The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-09-22
A BIG HAUL.
Lake Shore Train Held Up In In
diana.
The Engineer Seriously Wounded, the Ex'
press Car Blown Up and Large
Amount of Money Stolen
The Robbers Escape

KEyDALLvrILE, Ind, Sept ia
party of robbers numbering, according
60 various accounts, anywhere from
five TO twenty, have increased the
actual circulation of currency by an
amount estimated anywhere between
SIS, 900 and $500, 900.
The money was obtained yesterday
morning from the Atlantic express on
the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern
railroad after the express car had been
shattered with dynamite, the safe shiv-
cred with the same deadly explosive
and Engineer Knapp of the express
train had gone down with one bullet
in his shoulder and another through
his side.
The robbery was one of the boldest
and, according to all who will give in
formation upon the subject, one of the
most successful ever committed east of
the Mississippi river. The officials of
the United States Express Co. claim
their loss was under $40, 900, but they
give no figures and will give none. The
statement that the robbers had secured
$500, 900 is based upon the report that
one of the Chicago banks had shipped
$25O.000 in currency to one of its New
York correspondents. This sum is now
said to be riding around with the men
who took it from the broken express
car.
1t is a well known fact that the train
which the rolsbers despoiled at the
lonely hamlet of Kessler, Ind, fire.
quently carries as much as $500, 900 in
currency at one time. If the robbers
secured only $4,000, as the express
officials claim, they will have a hard
luck story to tell each other when they
divide.
The railroad detectives and local po-
lice claim that the work was done by
men inexperienced and new to the
business, but, on the face of the re-
turns, the figures show that they knew
what they wanted, wasted no time or
energy in going for it, and they have
got what they went after. Their plan
of operations was carefully considered,
and boldly and Systematically exc
cuted. They were all mounted, as the
tracks Of horses near the scene of the
robbery show. The Associated press
correspondent saw places where they
had leveled the fences between the
tracks, and the road oYsr which they
took their hasty departure.
Everything had been as carefully
prearranged as possible. The robbers
first turned a switch on the side track
at Kessler, knowing that the red light
thus shown would cause the engineer
to stop The calculation was well
made. Engineer James Knapp saw the
danger signal and applied the air
brakes. The next instant he was COW
cred by a revolver and then told to
throw up his hands, while half dozen
men climbed into the cab to emphasize
the order. Knapp, instead, made an
attempt to start his engine forward,
but the next moment fell with two
bullet wounds, one in the shoulder and
one in the left side. He was subse-
ouently taken TO his home in Elkhart
and may not recover.
This was the only opposition to the
robbers, who numbered, according to
the ma jority of the stories, about twelve
or fifteen. Leaving two men in charge
of the engine, they went direct to the
express car, and with dynamite cart
ridge attempted to shatter the door.
The first effort failed, but second was
more successful and the robbers rushed
in on ". NJ. Weist and Byron Is. Ham
lin, the express messenger and assist
ant, who on looking into the muzzles
of a rifle and half dozen revolvers
obeyed the order to Throw up your
hands"
One of the robbers with heavy
sledge knocked the knob off the ex-
press safe while another produced a
drill and in a few moments had hole
through the strong box into which
dynamite cartridge was inserted. This
was exploded without apparent result,
as was another and another, but when
"a fifth was fired the door gave way.
The robbers seized the contents and
ran toward little grove where their
horses were concealed. fired a volley
into the air to intimidate possible pur-
suers, swung into their saddles and rode
away into the night with their booty.
The passengers were not moieSted.