Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-14

the casing. The force Knocked me Off OF
my feet.
Il then opened the door. One robber
came In. and made me open tho safe
lie took everything There was one
package which he must have thought
contained only papers. for he threw II
into the box. II contained 5000. Then he
said: open that other safe
That Is simply deadhsad SAFE
said.
Tho HI II U.s. he roared. Show me
your way-bill for IT,
II started TO get The bin. and he sa!di
Keep your hands UP. Show me tho paper
III get IT.
"Hc looked at the hill, and was satisfied
that the second safe contained nothing,
which was true
THE man was very cool all the time
We had seven or eight through express
pouchea each containing packages or
money: row much | can't guess. Tho
man cut slit in each pouch, and took
every package"
Among the Richmond people on the
train were Messrs. Sirintfellow. Sol
Ilass and Morton Samuefs. Mr.. Arthur
Evans and wife and Mr.. John e. Robert
sou. of Manchester wero also among the
passengers.
THE COURAGEOUS CONDUCTOR.
All accounts agree that Conductor Bird
song who Is one Of the Oldest and most
trusted conductors on tho road, behaved
with great coolness Mr.. G. q. Leef. OF
Baltimore. in referring 10 his conduct
said: "a guess Conductor Birdsong was
the nervicst man ever saw. lie waR cool
and collected throughout. and as bravo
q lion.
"IIe passed through the train asking
each passenger whether he had a re-
vovcr. and finally succeeded in finding q
small revolver. Armed with this. he sta
toned himself at the head OF ths ladies'
car. cautioned the passengers TO keep
their seats, and remain quiet. He coolly
asserted that he would XIII the first per-
son who set foot on the platform. Later
he 1vowed his intention OF going out or
the car. but was forcibly restrained by
several passengers Had he 80 much rs
pokcd his head out Of the car door.
am satisfied he would have been Killed.
WHAT HE WAS TOLD.
Nj J. NJ. Gum. who WAS one Of the
postal-clerks on the train. returned to
the city yesterday afternoon. lie SAID
he really knew very little about the
robbery. EXCEPT what had been tol. him.
The train came to sudden stop just
beyond Aqua creek, and he saw Charley
~ statiiAAf AitV P'i WI iNsi ~ Wv
appeared that one Of the bandits was
under the car. and ordered the porter 20
go back, ana. tho latter not moving iast
enough, two shots were Cred at him
There were six men In the pVstal-car,
none Of whom were armed. but there was
no disposition TO disturb them. lie learned
that the robbers ordered the express
messenger 10 open the door Of his car
and. upon Mr.. Crutchhsld's declining TO
comply. said he would blow open the
door. Then followed the explosion
Tho outlaw who entered the car
had red silk HANDKERCHIEF over
lower vart Of his face. He called for
Mr.. Crutchfclds way bills and told him
the gang had no desire 10 hurt any one.
The robber in leaving the car dropped a
81 coo package. evidently rot being aware
OF its contents.
ONLY WANTED THE EMPRESS.
Mr.. Cabel Thompson. the distributor
for the Richmond stations, was also on
the train. lie was in the smoker. and
his account, in the main, comedies with
what has already appeared. He learned.
IN addition, that tho man who entered
the eNyrcss-car. saw 9 watch. ana ASKED
- whom Il belonged. When he was
told that it was the property OF one
Of the messengers, he replied that they
cd not went anything belonging TO the
messengers. bat intended to have every
thing in their charge Three other clerks
were in the ca with Mr.. Thompson.
but they did not 70 out ct all. 1T
scared me out OF forty years growth.
remarked Mr.. Thompson. with smile.
Mr.. William NJ Hi, cashier Of the
STAT. Bank WAS on the south-bound train.
lie said Yesterday that he SAW the wild"
engine 80 by his train after II took the
switch, and Il seemed to be making fifty
or sixty miles an hour.
DETECTIVES AND POLICE.
The opinion seems 70 be orystal!izinS
that the work was done by gang from
New York. Yesterday several detectives
III the employ Of the express company
arrived at Quantico.
CAPTAIN Iiulce and Officers BarS,ot and
Gibson, OF the First Police Station. went
UP u the scsne yesterday morning and
returned at midnight. They made a care
ful inspection of tn grounds with view
CT ascsrtainng the probable direction
taken By the outlaws In max Dg their
escaps. They hold with tho view that
the robbers went over into Maryland.
CAPTAIN Hulce picked up several empty
piston-shells
The Pinkertons. who are regularly en-
ployed by the express company. took hoid
OF the case promptly. and are following up
every possible clue. our Tred@ricksours
special bears ont the theory that the msn
escaped by way of Matthias bay.
1t is said that the robbers took care
that the locomotive they sent wild" was
in condition TO make a good run. They
made the fireman give II Il good supply OF
coal and water before they ran 1t up the
road and abandoned IL.
Had the operator at Whitewater not
had his wits about him aud taken In
the situation. there is hardly question
that the Wild locomotive would lave
Co!lidei with the Atlanta special and
| great loss Of life would have resulted.
His message Of warning caused conster-
! nation at Qusntico. but the company :
employees acted cOOlly and promptly
| There was only one thing 10 do. That
was to wreck the locomotive and mum
| Der OF freight and cosl-cara.