The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1895-08-29
ROLD Raj ROBBERS.
uOL DUP ON THE CHICAGO AND
WEST MICHIGAN.
rrain Was Running Light and the
Villains We're Badly Fooled--Got
81. so and Two Watches-Passengers
Hadiy Scared but Not Molested.
Bandits Near New Richmond.

Five uttDt l DuLuito W u LIZ
express car on the Chicago and West
Michigan passenger train. due at Grand
Rapids from Chicago at 1880 p. m, near
New Richmond. Tuesday night. The rob-
berl secured only two watches and $50
in money. but their intentions were good.
The Allegan County officers were noti-
fed. and with daybreak the woods in the
vicinity of the hold-up were thoroughly
secured. and liberal rewards offered for
the apprehension Of the robbers. Not only
the Allegan County, but also the sheriffs
of Ottawa. Van Buren,. Kent, and Kala-
mazoo Counties have been notified, and
the officers say that, unless the robbers
have a BOAT and escaped across Lake
Michigan. they will be caught. The train
was bowling along at a rapid rate. When
rounding a curve at Il place in the road
that is lined with forest growth En-
yineer Debb!e caught the CLEAN of a
white light waved across the track. He
SAW by the reelection that the track was
obstructed and brought the train TO a
stop.
As the train was stopped a volley was
fired into the cab, one shot narrowly miss
ing the fireman, and the two men were
ordered to come down. They refused to
comply with the demand, and the robbers,
only two of them in sight. did not insist
upon it. The rear brakeman. Timothy
Murphy. jumped off the train md ran
back to flag any train that might be fol-
lowing. The robbers sa him jump and
fired at him. intiicting IL flesh wound in
the nigh. Conductor +. T.. Rice stepped
out upon the platform to inquire what
was the matter and was fired upon. but
not touched. The passengers were not
molcstcd. but We're dreadfully afraid they
would be. Women were in Mysteries.
The men locked for places to hide their
yaluahles. Even if the robbers had de-
,ided to work the train they would not
nave found much without a careful
search. The passengers were mostly tour
lists bound for the northern resorts. James
Cannon. of Rock Island. and Herman
Pew. of Chicago. were on board, and they
gave vivid descriptions Of the wild scram-
Bile for places to hide valuabies.
Conductor Rice thinks the robbers were
amateurs. as they were no disguised nor
masked and made no effort at conceal
ment. The leader was Il middle-aged
man about FIVE feet six inches. with a
full beard. The other three were younger.
and all We're roughly dressed.
Brakeman Murphy was taken to Grand
Rapids and had his wounds dressed. He
~ not seriously hurt. The passengers
We're in a desperate panic. The women
crawlcd in behind seat backs and the
men got in as inaccessible places as they
could. The brakeman hastily returned to
the coaches and locked the door after him.
With the decks clear for action, the rob-
bprg fprpnI fhpir NtInpti,n ia tho ha r.
gage and express car.
Dynamite Ia Csed.
The firing had alarmed Raggageman
'. y. Nannetta and he had locked his
door against the intruders. The robbers
ordered him TO open up. He refused.
Then they applied a stick of dynamite
10 the side door and blnw the bottom of
the ear open. Mr.. Fannetta concluded
that he had lone all thai yalor demanded
aud opened the door. The robbers inn
mediate!y demanded the key to the strong
box. and when Mr.. VaInetta declared he
did not have il they used up another dyna-
mite cartridge and burst it open. The
strong box was empty and did not even
contain accent. The train did not carry
any express.
TIL robbers left the car in disgust and
held a heated argument whether or not
TO go through the passengers. They final
iy concluded not to do SO. Conductor Rice
representing that the passengers were
mostly poor people who could not afford
TO lose what little money they had. The
robbers relieved Mr.. Rice of what small
change he had. about $3.50, missing the
well-lined pocxet-book which Rice had
thrown into the wood box. They also re-
lieved the fireman and engineer of their
watches and then with a pleasant fare
we'll to the conductor they gave him per-
mission to move on and disappeared in
the woods.
This train is patronized every day by
wealthy citizens of Grand Rapids and
Northern and Western Michigan, whose
business calls them frequently to Chi
cago.
The express messenger went out with u
"teint" car in the afternoon and was re-
turning on a dead" trip. There were
'orty-two passengers. To make sure of Il
matt ties had been piled on the track half
A length ahead Of where the engine
stopped. The baggage car was not dis
abled and the train proceeded, arriving at
Grand Rapids half an hour late.
Albert Antisdell. Of Chicago, superin-
tendent of the American Express Com
Iany, said his company had lost nothing
ny the hold-up. 1--WE had no messenger
IN the train" said he. Our night Mes
SenSer went out on the train that leaves
AT 1l:45."
vii! you send any detectives to the
scene of the robbery?'
Yes. We'll send some men over to help
the officers in pursuit of the robbers"
The train was composed of an engine,
baggage car, two passenger coaches, and
a parlor car.
The dining-room of the Howell House
~ Quogue. L. l., was the scene of a lively
flNNA InnnilAa, Lib L. - $780,