The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-14
THE TRAIN ROBBERS.
Familiar With the Railroad
and Express Business
OBTAINED a VERY LARGE SUM.
They Tested with the Trsinnsn and
are-Dynamise Used on Car Door.

Fredericksburg & Potomac railroad at
Qaantico last night Their demand for
the way bill when The express messenger
declared the safe was empty, and the
caution they gave the fireman about dis-
connecting the airbrake tubes when be
uncouplei the engine on their demand.
shows that some members of the gang are
railroad hands Beside, after the engine
was unconpled. 4 was boarded by the rob-
bers and run by them TO = point near
Wide Water station. short distance from
the scene of the hold-up, where they aban-
doned is and sent il ahead. running Wild
Express Messenger Crutchiield thinks the
booty secured amounts to $4,000 or
more. De gave this account of the rob
berry:
But one robber offered to enter the car.
lie Was heavily built and dressed like
farmer. although he seemed to thoroughly
understand the express business lie had
q red handkerchief over the lower part OF
his face. When the train stopped opened
the door of my car. The robber iired as
me. and fired back and closed the door.
lie called out: Open the door l did
no. do IL. Open that door or III blow
tine whole car 10 pieces with dynamite. be
yelled. Then he threw stick OF dyna-
mite. Ii struck .be door and shattered IL
and the casing. The force of the expio-
sion knocked me Oft my feet l then
opened the door and one Of the robbers
came in and made me open the safe. he
took everything there was. One package,
which he must have thought con-
tanned only paper, for he threw it
into q box. contained 5000. Then
he said: Open that other safe. That Is
simply dead-head safe l said. The
he'll II IS, he said. Show me your way
n. T. u. - 81 -. 49, .<<H
he said: Keep your hands up. Show me
the paper and I'll get it, He locked at
the bill and was satisfied that 1t contained
nothing. which was true The man was
very cool all the time. He had seven OF
eight throlg express pouches. eacn con-
tanning packages of money, how much
cannot guess. The man cut a small slit in
each pouch. and took every package"
NEW YoRK. Oct. l3.-The train which
was held up LAST night on the Richmond.
Fredericksburg & Potomac railroad
reached the Pennsylvania depot, Jersey
City, at sos this morning with q badly
shattered express car. The Adams Ex-
press Company messengers reported that
all the safes had been rified. Ii is sup
posed the bandits obtained between
si5o. 900 and 500, 0o0 The heavy oak doors
of the car had been splintered by dyna-
mite; in addition, the marks of revolver
bullets were visible. Every pane of glass
in the windows of the car had been shat
tered by the explosion. and fragments of
glass were still scattered over the door Of
the car. Officials of the Adams Express
Company in charge OF the car at the depot
claimed that only six pouches and safes
had been ransacked.
Many of the passengers who witnessed
the hold-up left the train at Washington
City and Philadelphia, a few of them
completing the journey to New York.
The traiumen were. as usual, reticent
about discussing the affair, but Col. J. N.
Shackford. a newspaper man, who hap
pened TO be on board the train at the
time, discussed the incident freely, and
gave a graphic account of the manner in
which the robbers secured their plumber
and made their escape. Col. Shackford
was formerly an editor OF the Newark
Journal He is now connected with the
Times Enterprise, of Thomssville. Ga. He
told the following story:
About seven or eight miles the other
side OF Quantico station the train came to
a sudden stop. Quantico IS located on the
Potomac river. on the Virginia side. When
the train stopped the conductor, NJ. A.
the masked robbers, evidently the captain
OF the gang: Throw up your hands, or
We will blow your brains out From the
manner in which they arranged the sig
mails for stopping tho train. as well as the
manner in which they afterward made
the gang were experienced railroad
men. That they were desperate
was even more evident. and the
conductor and fireman lost no time
in obeying their instructions, and
wisely complied. There were at leas,
six or seven masked men. and I could
plainly distinguish them all in the clear
moonlight o: the early evening. In fact,
so near did they come TO me that in spite
OF their masks l am almost sure that l
could recognize some of them If ! could
see them again, from certain little pecu-
IiaTities OF dress or speech. When the
alarmed passengers crowded out of the
cars TO see what was the matter the rob-
bers fired perfect fusiiade of shots to
intimldate them. as we'll as to frighten the
railroad men. The robbers riiied the ex-
press car in short order. Some of the des-
psrados even went so far as TO converse in
a clever, daring fashion with the pas
sengers and trainmen. This made us all
the more indignant, but We could do moth
ing 10 help ourselves. All the passengers
we're COO! aud collected after the trst
lash of the excitement was
over. | Was told that they overlooked one
pouch in the car IN their hurry. / do not
know just how much they got away With.
but some OF the tTainmen thought IL must
amount 10 At least $3.50 600. or possibly
500 GO. The express messengers did the
best they consd 20 prevent the robbers
from getting into the car, but tie dyna-
mite and the reviewers Of the gang we're
enough 70 make any man weaken. Thew
threatened 10 kill the messengers on the
II TO he AZ. hA
messenger refused 10 yield 70 their de-
mands until tue captain Of the gang said:
'I'll give yea Just thirty seconds to get 10
work Then the man gave in."
The Adams Express Company is not
informed a. TO The amount OF money Sc
cured by the robbers. Mr.. l. c. Weir
president of the Adams Express Com
paay, said TO an Associated Press reporter
today that as the wsybills we're DESTROYED
they could not judge as yet the amount of
money lost IL vas probable that eli the
packages received al points south Of the
robbery we're gone. and is Viii take some
time TO ascertain the loss Detectives
Nj. be sent from New YORK. Philadslphia
and Washington City 20 gather elews.
Express Messenger +. r. CruscAfisld. who
came 10 the general OF e hers thls morn.
ing. left vita the detectives from New
YORK. IL is the belief Of Mr.. Weir that
helm them IN their Eork
RGcHMoSB. Va, Oct i3-Three roIiee-
men lsft here today tor tha scene of The
train robbery near Q1aaGleo. Twenty
thousand dollars was The amount sent
from this city hy the train. snd most % IL
wss IA bonds. Gov. o'Farrea has offered
Z