Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-10-19
Held up and Robbed.
Daring Exploit OF Highwaymen
Near Fredericksburg.
THE ATLANTIC COAST LINE EAPREss
BOARDED AND CAPTURED BY SEVEN
MASKED MEN WHO ROBBED THE
EXPRESS MESSENGER on $780,
900 AND ESCAPED on
THE EKGINE.

up about twelve miles the other
side of UusnticO about 0 80 O'Clock
last Friday night, and the express
messenger robbed of about $780,
900. Seven masked men commit
ted the daring deed, and after
securing all the money in the
Adams express car, they compelled
the engine crew to uncouple the
the locomotive, jumped aboard, and
made good their escape in the direc'
ton of the Potomac River where it
is suppt sed they had a boat in
waiting to take them to the Mar =
land side.
The train lefs fredericksburg at
S:jS O'Clock on time. The robbery
occurred near AcQuia Creek, be-
tween Brooks station and Wide
Water. II is not known at what
point the robbers boarded the
tram, and the first intimation any
body had that trouble was brewing
was when two men Jumped from
the coal car down into the cab, and
leveling revOlveTs at the astonished
engineer and fireman, ordered
them to stop the train.
The engineer hesltated for an ILL.,
slant, but when informed that be
must stop the train or be killed he
closed the throttle, and the train,
which had been running at about
tortv miles an hour, slowed up, and
finally came to a complete stand
still.
The fireman and engineer were
compelled to leave the engine and
sit quietly on the bauk alongside
The track.
After securing the plumber the
robbers compelled the fireman, who
Is mulatto, to uncouple the en-
CINE, not forgetting to caution him
about disconnecting the airbrake
tubes. The gang then boarded the
engine, one of them yelled go
ahead, and the engine moved OIL,
leaving the train and its excited
passengers standing on the main
track. For the first mile it is said
the engine ran rather slowly, stop
ping for o moment when about a
mile from the scene of the robbery.
Then q full head Of steam was
turned on, aud the locomotive
plunged ahead at the rate OF about
fifty miles an hour. AS 1t passt d
Wide Water competent railroad
men estimate that it was running,
nearly a mile a minute.
Tue robbers are supposed to
have lett the engine before it pass
ed Vide Water, aud the train dis
patcher at that station, compre'
bending that something was wrong,
telegrsphed ahead to QuanticO to
look out for a wild engine. A
switch was thrown just outside OF
Q1anticO, and when the engine
arrived 1t was thrown over on a
switch, crashed into a number OF
empty freight cars, and in mo-
ment more a huge pile of debris
marked the spot where the collision
occurred. The engine was thrown
on it's side and is a complete wreck.
The freight cars were reduced to
kidding wood.
The long Atlanta special was
standing on tue main track at
lQuantico, AMI narrowly escaped
being struck by the runaway en-
CINE. A brakeman had just thrown
the switch as the Wild engine
dashed into the yards and out the
side track Into the freight cars.
The railroad 9any has offer
ed 81, 900 reward for the arrest Of
any one of the robbers.
MESSENGER CRUTCHFIELD's AC'
| COUNT.
i Express Messenger j. S. CIutch
field, who had charge of the ex
press car, went on through to New
York last night. He made state
ment to the conductor and mem
Oers of the train crew. lie SAID h'
thought the thieves got abon
, $4,000.
"Blt one ROTH r, said the ines
senger, entered the carr He wa
Of heavy bald aud dressed like &
farmer, Though be seemed t
thoroughly understand the ex
press Business. ii, hid a re-
handkerchief over the lower par
of his face. When the tram wa
I,topped | opened the door of m
lear. The robDer fred a shot at mi
HE called, open that door, ! didn
lido it. Open that door or I'll blo'
: 1.-THE whole car to pieces with dyns
m mite