The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-13
MAIL TRAIN HELD Up.
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
Express Robbed.
SEVEN MASKED MEN DID TIE WORK
The Trainmep Looking Down 'h'
.f Revoivers-Two Hundred Ihou'A""
s.cured-Ihs Locomotive Sens 10
De,trision.

uond fredericksburg ana fotoih"S i"''
roas WAS held up y'train robbers near
49, arso,bridgc over Aqua creek last
oycoinr about $50 o'clock, and it is sup
,osed that large amount of money and
Vamables were secured.
,rbe train. which was north-bound' was
A,o ar Aquia creek. about eight miles
49,. side of Ouantico, at 9.2s +. NJ, and
reached that point on time.
II is supposed that when the tram
slowed up TO take the drawbridge over
the stream that the robbers got aboard.
About one mile beyond Aqua creek
two masked men crawled over the tender
from the platform OF the front car, ana
covered Engineer Gallagher and his hre-
man with cooked pistols, and ordered
them to stop the train.
The COMMAND TO STOP.
The first intimation that the engineer
and fireman had Of the robbers presence
was the stern command to stop the trd'"'
and when they turned TO look II was
down the barrels of two biz re'oiNe''
glistening In the moonlight, with the adFh
and crOuching forms OF the Duiley
behind them.
Engineer Gallagher applied the~"ar
brakes and stopped the train IN oetP
cut. when they were ordered TO come ~
the ground. and there stood covered uy
one OF the robbers while the subsequent
The train consisted Of mail, express,
baggage smoker, nr7l-tid9S p"'7'-''~
coach and three slecPels'
a.. -..4y .Yu,a fo "A sHlud
stti me r.bbers demanded admlt.,hce
at The express car door, but the asehtH
within locked the doors ana mace no
rtP,y .Pao, U ,r14m.d.St'iy 14S ] placed a dynamite
cartridge on The Sill oI lne uooI anu
evi,i,osd A. shatterug the door.
TGo men entered, and under force oI
arms. forced the messengers TO open tle
safe They secured al tHe 'dI"a'i,,
contained in the safe and cut open IA. an
tbe uouchcs containing small lath'r'9
for further valuahles. -,s,.,. a.. ~
While the two men were IlllHs ln' ~,
press car five others, all ma h'u' aHL
each holding large rgNoiNet Lu ''''-'
6gud kent paurd on the outside.
several shots were fired at porter
of one of the sleeping cars, VINO .-I'ro'
on his car To see what lhe lhatti 49,
ana one or two more shots Were IIg gu
later. probably to int.midate the paSseh-
gers. ,. I'm. ord al
situation they had secured their Uoo''
and retired.
r11fOwsD a riif"I-
Conductor Birdsong, who was in cnarse
Of the train borrowed pistol from d
passenger and went out on lIe llo,'S ~ rs. -,
form of the smoker, next 10 the eNl'I I'53
,ar attacked, but did not use H. a. u
bajtsVfJ mere because he was covered
by the robbers before he cO"Iu se' -
into play. c,.l b,, tba
..tlars iu all, but none were Il tu OS
'.ry oT m. passengers or train crew.
.iae names of the express H'eS9'i,7
,yio mad charge of the car are 'el0'
Cutchncld and MurlN' M A,5ravv
n was a through train. and MI A!luIt"
If,Irb the Richmond agent says he mas
mo- knowledge OF the amount oi mohVS
or other valuabies on the car, DuI 1t -
supposed To be consldefaple'
TURNED THE ENGINE LOOSE.
When the robbers mad competed men
work they urrd d teW parting sHota.
and commanding the fireman TO cut the
locomotive loose from the ualn, Two ol
tbem mounted 1t and started To-
w.rds QuduucO, while the OLHeIs uIsdp-
prared on foot IN the direction Oh V"c
1be two robbers who mounted the en-
zine .utIy had a knowledge OF hand-
ling locomotives. tOr they pulltu tHe
lever without trouble and started TIE
machine rapidly away from the scene.
SUBSEQUENT events. however, showed
that they dld not 20 far unul they Ie-
serted the locomotive and He'd 10 lhe
woods for the agent at Brooke, an IN
tervening station between Aqua Creek
and QuantiCO, discovered the locomotive
rushing past his post at full speed with
out the usual signals, and saw at u
glance thai no one was on board.
orTNtD THE THROTTLE.
when the robbers left the engine they
opened her throttle, and the big machine
was turned loose to do destruction to
whatever might he in Its path. The
agent promptly tclegraphed to Quantico
that a Wild engine was coming, ana thus
saved many precious lives, for the At
lanta Special, No. iu3, with its long line
OF sleepers. nlled with Passengers; which
leaves Washington at $50, would be in
the direct path Of the flying machine If
no warning had been given
The few minutes which interVene0,
while the on-rushing iron horse was
plunsing towards Quantco. We're well
utilized.
rhe switchmen prepared for its recen-
tion by setting the switch for a vide
track. and when the locomotive was
diverted from its wild career along The
main line II hurled itself into two coal
cars. and the cars and the locomotive
became "A complete wreck.
STINT AssrT'NCF,
An engine from Ouanfico was sent 10
the scene OF the robbery. and the belated
train was started on SIS way
The sOl Unbound Atlanta Special came
through two hours and fifteen minutes
late. the express and mail cars under
n strong guard.
The robbers who attacked the north
bound train. It was feared might make
similar attempt on IL, but no signs
were seen cf them. The attack was al
rected entirely towards the express car
the mall car, with Its valuable registered
mail, not being molested.
TBE FIRST SFws.
The first news received I'm Richmond
OF the robbery was an official telegram
sent by Conductor Birdsong Major
Myers president Of the Richmond Fred
ercksburg and Potomac railroad, was in
formed. and stayed at the Byrd-street
station until a late hour receiving mes
sages from QuantIcO concerDing the af-
fair and most OF the above facts were se-
cured through him
No SUSPICION as 10 the identity OF the
train robbers exists In the mind OF the
president but he promptly telegraphed
along the line, Offering a reward OF one
tho1sand dollars for their arrest This
is me first time that such bold train
ToDDery mas ever taken place IN this State