Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-07-03
TRIED A NEW PLAN.
Railway Brigands Stop a Train
by a New Method.
DYNAMITE ToD1sABLE THE ENGINE

Gives the Signal to Stop Instead Of Lam
tern-Tricked by the Express Messenger
the Bandits go Through" the Train
systematically, RobbiDg Everybody Er-
cept Ladies-Bridal Couple Badly Scared
-Traa. Grow Forced to Help Rob.
RosEBURG, Ore, July 3-The Southern
Pacific north-bound overland train was
held up about 10 o'clock at night, at the
north end Of the canon just south of
Riddle station. Robbers had placed
dynamite on the track, which exploded
and raised the engine up and broke tho
flanges on on the forward truck, bringing
the train to standstill. Conductor T.
j. kearney, who was in charge of the
train, ran out, but was met by one of
the bandits who fired OF him with his
pistol, the bullet grazing his head. The
bandit then ordered the conductor to get
inside and stay there, an order that the
conductor was not slow in obeying. hid.
ing himself in a Pullman closet from
where he saw one man patroling the bank
which overlooked the train. Another
bandit made Engineer Waite and Fire.
express car and order it opened.
Made the Train Crew DO the Work.
Expressman Donohuo had taken out
his way treasure at the first alarm and
re.locked his box. Then he re.opened it
ut the order of the robbers. The robbers
then ordered the engineer, fireman and
express messenger to enter the mail car.
nj oil bo
registered mail pouches, which the rob-
bers ordered the men to cut open. He
then ordered the railroad employees to go
to the passenger coaches and assist him
in relieving the passengers of their val
tables. They passed all who had the up.
peRrance of workingmen, but made the
others hold up their hands while they
went through their pockets, q robber
standing over them with a pistol. The
sheriff of klamath county was on board
with prisoner. The robbers appropriate
ed the sheriff's pistol. None of the ladies
in tho car We're mo!ested. During the
time of the hold-up, which was one hour
and forty-five minutes, the robbers out
side kept firing sticks OF dynamite to III
timidate the passengers.
Gave tho Bridal Couple n Shock.
A bridal couple were the first passen.
gers held up All their money was
taken and both sat with their hands up
for an hour after the robber had left the
car K. E. Smith, special agent of the
Phoenix (of Hartford) Insurance com.
pany, with two friends, was in the Pull
man smoking-room when they heard the
first bomb. They looked out of The win.
dow and were told by the robbers with
many oaths to pull their heads inside,
whereupon they piled over each other to
get away from the shots. They told the
Pullman conductor that the train was
held up, and soon afterward ran to their
berths and rolled in. After long sus.
pense the robber, with the engineer, fire.
man, expires sman, porter and a tramp
came along a nj told them to 'dig up"
The robbar asked the porter at every
berth: Lady or gept?" Lower berths
only wero inspected, and ladies not dis.
turbc1-
Student Had to "Dig Up"
A Berkeley student, sound asleep in the
Pullman, knew nothing OF the hold.up I'M
til he was punched in the ribs with a pistol
and told to dig up" as the robber did
not want to spoil the bed linen. He gave
up everything, including n gold watch.
Tho robber laughed and talked with the
passengers while taking their valuables.
1t is estimated that the robbers secured
from $1,000 to $4,000 all together One
passenger in the Pullman gave up SiOO
others contributed amounts ranging from
s. to $50. AS soon as the cause of the
stoppage Of the train was known the pas.
sengers began hiding money and valua.
bles, throwing them under seats, into
hat racks. and stuffing in boots and
shoes, many afterwards digging it up at
the robbers demand
Description Of the Boss Brigand.
After the chief robber had secured his |
booty he ordered the engineer to proceed |
north. He then shot out the headlight |
and fired five additional shots, which was |
4 signal to his companions, and disap-
peared in the darkness. +. Plotncr, |
Western Union lincman, had $50 or $50 |
in his pocket, but he talked the robber |
out of searching him. He describes the !
robber as a slender man about six feet |
tall. He wore white silk handkerchief |
rs 4 mask, blue bib overalls and jump
er. He had large bag slung over his |
shoulder and carried common grain !
sack in his hand. His hands were rough |
md cracked; he had n deep. coarse voice
which could be easily recogniz cd il heard
lQain.