New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-14

DETAILS OF THE AUDACIOUS TRAIN
ROBBERY IN VIRGINIA.
BANDITS HOLD Up THE NORTHERN EXPRESS
BLOW OPEN A CAR WITH DYNAMITE.
RIFLE THE SAFES AND ESCAPE
WITHIN A FEW MILES OF THE


WITHIN FEW MILES OF THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL
Washington. Oct. 13.-An Washington as
tonished this morning to learn that seven masked
men had held up train within few miles OF
the National Capital had blown the side of the
Adams Express out with dynamite. and had
captured a sum supposed to be in the neighbor-
hood Of $50 900 or $4,000. and had escaped on
the engine with their booty. turning the engine
loose with the throttle wide open TO wreak its
will upon any passing train The audacity Of the
crime has caused great excitement and II Will
probably be made the subject q legislation at the
next session Of Congress to provide fitting pun
ishment for attempts thus 10 imperil interstate
commerce
The train held up was the nOrthbound ex-
press train on the Richmond. Fredericksburg and
Potomac Railroad, leaving Richmond, Va, at I
o'clock last night the train left Fredericksburg
at SIS o'clock on time. The robbery occurred
near Acquia Creek. between Brooks station ana
Wide Water an exceedingly wild part OF the
country. exactly suited for the purpose. II Is not
known at what point the robbers boarded the
train. and the first intimdtion any one had that
trouble was brewing when two men Jumped
from the coal car into the cab and. levelling re-
volvers at the as.on.shed engineer and fireman.
ordered them to stop the train.
The engineer hesitated for instant. but when
Informed that he must stop the train or be killed
he closed the throttle and the train. which had
been running al about forty miles an hour, slowed
up and finally came to a complete stop. The
fireman and engineer were compelled to leave
the engine and sit quietly on the bank alongside
the track Their the bandits. seven in number
and all disguised by masks or by handkerchiefs
cd a.
Express car. which was in charge Of j. S Crutch-
field One robber entered the As described
BY Crutchfed ne was of heavy build and dressed
Ike farmer, although he seemed 10 understand
the express business thoroughly He had red
handkerchief over the lower part Of his face
Crutchfield tells the following story:
When the train was stopped opened the door Q.
back and closed the door. lie called open that
door" didn't do it. open that door" the robber
dynamite" Then ne threw stick Of dynamite II
The force knocked me of my feet. I then opened
the door. One roober came IN and made me open
age which he must have thought contained only
papers. for he threw II into the box 1t contained
$500. Then he said: open that other safe That
Is simply deadhead safe said. The HI II is, "
he roared Show me your way6ll for IT," ! started
to get the BILL and ne said. Keep your hands up
s s ana NE The get II. se e Spksa at she
tained nothing which was true. The very
cool all the time. We had seven or eight through
mcney how much ! can't guess The man cut a
small slit in each pouch and took every package.
Crutchfeld thinks there may have been
$4,000 in the packages. The robbery occupied
about twenty minutes. The night was dark
and the place selected deep cut. The engineer
and fireman sat on the bank on side of the
train during the whole robbery and were not
ten feet from two three Of the robbers as
they fired shots into the air. The man who en-
Tered the car seemed 10 be the leader, although
man on the outside with a high pitched voice
mad good deal to say. This man was tall and
ran about a good deal He drove Charley"
the porter. who rushed ahead at first thinking
mat tramps were shooting back into the
sleeper. and fired two shots at him.
Inc train crew. the postal clerks and all the
passengers were thoroughly cowed, the terrific
dynamite explosion having caused them TO fear
ssat they would be blown 10 pieces Conduc
sor brdsong, who is of the Oldest con-
Suctors on the road. alone Of those In the rear
ssoaches showed fight. He passed through the
IAN IAN asking each passenger II he had a pistol.
s, 1 hhaily succeeded In finding a small
vr.n.er. Armed with this, he stationed him
III ~ al the head OF the women's car, cautioning
,css passengers to keep their seats and remain
~ ne coolly asserted that he would kill
n'st person who set foot on the platform.