The Portland daily press., 1893-09-13
ROBBERS USED DYNAMITE.
Blew an Express Car to Pieces to
Get at the Treasure.
ENGINEER SHOT DOWN WHEN HE
BRAVELY RESISTED.

The Express Messenger Fought Desper-
ately Until Knocked senseless-Mcn
With Rifles Held the Other Train
Hands in Subiection-The Bandits Re-
ported to Have Secured Thirty Thou
sand Dollars-The Battle Fought lao
Miles from Chicago.
Chicago, September IA score of
masked men held up Lake Shore train
140 miles from Chicago near midnight
last night, and after wounding the
engineer, blew open the safe in the ex-
press car and stole its con ntents.
The train was one which left the
Twelfth street depot OF the Illinois
Central Road at 7.A5 last evening. 1t
reached Kendalville, small station in
Indiana, four hours later. 1t went past
the town and hardly had gone a mile
through stretch of timber land when
the engineer slowed up near curve. As
the engine ratified around the turn the
engineer saw a. red light ahead. His hand
was at the lever Ill an instant, and as the
train slowed up and the red light drew
near the engineer saw group of mea.
In front of The red light the train came
to stop. A dozen men sprang into the
cab and leveled rifles at the heads of the
engineer and fireman. The two railroad
men stood stupefed as the rifle barrels
cleaned in the Pickering light, and the
robbers said: "Throw up your hands,
The fireman lifted his arms at once,
but the engineer paid no heed to the men
or to their arms, and with cry of warn
ing on his lips turned toward the passen-
ger coaches A dozen rifles were quickly
turned toward the plucky fellow and
oh Cto
had been awakened by the sudden
stopping of the cars. How many of the
shots struck the engineer was not deter
mined, but he fell with blood gushing
from an immense wound.
Soon after the train had come to a
pause there was terrible explosion.
The robbers had put dynamite under the
train, and the express car cracked and
split and showed a huge cash in its side.
The conductor nd..brakemen hurried to
the platform, only to be covered with
Winchesters in the hands of men, who
said they would shoot to kill if move
were made. The railroad men became
motionless and dumb. A guard was put
at the end of each car and the express
car was attacked. The messenger, behind
his barricaded door, refused to obey the
command of the robbers to open the ex-
press car entrance. Shot after shot was
tired at the car, but the robbers soon saw
they could gain no entrance by intimida
tion. They were prepared for this resis-
tance The messenger, pouring shot after
shot at the robbers through the, opening,
was soon disarmed, and with a blow on
the head leveled to the floor senseless.
Half dozen of the men then looted
the express car. Dynamite was again
used in opening the safe, and the thieves
used their own time in taking every
thing they thought worth carrying away.
The guards at the doors OF the passen-
ger coaches were called off, few parting
shots were fired-perhaps in the air-to
warn those on the train that pursuit
meant death, and the band of robbers
disappeared in the wooded stretch of land
that skirts the railroad.
AS fast as legs could carry them mes
sengers ran to Kendalville to spread the
alarm. The train held up was the New
coaches, two express cars and one
baggage car. The dynamite having
wrecked only one express car, the rob-
bers centented themselves with looting
this Alone and made no effort to force
an entrance to the second.
1t is said that none of the passengers
were robbed. The noise caused by the
crashing of the express car when the
dynamite bomb was hurled against it
was the first intimation many had that
the train was in the hands OF robbers.
There was lively scramble among them
TO crawl u0O6r GQe SGdUS anu SoCIcU0 WAdb
valuables they had in sight, such as
watches and other jewelry.
The express car robbed was one used by
the United States Express company, and
is supposed to have contained large sum
of money. At 5 o'clock this morning
train containing several railroad officials
left the Twelfth street station to make q
quick trip to Kendaiville.
1t is reported that the robbers carried
away $3.50, 900 in gold which was being
shipped East by Chicago bank.
Got About $4,000.
Albion, Ind, September 12.-The
bandits who dynamited and robbed the
Lake Shore Express, succeeded In getting
being shipped from Chicago. Az 4 o'clock
Sheriff Shauck at this place, requesting
him to report Immediately with an
armed posse and capture the robbers, He
is in hot pursuit of the thieves. The men
who did the work are mem bers of a well
organized gang, and have confederates
throughout this section.
The Plumber just $19,1O4.
Chicago, September lat is now posi-
lively stated that the total amount sof
money secured by the robbers thar held
up the Lake Shore train was S19, 104.
Bars of gold valued at $4,000 were over
looked as were two strong boxes filled
with gold The express messenger
secreted $4, 900 before the robbers entered
the car. President Newell of the Lake
Shore has offered reward of. $1,000 for
the capture and conviction of the rob