The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-10-20
DARING TRAIN ROBBERY
A Train on the Richmond, Freder-
icksburg and Potomac Railroad
Held Up" and the Express
Car Robbed of S192, 900.

A Train on the Richmond, Freder-
icksburg and Potomac Railroad
Held Up and the Express
Car Robbed of S182, 900.
most daring train robbery committed about
$50 o'clock last. Friday night on the Richmond,
Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad at Aqua
Creek in Virginia. about forty miles from Washing
ton The passengers were undisturbed, but the
express car was robbed of a considerable sum OF
money said to be about slS2,00O
PLACE OF THE ROBBERY.
The place for the robbery inteligently select
ed being in deep cut, with no houses in sight ana
field on one side of the road and forest on the other
1t is thirty-four miles south of Alexandra and con-
sequently forty-one miles from Washington IL is
an exceedingly wild part Of the country. The tram
left Richmond, Va, at O'Clock Friday night. Ils
known train IS, and il makes through connection
from ST. Augustine Fla The train LEFT Frederlcks-
burg AT two minutes OF O'Clock, ON time 1t is not
known at what point the robbers boarded the train
and the first intimation anybody had that trouble
was at hand was when the two men jumped from
the coal tender attached to the locomotive down
into the cab and, leveling revolvers at the aston
ished engineer and fireman, ordered them 10 stor
the train.
The engineer hesitated for instant. but whef
informed that he must stop the train be killed hi
closed the throttle and the train which had beer
running at about forty miles an hour, slowed up anc
| finally came to a complete standstill. The fireman
| and engineer were compelled to leave the engine
and sit quietly on the bank alongside the track
Then the bandits who were disguised by mask
| or by handkerchiefs tied over part of their faces
| went toward the Adams Express ear, which was IL
charge of Messenger J. c. Crutehield. At the uilus
ual stopping Of the train the messenger, who hat
| his car well filled with valuable packages beside
| two large safes opened the door. The sight OF 1
| man running up to him with red handkerchie
over the lower part of his face gave him an inklin
| that something wrong, and he closed the doc
| in n hurry and locked it, At the same time tn
| robber fired shot which went through the cardoo
II few inches from the floor. The robber shouted
| Open that door I'll blow the whole car to piece
with dynamite Then he threw II stick of dyna
mite at the door, smashing the lower part OF it an
breaking all the windows The messenger thei
| opeued the door one robber came in and mad
him open the safe He took everything There wa
one package which he must have thought containe
| only papers for he threw il into the box. II con
tanned 5000.
The robbery occupied about twenty minutes. Til
engineer and fireman sat on the bank on one side
the trtin during the whole robbery. and were NJ
tan feet from two three of the robbers ~ the
fires, shots into the air.
Conductor Birdsong who is one Of the oldest col
ducors on the road alone Of those in the rear eoaei
es showed fight. He passed through the tran askin
each passenger whether he had revolver an
finally succeeding in finding small one. Arme
with this he stationed himself at the end of the
dies. car He cautioned the passengers TO keep the
seats and remain quiet. He eoolly asserted that
would kill the first person who set foot on the pla
form.
All the passengers hid their yaluables, and man
| of them dropped down in the aisles and betwee
the seats.
When the robbers had taken all the money the
could find they uncoupled the engine, boarded i
opened the throttle and started away, Itissuppose
| that they rode to the Potomac river, where the
took II boat in waiting and escaped 10 Maryhn'
They left the engines throttle open and it wer
speeding along past Wide Water, where II train d
patcher telegnphed TO Quantico that something WI
wrong. As the yardmen at Quantico sigh
ed the engine they threw Il switch and twas turne
into the yard where crashed into train of freigi
ears and was wrecked. The ears were smashed
pieces. If the engine had not been switched OH
II side track It would have crashed into the Atlani
special, which was standing on the main traek
Quantico. The news was telegriphed to Washing
ton and an engine was sent from that city to brir
in the beated and engineless train, which had bee
standing helplessly where the robbers left II.
EXPIRES NEssESGERs ACCOUNT.
Express Messenger Crutchfeld gave this accom
| of the robbery but one robber entered the "a
He was of heavy built and dressed like Il flrme
although he seemed to thoroughly understand Il
express business He had a red handkerchief Ov
the lower part of his face. When the train WI
| stopped opened the door of my car. The robb
fired and shot at me. lodged back and closed Il
door. He called out: open that door" did N
| do it, Open that door, or IN blow the whole c.
| to pieces with dynamite.' Then he threw Il stick
dynamite II struck the door and shattered il al
the casing. The force knocked me of my feet
| then opened the door One robber came in al
made me open the slte. lie took everything. The
was one package which he must have thought co
tanned only papers for he threw il into the box.
contained 5000. Then he said Open that 9th
| safe
THAT is simply deadhead safe" | said.
THE b it is, he reared; show me your waybi
for it,
Il started To get the bill, and he said Keep yol
hands up. Show me the paper; I'll get it,
He looked at the bill and was satisfied that Il
second safe contained nothing, which was true.
''The man was very cool all the time. We hi
seven or eight through express pouches, each co
tanning packages of money; how much | cann
guess. The cut small slit in each pouch al
took every package. The number of robbers vi
from six to eight They boarded the train a draw
bridge at which there was stop, about two mil
from where the robbery occurred. Some ofthe pas
engers were of the opinion that they came aboard
Fredericksburg. When the train stopped | vi
asserting the money packages and arranging the