Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-01-19
MIDNIGHT H0LD-UP
MISSOURI BANDITS MAKE ANOTHER BOLD
RAID.
Five Masked Men Stop a Train and Loot The
Express Car-Tho Engineer aad Fireman
Compelled 10 Ass.s. the Robbers.

ST. JosEPH. Mo-, January ls.-This
vicinity was tho scene OF another train
robbery. shortly after midnight, when
hVe masked men held up train No. on
the Kansas City. st. Joseph and Council
Buns road. The entire contents OF the
safe IN the express car was secured BY
tho robbers. Tho bandits arc supposed
to be the same gang that held up and
robbed the Chicago fast train, the
ELL on tho Hannibal, week ago.
The train left the Francis street de-
pot at 1880 o'clock. When the train
reached Boy's branch a torpedo ex-
ploded under tho wheels OF the engine
and n RED lantern was swung across the
track. The engineer put on tho air
brakes. Shortly after "A man came run
Ming out OF the brush and, covering the
engineer and fireman with revolver,
shouted: Throw up your hands"
Then he ordered Engineer Davis and
Fireman Baxter 70 get down from the
cab, and they readily compiled. -Four
other men came running from the rear
OF the train, all the time firing their re-
yolvers.
The five robbers then marched the
engineer aud fremen back 10 the OK
press car, and one OF the gang pounded
on the door ~ the car aud told tho mes
senger 20 open il. This was done As
soon as the messenger showed his head
he was covered with revolvers and told
to stand back from the door. Then
three OF the robbers forced the enginear
and iiremen In ahead OF them and en-
tered the car. Inside OF the car, be-
sides the express messenger, was the
baggageman. All OF tho men were or
dercd TO stand against tho wall with
their hands above their heads.
Meantime the robbers In the car were
busy with the packages la the safe. A
short man, who was dressed in dark
clothes, took all the packages from the
safe and dropped them into a sack
which he carried. The third man,
whose description could not be given by
the trainmen, was well armed. lie had
two revolvers strapped at his side and
carried n shotgun ia his hands. When
the safe had been emptied Of its con
tents the trainmen were compelled To
leave the car and the robbers followed
them.
While the lootng Of the express car
was going on the remaining two robbers
were en- the east side OF the track, occa-
sionally firing their reyOlvers 10 pre-
vent the passengers from interfering
with their work. All of the occupants
OF the coaches had been aroused by the
shooting, and began 90 hide their valu-
abies, expecting that the coaches would
be entered, and some Of the people
crawled down between the seats and
lay fiat on the floor.
When the traiumen had been stood
up in a line about midway OF the train
on the west side the robbers called to
tho men on the east side OF the train.
and they climbed over the platform and
joined them. Then they walked away
westward, going out Of sight in tho
willows few feet from the
right OF way The train backed
down TO the Francis street depot
and did not go out again for more than
an hour. The news of the robbery
spread rapidly through tho city, and
the sheriff and large posse of police
were on the spot in less than an hour
after the robbery occurred
NO estimate OF the amount secured by
the robbers can be obtained yet.