The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-01-19
Train on the X. c.. st. j. & c. B. Stopped,
Employees Covered with RevOlvers
and Large Sum Stolen.
AMOUNT PLACED AT $4,000
Passengers inundated by a Flu
Sillade of Revolver Shots.
The Robbers Tracked to the Paved
Streets of the City, Where the Trail
of Their Wagon Was Lost.

ST. JOSEPH. Mo-, Jan. 1s-This city and
vicinity seem TO be infested with bandits.
Robberies and train ''hold-ups' are now Of
weekly occurrence. Another train was
stopped and robbed early this morning.
Five masked men held up train on the
Kansas City, st. Joseph 81 Council Bluffs
road shortly after midnight. The contents
of the safe in the express car, amounting
to mand thousands of dollars, were secured.
No one was injured. The robbers are sup
posed to be the same gang that held up
and looted the Chicago fast train, the
ELL" on the Hannibal road, just week
ago tonight. Two of the men answer the
description of two of the ELI robbers
The scene of the robbery this morning
was what is known RoyS Branch, two
miles north Of this city, and is the same
place where the attempt was made to hold
up a train Sept % last, when two men
were killed, and for which crime another
was sent to the penitentiary. The train left
the Francis-street depot at 1890 m, In
charge of conductor William Haywood and
engineer Davis. When the train reached
Roy Branch a torpedo exploded under the
wheels Of the engine and red lantern
was swung across the track. The engineer
put on the air brakes and the train slowed
up, coming to a standstill at almost ex-
actly the same spot on which the dummy
train stood on the night Of Sept % the
train ran past the place where the ROD
bers intended it should stop, and the men
were left behind the engine. Shortly after
the stop had been made man came run
ming out Of the brush alonside the track
and covering the engineer and fireman
with a revolver, shouted: Throw up your
IA
and fireman Baxter to stand down from
the cab. and as they were covered with
a revolver in each hand of the masked
man that they readily complied
While the above was occurring four other
men came running UP from the rear of the
train. toward the engine, all the time Irihs
their revolvers in the air and snoutlng al
the top of their voices 10 the passenger,
telling them to keep their heads INSIDE thS
cars or they would be hurt. The nve men
then marched the engineer ana nrehlaii
back to the express car ana one on tp Sa eve eve
press car and told the messenger 10 open
| it This was done AS soon as the messeh-
ger showed his dead ne was cIVe f'o, Wy" ~
| revolvers and told to stand back from me
door Then three of the robbers forced the
engineer and firemen in ahead OF thein
| and entered the car. On the INSIDE ol .he
car besides the express messenger, was the
baggageman. He was ordered TO holu "
his hands, and with the two men from tne
| engine
| hands above his head tan man, S Whon
! a black mask over his face, wearing ouch
coat and dark sst9na IN tne cai
| with a revolver in each hand I1 ~ thhen az
another, and kept close Watcn on IL.
movements. The engineer complained- Via Ia
| hands. and the robber said: 'Well, take
| them down, then; but don't make any Klnn
| OF a move or there will be treu .h s,I Al
| time but the robber never took his eyes
| from them and saw that the men, with
their hands at their sides, mace no atI I,p
| TO draw a weapon. The other two robbers
| in the car were busy with the packages IN
| the safe. A short man, who was d I, sec
in black or brown clothes to3k d al IN
| packages from the safe ana dropped
thern into n sack he carried. The third man.
| whose description could not be gwen by Ihe
| train men. was well armed; ne hau wv
revolvers strapped at his side' anu c'irrie'
When the safe had been enlptied or It's
contents the tranmen were corieIIIisu - -
them They were marched ahead or the
bandits down half the length of the train
AM anct When the footing of the express
| car was going on the remaining TWO rod
| bers were on the east side, occasionaiiy
airing their revolvers to prevent the pas
| sengers from interfering with their work;
| All of the occupants Of the coaches had
been aroused by the shooting ana 6 BEGAN 20
| would be entered, and some OF the people
cravled down between the seats and lay
fat on the floor. A stray shot from a
pistol OF one of the robbers struck the car,
| tearing a hole in the side. but did not
enter it. The postal clerks In the mail ia.
car heard the firing and barrcaded the
| doors and then crawled under the mail
| sacks so as to be out OF the way of any
stray bullets. No attempt was made TO
| enter the mail car, however. When the
| trainmen had been stood up In line
| about midway of the train on the west
! side. the robbers called to the men on the
1 cid climbed
| form and joined them. Then they walked
| away westward, going out or sight In the
willows a few feet from the right Of way.
| The train backed down to Feehan street
| and did not go out again for more than an
| hour.
| Officers who visited the scene OF the
| "hold-up'' to-day found that the robbers
had a spring wagon or buggy, hitched
| near where the train was stopped, and as
| soon as the Job was finished all OF them
| returned to this city in the conveyance
| This vehicle was tracked TO this city but
| the trail was lost at the head OF Sixth
| street, where the street Is paved. Officers
| of the express company refuse 10 say how
] much was secured but it is generally be
| the through matter for Omaha, st. Paul.
| Minneapolis and the Northwest. and il Is
| thought there quite a sum aboard
| some people placing the amount obtained
| as high as $4,000 $4,000 The superin-
| tendent of the Adams Express Company
| said this afternoon that the amount Sc
| cured would not exceed $500 An official
| of the railroad said the amount was nearer
| $4,000, the train robbed always left
! here with full safe.
Three Robbers Sentenced.