Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1895-01-19
THIEVES MAKE A HAUL.
Two Masked Bandits Rob Train
Near Ottumwa, Ia.
They Gain Entrance to tho Express Car
and After Binding the Occupants Sue
coed in Escaping with
Big Sum.

OTTuArwA, H., Jan. 14.-Probably
the most daring train robbery ever
committed in Iowa was perpetrated
early Saturday evening, almost under
the very eyes Of the authorities here.
1t was one of the most consummate in
boldness and successful execution in
tkN annals of train robbery. No.
mail express train on the
Chicago, Burlington Sc Quincy road,
was the train selected, and the
Adams Express company is the loser of
a good sum of money, the exact amount
of which cannot be definitely ascer-
tained. 1t is thought, however, to be
more than $4,000. No. is the Bur-
lington through train from Denver
TO Chicago. Its express business is
largely local, but many times it car
ries large sums of money. If this train
was rich in big amounts no one knew
1t, but the daring highwaymen evident
ly suspected so and almost in broad
daylight relieved the messenger of all
the packages in the safe that looked
like money.
When the train left Chillicothe Mes
senger John S. Page was sitting near
the safe and his assistant was chatting
carelessly with Baggageman Ed
Wright. Suddenly the front door of
the express car, which is usually locked,
was thrown open and two masked
men, each with two revolvers, called
on the men to throw up their hands.
While one man covered the trainmen
the other quickly bound and gagged
them and threw them in one corner.
Then they coolly rified the safe, placed
the contents in big sack and waited
ten minutes for the train to whistle for
the stop at the junction.
While waiting Postal Clerk John
Umphreys came in from the mail car
and was treated like the rest of his
fellows. When the train slackened its
speed at the junction the robbers
jumped off with their booty, crossing
the Des Moines river on the ice to the
island, which has been the rendezvous
of highwaymen and tough characters
from time immemorial.
The mail clerk released the express
messenger from his thongs, and when
the train pulled into the station at OF
tumwa he had unloosed all his COM
rades and the word was given quickly
to the sheriff and police. Sheriff Stcdg-
bill, Chief of Police Vanderveer and
one posse started out on an engine for
Chillicothe. Detective Jim Harrison,
who shot the bandit at Batavia two
weeks ago, headed another posse to
trail the robbers if possible to their
hiding place. Tne robbers wore no
hats, but hoods with masks seemingly
attached. Both had brown overeoats
and one wore gray jeans trousers, while
the other had encased his legs in over
alls.
1t is the belief of the railroad men
that they belong to gang of moon
sinners, counterfeiters and desperadoes
generally who inhabit some of the
abandoned mines in the eastern edge
of Monroe county and that they were
met on the other side of the river by
their pals who had horses in waiting
and they easily escaped. Local ex-
press officials estimated the amount
taken at $4,000. But on account of its
being the habit of banks in small towns
to send money to Chicago on Saturday
night it is believed that the amount is
much larger.
Two of the express packages stolen
from the train were found Sunday by
couple of young men near small
island, just above the dam. One was
from Abba to Chicago and contained
SIPS, and the other from Osceola tc
same destination contained S1.25 The
seals of both were unbrolSen. This cor
roborates the theory that the robbers
crossed the river and escaped in the
wild country beyond. There is NJ
other clew.