The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-06-27

] however, tuaL there was llLtie ueeQ IOr
fear, and that there was nothing to do
but wait. They then cooled down and 1
went through the coaches TO see i'll could
get any pistols. used to carry one my
self. but of late have discarded it. as had
never found any use for it, I could find
only two pistols among the passengers on
the train, and of course it was
needless to attempt to put a
stop 10 the robbery with such
a sc arcity of firearms and with few men
to use them. So gave 1t up and went to
the platform Of the passenger coach, just
two cars away from the express car, TO
see what they would do.
BLEW OPEN THE DOOR WITH DYNAMITE.
Il didn't have to wait long TO see. I
could distinguish the forms of two or
three men on the eastern side of the
track, near the express car. 1 heard one
Of them say TO the messenger:
open the door, or Wen make it hot for
you"
THE messenger was plucly, however,
and refused TO let them in. They re
peated the order twice and still he re
fused Then heard one of them tell him
he had better look out, and with that he
placed what proved to be a dynamite car
fridge at the side door Of
the car, and / saw him light a
fuse. and in a few seconds there was a
loud explosion. The door was shattered
and broken from its fastenings, and was
pushed open by the men with cOmpar-
alive ease. Only one of them entered the
car, and what happened in there the mes
senger can tell better than I, as / did not
see it. The robbers secured the money
from the safe then all of them made for
the engine.
TOOK AWAY THE ENGINE.
s'The fireman was ordered to cut the
engine loose from the train. which, under
the circumstances, he did unhesitat-
ingly.
1.-THE engineer was ordered out of his
engine, and il was in charge of the six
robbers, who started off up the road.
We felt considerably easier after they
left, and began to figure on what to do.
The engineer said he had put on the in
jectOrs, and he knew they could not 20
far, as the cold water would soon cause
the steam to die down. He and the fire
man went up the track after the engine,
and | started off for bonneville to
wire for orders. notified Capt. jackson
Of what had occurred about 2:30 o'clock
or shortly after. II was about twenty
five minutes from the time the train was
held up until the robbers left with the en-
CINE. Orders were sent out instructing
freight train that was just behind US to
push our train up to where the engine
was standing.
1T was 5 o'clock this morning when we
started again. Our train was pushed up
10 the engine where the robbers had left
it, at the ll1-mile post, Manor turnout,
not far from Argyle. We were pushed up
to the 10s-mile post before the engine
could be fired up sufficiently to take up
the train Engineer Jenkins left the train
at Waycross. We arrived in Savannah at
IL :32 o'clock"
THINKS THEY CAME TOWARD SAVANNAH.
Conductor Farris thinks when the rob
bers left the train they started off in the
direction of Savannah, though. of course,
it is hardly probable that they had any
idea of coming to the city. Others are
under the impression that their path was
toward Oketinokee swamp, in which they
hoped 70 secure themselves until they
could escape. 1t is evident from the
shrewdness and thorough manner in
which the robbery was planned and car
ried out that the robbers Were not novices
at the business, and were not going to
run any possible risk of being taken
No time was lost in forming a posse to
90 in pursuit. Ex-Sheriff Hurst of
Thomas county was at the head of the
posse and the pursuit was begun with a
pack of bloodhounds from Necklaces con-
vict camp in LOwndes county, about five
hours after the robbery took place.
Supt. Fleming, of the Savannah, Florida
and Western, said he had information
that the party is on the track of the rob-
bers and he believes they will be captured
within forty-eight hours He says no
efforts will be spared to effect a capture
as soon as possible. The experience of
those on the train was a dangerous one,
and he is exceedingly gratited that no
one was hurt
The robbers made no attempt to enter
the mail car, nor did they disturb any of
the passenger coaches.
MESSENGER CALDER's STORY.
The position of the express messenger,
j. B. Calder, was perhaps the most dan
gerous Of any of those on the train from
the fact that it was he with whom
the robbers dealt, and also that
he was IN the car when the
door was broken open by the explosion of
the dynamite. Mr. Calder was seen this
home, No. 1911 Duffy street.
sit was rather frightful experience"
he said, referring to the robbery. II al
ways keep my car securely fastened at
night The doors at each end were fast
ened with heavy bars of iron, while both
the side doors were hooked and bolted.
We had just left Homeryille and | was
nor experimenting any trouble
when the train first stopped, about a
mile from the station, | heard two shots
fred and | thought something was wrong,
but the train started again and / thought
] might have been mistaken. 1t was only
a few minutes, however, before the train
stopped again and l soon discovered that
something unusual was in progress.
81 heard several men talking outside,
and pretty soon one of them shouted TO
me to open the door Ofcourse | refused.
They were standing just at the side door
on the east side of the car. Again they
demanded that the door be opened, and
when | had refused the third time one Of
them said
"'Well you'd better get out Of the car
and be quick about it
81 heard a match STRUCK and the sound
of burning fuse. The dynamite ex-
ploded before | could reach the corner of
the car. ] was stunned by the force of
the explosion, though not hurt.
OPENED THE SAFE.
"a portion of the door was shattered
and splintered by the force of the ex-
plosion. 1t was burst from its fastening,
so that it could be easily opened.
"Whep | came to a minute or two later
! was looking into the muzzle of a pistol
There was but one man in the car, but [
had had no opportunity 80 use my pistol.
" Throw up your hands he said, but |
was so dazed | could scarcely understand
what he was saying.
q