San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-10-13
"UP YOUR HANDS,"
EXPRESS TOUCHED FOR FIFTEEN
THOUSAND
BY TRAIN ROBBERS IN VIRGINIA;
Who Used Dynamlte-cut thei En-
CINE Loose From Train and Made
Their ESQ ape.

train which was held up at Quantito,
Va, was the special from Jacksonville
to New York. Only few passengers
stopped off when the train rea ched this
city, the remainder going north. The
following facts In regard to the hold up
were obtained from the baggage master
Of the train: 1t is customary for all the
trains to stop at Acvua creek, several
miles below Quantito, for water. The
train was two or three hundred yards
this side of the creek at GIG tonight,
when the engineer got Slgnal 10 stop.
The porter went forward TO see what had
caused the signal and was confronted by
the robbers, who had given the signal.
1t was learned there were seven or eight
of them. AS soon as the engineer had
stopped they walked back towards the
train and commenced to fire their guns,
and at the same time warning every body
to keep inside of the cars. A number OF
shots were fired, but by chance no one
was hurt. for by this time the passengers
had become excited by the firing, and
some of the more daring ones threw open
the windows to learn the cause OF the mr.
ing. but on seeing tie masked men they
became aware that the train had been
held up by desperate men, and quickly
sought cover. The robbers, by their bold
course. thus inundated the train crew,
and then quickly boarded the express car.
They found the door lightly barred and
were unable to force an entrance by
persuasion; their time was pre-
cious, and they were all prepared to do
were well supplied with dynamite and by
it's use the door of the express car was
shattered and an entrance gained. The
messenger was in the car at the time and
they told him they would shoot him II he
did not open the door to the safe. The
messenger appreciated the fact that he
was in the hands Of desperate men and
after demurring he obeyed thelr com.
mandS 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, but one OF the employees
said he thought il would probably amount
to $4,000. After lOOting the car OF all the
money the robbers uucoupled the engine
from the train and ran it several miles up
the road until coal chute was reached,
where il was wrecked. The train was
left standing until an engine was brought
on from QuaDtito. The train remained
at the scene of the robbery fully two and
one. half hours and arrived here at 20 a.
NJ. The door Of the express car showed
evidence of dynamite and all the glass
panes in it were shattered. 1t was, how
ever, allowed to proceed to New York and
the express man Crutfield, who was in
charge, accompanied it. The robbers es-
capped with their booty and up to this
hour have not been apprehended, in fact
the police department Of this city at2 a.
m. had not been notified OF the hold up;
1t is thought the men escaped
across the Potomac river TO the Mary
land side.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13.-The details of
last nights hold up at QuantiatO OF the
north bound express, on the Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac railway,
add to it's daring character. Seven men
composed the gang and their demands
showed that some members OF the gang
had been railroad hands. The Express
Messenger Crutchfeld, thinks the booty
secured was $l500O0 or more. He says but
one rObber entered the car, after throw
ing the stick of dynamite which struck
the door and shattered it and the casing.
He took everything. One package
which he thought contained papers he
threw into box; II contained 81, 900. The
man was very cool at the time. lie had
seven or eight through express pouches,
each containing packages OF money. How
much be does not know. The man cut
small slit in each pouch and took every
package.
New YORK, Oct l3.-The train held up
burg and Potomac railroad, reached Jer-
sey City this morning. The Adams Ex-
press company's messenger proceeded at
once to Headquarters and reported that
all their safes had been rifled by
robbers. 1t is supposed the bandits
obtained between Sl50,O00 and 100000. Of
ficIaIs of the Adams Express company
claim only the pouches and safes. mad
beer ransacked. Other packakes In the
car remained intact. The train men are
reticent about the affair. The manner
In which the men got on the
but it was afterward discovered
that In all liability they boarded
the car at White Brook station, few
miles on the other side OF Quantito sta
ton. They evidently climbed upon the
platform, and while the train was in mo:
ton, worked their way along the topot
the cars until they succeeded in boarding
the tender and cab. Then two or three
held up the engineer and fireman, while
the Others attended to the Express mes
Senger and kept guard on the passengers
and trainmeH. The most novel thing was
the way In which the robbers escaped.
They cut the engine loose. piled the plum
der into the cab and then the whole
crowd piled in, turned on the steam and
started for Quantito station as fast as
the thing would ruu. Before reaching
QuantitO station the desperadOeS turned
the engine loose, and through the clever
ness Of the operators it was side ira Cked
and ditChed.
L. c. Weir, president of the Adams Elk
press Company, said today that as the
way bills were destroyed they could rot
nudge. as yet, the amount of money lost.
Every effort Will be made to capture the
deSperadoes.