Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-13
The Bold Robbery Near Quantioo
Last Night.
STORIES TOLD BY EYE WITNESSES
No Trace Yet of the Gang Of
Bandits.
A VIGOROUS PURSUIT MADE

A train robbery that will ever be memor-
able in the history OF daring crime was
committed last night about $50 O'Clock on
the Richmond. Fredericksburg and Potomac
railroad. thirty miles from this city, be-
tween Brooks station and Wide Water,
Va. The express leaving Richmond at Z
o'clock for the north and Fredericksburg
at two minutes OF was brought 20 a stop
by seven masked men. who. after intimidat-
ing the trainmen. attacked the Adams ex-
press car with dynamite, secured an en-
trance. forced the messenger in charge 20
open the money safe and took therefrom
and successfully made of with money TO
the amount OF many thousands Of dollars
The robbers then uncoupled the engine
from the train, and after riding on IL a con-
siderable distance got OF. let Il go ahead at
full speed. with throttle open. until IL was
demolished by running into a switch that
had been opened at Quantico. The details
Of the thrilling affair show that IL Was
planned with consummate skill. and carried
10 success with unsurpassed holiness. The
Dalton gang In the west never accomplish
ed more startling sensation. All the ac-
compartments of the approved hold up:
were had.
Threats OF murder were used TO intimidate
trainmen, express messengers and passengers
pistols were iourished and fired, and the
robbers decamped with their booty with
out hindrance. and were far away from the
scene OF their exploit before the startled
victims and spectators of their deed had
time to collect their senses.
The engineer Of the train Frank
Delloger; the firemar was a colored man.
Conductor Birdsong was in charge. and J.
Adams express ca.
stopped by Masked Men.
As the train was running about forty
miles an hour between Wide Water and
Brooks station, at a pcint twelve miles the
other side OF Quantico, the engineer was
astonished to see two masked men Jump
from the tender into the cab, with drawn
revolvtrs In their hapds. The weapons
were leveled at oeleger and his assistant,
and they were sternly ordered TO stop the
train on pain OF death. The command was
compiled with. The fireman and engineer
were then compelled to leave the engine
ana sit upon the embankment beside the
track, and while they were guarded others
OF the gang Of robbers of whom seven In
all were counted, proceeded TO the express
car. A demand was made upon the mes
senger inside to open the door. and when
ne refused stick Of dynamite thrown
against one of the side doors, shattering its
lower end and breaking the iron sill in half.
Riding the Express Car.
Messenger Crutchfeld thereupon opened
the car, and one heavily built man, dressed
like farmer and wearing a red handker-
chief as mask, entered and compelled
Crutchfield TO oren the safe. After remov-
Ing everything II contained, and throwing
aside package containing $1,000, which
ne evidently supposed to hold papers OF no
consequence, the robber demanded that the
other fafe In the car be also opened. Upon
being told by the messenger that Il was
simply 'deadhead" safe, he demanded
to see the way bill. thus showing his famil-
iartty with the customs of the express COM
pany His examination satisfied him of the
valueless condition Of the unopened safe
and he left the car with the money pack
ages In bundle. sAfter the robbery was
accomplished the perpetrators compelled
the hreman TO uncouple the engine.
Running Away with the Engine
The gang then boarded the engine and
ran II up the road toward Quantico. They
probably left IT at the conjunction OF the
railroad with the river, and then opened
the throttle and let Il bound ahead as the
telegraph operator at Wide Water saw an
engine pass at top speed few minutes be-
lore 10 o'clock and telegraphed a warning
10 Quantico that a runaway engine was go
ing in that direction. The authorities at
Quantico opened a switch leading TO a sid
ing upon which were a number of freight
cars. The locomotive entered this switch
running at a rate estimated at sixty miles
an hour, and crashed into the freight cars,
demoiishing them and itself.
Description Of the Locality.
The place where the train was stopped
is In a deep cut near Brooks station, after
emerging from which the road runs paral-
lei with and near to the river. and almost
on level with the beach. 1t Is probable
that the robbers had a boat awaiting them
at q point along the shore in this vicinity,
as IL would have taken them scarcely a
minute TO get from the track 10 the waters
edge. For quite distance along this
smooth stretch OF shore there are no habi-
tations OF a permanent character, and only
during the fishing season is it temporarily
occupied by fishermen. The Potomac there
is about two miles wide.