The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-10-15
THE VIRGINIA BANDITS.
The Train Robbery Evidently the
Work Of Professionals,
ALL THE DETECTIVES PUZZLED.

No Ciew 60 the Whereabouts Of the Bold
Gang, Whom II Is Now Believed rs
capped with FuiIy a Hundred and Fifty
Thousand Dollars.
WASHINGTON, oct. 15.-Not the shadow
Of tangible clue to the identity Of the
men who accomplished the remarkable
feat Of train brigandage in Virginia, Fri
day night, has yet come TO light
The little town of Quantico, which CON
sists of half a dozen houses almost isolated
from civilization is soverrun with detectives
from New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore
and Washington. There are almost as
many theories afoat as there are detectives
but the only points on which the theories
are practically harmonious are that the
robbery was carefully planned work, ex-
ecutcd by experienced professionals, and
that the men are probably far distant from
their field of operations before this time.
Most parties agree that boat played a
part in the escape, but no strange crafts
were seen on the Potomac that night so far
as can be learned.
The theory that the men crossed to Mary
land shore is being weakened on second
thought by the fact that there were no
trains by which they could have escaped
within reasonable reach at night Every
rod Of ground between the river and the
scone Of the robbery has been threshed
over, with the result that the remains Of a
camp fire, with a bag bearing the label of
a Washington bakery, was discovered in
the woods
The Washington police boat dropped
down the Potomac yesterday, with Inspec-
tor Hollingborger and two detectives on
board At the mouth of Aqua creek the
detectives were put ashore and made a
thorough exploration of both banks Of the
Potomac for long distance. They re-
turned last evening, but refused to make
any statement as to whether their efforts
resulted in any clew.
Major Moore the chief of police, says that
two of his detectives left the city on a clew
which they hope will yield results, although
he is not particularly sanguine of success
and believes that the guilty parties are far
away. A man arrested on suspicion Sat
urday night was merely arraigned in the
police court today on a charge of vagranCy
as no evidence lies against him, and he evil
IDENTIFY has not the intellect of a train rob
Der.
Whilethe jurisdiction Of the Washing
ton officers is bounded by the ten miles
square of the District of Columbia, they
would not hesitate to make arrests if they
found the men outside of the city. Their
only duty in the case, however, is to find
whether the robbery was planned here or
whether any one is in hiding in the dis
trict. Their professional pride is aroused,
however, so they are looking into outside
territory.
The rewards offered for the apprehen-
sion of the bandits $1,000 by Governor
O'Ferrau and 81 900 by the railroad com
panyJ are considered small, in view of the
Importance of tie case and the amount of
money said to have been taken. They are
but fraction of the rewards held out for
the discovery of the robbers who held up a
California train Thursday and made away
with II much smaller sum than that seized
by the Virginia gang.
The express officials are very reticent as
to the amount taken, but it is generally
believed that it viii reach fully Sl5OOOO.
Late developments tend TO show that
several Of the robbers were men of ex-
pericnce in the railroad business. Seven
men composed the gang. After the engine
was uncouplpd it was boarded by the
robbers, and run by them until near Wide
Water station short distance from the
scene of the hold up, where they abandoned
it and sent it ahead running wild.
Express Messenger Crutchfeld gave this
| account of the robbery: "But one robber en-
! tered the car. He was of heavy build and
! dressed like a farmer, although he seemed
! to thoroughly understand the express bust
ness. He had "a red handkerchief over the
! lower part of his face When the train was
! stopped / opened the door of my car. The
robber fired at me l lodged back and
/ closed the door. He called, open that
| door, l did not do it. Open that door OF
| I'll blow the whole car to pieces with dy'
namite Then he threw a stick of dyna
| mite 1t struck the door and shattered i;
and the casing The force knocked me
! down.
| "Thcn the man entered There was one
! package which he must have thought con
tanned only papers, for he threw it into tn,
box 1t contained 5000. Then he said
Open that other safe.
4" That is simply deadhead safe,
said
"'The hit is, he roafed, show m,
your way bill for it'
81 started to get the bill and he said
| Keep your hands up. Show me the paper
III get it, He looked at the bill and wa
/ satisfied that the second safe containet
nothing which was true We had sever
OF eight through express pouches, each con
tanning packages of money. The man Gu
a small slit in each pouch and took ever.
package"
The Adams Express company has takel
steps for vigorous pursuit of the gang
George w Moss, the local agent has gon
to Quantco whore he will direct the worl
of detectives who win endeavor to run