. hOrse-thieves and cut-throats
that ever infested the West.
In the early 7Os they had a regular sys-
tenn of robbing the freight cars OF the Star
Union line, opening the cars en- route,
throwing off the plumber to confederates,
the plunder in the aggregate amounting
to vast sums. About that time they
varied the monotony by robbing the
Kendallville bank.
The gang had strong political pull,
and for a long time escaped Justice.
Finally the citizens took the matter in
hand, posses were formed throughout the
section and the work begun.
In the conflicts which followed a dozen
robbers were killed, number of farmers
wounded and twenty of the leaders of tho
gang, including the notorious Red Leary,
landed in the penitentiary.
AMOUNT STOLEN NOT YET KNOWN.
BUFFALO IN. ", Sept. u. = John
Byrne of this city, Superintendent of De-
tectives of the United States Express
Company, left tonight for the scene of
the express robbery. Officials OF the
company here declare that it NAV be
days before the extent of the robbery is
known, and that it may be $4,000 or it
may be S25O,0OO. The robbed express car
reached here early this evening. Its in
terror is pretty nearly torn to pieces.
COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION.