Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-10-17
BIG HAUL BY ROBBERS.
Two Hundred Thousand Dollars in
Cash Taken from an Ex-
press Car.

New York Oct 13.-Two hundred
thousand dollars in the coin of the realm
was taken from an Adams express car by
seven robbers in hold-up on the Rich
mond, Fredericksburg q Potomac rail
road. The train was the north-bound eX
press between Richmond and Washing
ton, and was held up at Aqua Creek,
forty miles from Quantico, Va. The rob
berS tagged the train and when the en-
CINE was stopped the crew were covered
with revolyers and compelled to diSmOunt.
The express messengers were taken by
surprise and were forced from the car
which was uncoupled from the train,
and ran up the track about mile. b. +.
Crutchfeld and III. Murray, the mes
sengers, were then forced to open the
safe. The robbers secured their booty
and then started the engine on toward
Washington with no one on board. The
frightened express messenger teleGraphed
to Alexandria and half dozen empty
cars We're put on the track, into which
the engine crashed, causing complete
wreck.
1t is customary for all trains to stop at
Aqua Greek, several miles below Quanti-
co. for water. The train was 200 or 800
yards this side of the creek at 9:26 p.
m, when the engineer got a signal TO
stop. The porter went forward to see
what had caused the signal, and was con-
fronted by the robbers, who, it was
learned, had given the signal. There
were seven of them. and as soon as the
engine stopped they walked back toward
the train and commenced to hre their
weapons. at the same time warning every
body to keep inside the cars. \ number
of shots were fired, but by the greatest
chance no one was hurt, for by this time
the passengers had become excited by
the fusilade, and some of the more dar-
ing ones threw open the windows to learn
the cause of the firing. But on seeing the
masked men they became aware that
the train had been held UP by desperate
men and sought cover. The robbers by
their bold course thus inundated the pas
Sengers and the train crew, and thereupOn
quickly came clamOring upon the express
car. They found the door tightly barred
and were unable to force an entrance
by persuasion and threats. Their time
was precious. and they were we'll fixed
to do their work rapidly.
The robbers were supplied with dyna-
mite and by its use the door of the eX-
press car was shattered and an entrance
gained. Dhe messenger was in the car
at the time and they told him they would
of the safe. The messenger appreciated
that he was in the hands of desperate
men, and after demurring he obeyed
their demands and opened the safe. The
men got every cent of money that was
in the car. No one knows just how
much the safe contained.
The safes are brought from various
places along the road, and frequently
three or four are taken aboard at Rich
mond. After looting the car of all the
money the robbers uncoupled the engine
from the train and ran it several miles
up the road until it was wrecked. The
train was left standing until an engine
was brought from Quantico.
The train remained at the scene of the
robbery fully two and a half hours.
Later it proceeded to New York. The
door of the express car showed evidence
of the dynamite and all the glass panes
in it were shattered. 1t was, however,
allowed to proceed to New York and the
expressman, Crutchfeld, who was in
charge, accompanied it. The robbers es-
capped with their booty and have not been
apprehended 1t is thought that the men
escaped across the Potomac river to the
Maryland side of the river
Richmond, Va, Oct. 13.-Three police
men leave here today for the scene of
the train robbery near Quantico. Twen-
ty thousand dollars was the amount of
money sent from this city by the train,
and most of that was in bonds. Gov.
O'Ferrall has offered $1,000 reward and
telegraphed the governor of Maryland
asking his cooperation.