The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-22
CENTRALIA TRAIN HELD UP.
Conductor, Engineer, Fireman, and
One Of The Robbers Shot.


diately Upon Leaving the City,
Where, in Fact, the Plot to Rob was
Organized-No Booty Whatever was
Obtained, but this was Due to the
Appearance on the Scene of a Man
Who Had Been Dead-Beating His
Way, and Who Shot One of the
Would-be Thieves-The Others Ran,
but All Were Subsequently Caught.
Centralia, H., Sept. 21.-The New Or
leans limited train on the Illinois Central
railroad was held up shortly after II
o'clock last night just outside Of the city,
and in the battle which followed between
the robbers and train hands one of the
robbers was mortally wounded and three
of the crow badly hurt. The thieves
got nothing in the way of booty, and all
the grown inhabitants of this
place are on the hunt for the daring
thieves, who got away. Those who were
hurt in the shooting incident to the at
tack were Engineer Young, Conductor
Odum, Fireman Mcdowell, and one rob-
Der. The train held up left Chicago yes
terday and reached this city at II 80
o'clock p. m.
BOARDING THE TRAIN.
It's stop was very short, but in that
time three men, heavily armed and car
rying tools which later came into play,
boarded the front end of the express car,
The lights of Centralia's streets had
hardly disappeared from view when the
robbers were on the engine with pistols
presented and the usual demand to
NhnlA dc
gineer and fireman disregarded the order
and showed fight and were laid out with
two shots on each One of the masked
robbers sprang over the forms of the
bleeding men and stopped the train. In
the coaches the passengers were all
asleep, oblivious of the plight of the train.
''oPEN, OR WE'LL BLOW YOU UPt"
When the train had been stopped, one
Of the robbers ran back to the coaches,
and, revolver in hand, stood guard over
Baggagemaster Armstrong and Brake
man Stacy. The other thieves climbed to
the top Of the express car, in which were
the messenger Of the American Express
Company and Conductor Odum. They
were Just beginning to get
curious as to the stopping of the
train, when they heard n furious
pounding on the express car door. "Open
the door, or Wen blow you upl" they
heard man cry. Their reply was shot
from a revolver. This was followed by
another, and another. The men outside
the car also took part in the fusilade.
LOWERED BY GRAPHING HOOKS.
The attack then took a new turn. The
men in the car had emptied their revolv-
ers, and were reloading them. In this
lull the robbers tried novel plan, for
which they had prepared. They had
graphing hooks. These they fastened
on the top Of the express car, and, with
ropes, lowered themselves to the top of
the door. This was done to avoid being
a 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
sereneiy above them the two robbers
were welding heavy sledge. The door
did not stand the assault, and soon an
opening large enough for the robbers to
enter showed itself Through this they
leaped, and revolvers in hand, faced the
conductor and messenger, both similarly
equipped.
THE STRUGGLE BEGINS IN EARNEST.
Then followed a battle royal. The mes
senger and conductor were plucky, and,
partly guarded by boxes and packages,
fired at the robbers as fast as they could
shoot The thieves fired, too, but they
were at disadvantage. During the
shooting the conductor received a slight
wound in the hand, Neither side seemed
10 be able to conquer, when along came
the railroad employees. The shooting
aroused the passengers, and they, terri
fed and just waking up, had been busily
concealing their valuables.
DRAMATIC FEATURE OF THE BATTLE.
On the train, dead-heading his way,
was p. j. Sanders, a brakeman on the
road. He came to the rescue of the con-
ductOr and messenger. armed with a shot
gun. He attacked the robbers from the
rear, and though in turn attacked by the
third robber, he managed to shoot one OF
those in the express car through the body.
The others, seeing their companion fall,
bleeding. took TO their heels and got away
through the fields One Of the train
hands hurried back to Centralia with the
news Of the robbery, and the town was
aroused. In half an hour posses of men
were beating the country near the place
where the train was held up in the hunt
for the fugitives.
TWO OTHERS CAUGHT.
The wounded robber, who gave his name
as George Jones, was carried to the
sta ation. On his person were found pass
es under the name Of Daniel Jones, and
a travelling card from a Chicago order of
u
switchman's card, issued by the Santa
Fe, at Kansas City. He gave the names
of the other robbers as Martin Nichols
and j. Hardin. Nichols and Hardin were
captured this forenoon in a corn field near
the scene Of the hold up, A fourth
man, whose name is not yet known to the
officials. was caught about 6 o'clock this
morning at Odin, town fifteen miles
north Of here. Jones said he was from
Kansas City. He admitted he was the
man who shot the engineer and fireman
He said he and Chas. O'Dwyer, who was
raised in this city with Nichols and
Hardin, planned toput into execution the
hold up.
THE PLOT FORMED IN cENTRALIA.
They held their meetings at the home
Of O'Dwyer's mother, in the eastern part
of Centralia. O'Dwyer was in Jail in ST.
Louis less than a year ago on some crimi-
nal charge and has a hard reputation
Engineer Youngs condition is critical,
and there is no hope Of his recovery. This
afternoon O'Dwyer was arrested at his
mothers home. The railroad officials be-
lieved the robbery was planned by rail
road men.
CAPTURE OF NICKTHERoY.