The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-10-13
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probab BILE that all packages received south
of the point Of robbery were gone and II
would take some time to ascertain the loss.
Pinkerton detectives have been sent from
New York, Philadelphia and Washing
ton to gather clues. Express Messenger
Il. Il. Churchfield, who came to the gen.
eral offices here this morning, left with
the Pinkerton detectives from New York.
1t il the belief OF Mr.. Weir he has gone
south with the detectives TO help them in
their work.
The Messengers Story.
Express messenger Crutchfeld gave
this account Of the robbery:
"But one robber entered the car. He
was of heavy build and dressed like
farmer although he seemed TO thoroughly
understand the express business. He
had q red handkerchief over the lower
part of his face. When the train was
stopped / opened the door OF my car. The
robber shot at me and lodged back and
closed the door. He called, open that
door, / did not do 1t. open that door
or I'll blow the whole car to pieces with
DYNAMITE Then he threw a stick of
dynamite. 1t struck the door and shat
tered 1t and the casing. The force knocked
me of my feet.
81 then opened the door, One robber
came in and made me open the safe. He
took everything. There was one package
which he must have thought contained
only papers for he threw it into the box.
1t contained $4,000. Then he said, open
that other SAFE"
"'That is simply dead head SAFE said.
'The hell il is he roared; show me your
way bill for it,
81 started to get the bill and he said,
Keep your hands up, Show me the
paper; I'll get it," He looked at the bill
and was satisfied that the second safe
contained nothing which was true
The man was very cool all the time. We
had seven or eight through express
pouches, each containing packages OF
money; how much i cannot guess. The
man cut small slit in each pouch and
took every package"
Accurate information as to the exact
amount the robbers secured probably will
be made known first to j. @. A. Herring,
the Adams Express agent in Philadelphia,
who will have to wire the company's
agents IN the south for information as to
the amounts consigned.
So far as can be learned from passen-
gers the only active resistance attempted
against the gang was by Conductor Bird
song, who frightened one Of the robbers
away from the passenger coaches. Mr.. Q.
q. Lee of Baltimore, speaking OF the ex-
perience of the passengers, said: Con-
ductor Birdsong was cool and collected
throughout au1 was as brave as a lion.
He passed through the train asking each
passenger whether he had a revolver and
finally succeeded in finding small re-
volver. Armed with this he stationed
himself at the head Of the ladies'
car, and cautioned the passengers to
keep their seats and remain quiet. He
fully asserted that he would kill the first
person who would set foot on the plat
form. Later he avowed his intention of
going out of the car but was fercbly re-
strained by several passengers. Had he so
much as poked his head out OF the car
door am satisfied he would have been
killed."
The postal car was ahead OF the express
car and its windows were fired into for
the purpose of intimidating the seven
postal clerks in 1t. They were badly
frightened, but their car was not entered,
though il contained many sacks of regis
tered mail.