The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-01-19
Burlington Train Robbed Near
Ottumwa, la.
THE EXPRESS CAR LOOTED
Messengers and Baggagemen Are over
powered and Securely Bound
and Gagged.

Omaha Jan. ia special to the Bee
from Ottumwa, Iowa, says:
Highwaymen got in their work to-
night. 1t was one of the most daring
train robberies ever attempted. 1t was
executed on the Burlington passenger
train near this city tonight. No. is
the Burlington through passenger train
from Denver to Chicago and carries
large quantities of mail and baggage.
1t seems that two bold robbers knew
that the express would make valuable
haul and they planned to bag it, They
held up the train, but molested nothing
but the express car, though after they
had finished the job, they stood for 10
minutes and waited for the train to stop
long enough to have robbed the mail
cars or the passenger coaches.
The agent at Chillicothe a small vii
lage several miles west of here, says he
saw two men about the depot in the
afternoon and when No. 4 arrived at
$50 they were on the platform but dis
appeared while the train was standing
at the station. When the train began
to move out of the village, the two
messengers and baggagemen shut the
side doors to keep out the cold. Express
Messenger John Page stepped to the
end door at the front of the car to shut
the door and fasten it, when it opened
and two men sprang inside. They cried
Hold up your hands," one running to
the rear of the car to cover the assistant
baggageman, Ed Wright. The train
men, taken by surprise, threw up their
hands. The robbers compelled them to
I h. 10
kept them covered with two big pistols
while the other bound and gagged them.
He then turned his attention to the safe,
which he unlocked with the keys taken
from Pages pocket, stufing the con-
tents into a big sack which they had
with them. AT this juncture the mail
clerk came in, attracted by the noise,
and he Immediately received the bind
and gag treatment and was thrown in
a corner with the others.
After filing the sack the robbers
quietly waited until the train whistled
and Stacked speed for the Milwaukee
railroad crossing, showing by every ac-
| ton a perfect familiarity with the lay
Of the land and the habits of the train.
! When the train stopped, they both
| jumped to the door. sDrang out and
! started on a run across the Des MOines
! river bridge. By this time the baggage
man had worked himself loose from the
! thongs which bound him and he re-
! leased his companions just as the train
was pulling into the Ottumwa depot.
The alarm was given and an engine
with posse was sent out to Chillicothe.
Another posse was led by a Burlington
! detective, Jim Harrison, who recently
! had a desperate fight with bandits
at Batavia, in which one was killed.
This one started from Ottumwa, and the
search for the robbers is a hasty one.
1t is believed they escaped to an island
in the river, from where it is thought
that they crossed to the opposite side
woods, and from there rode to the aban-
dOned coal mines near Abba, where
there is no question that a gang of
''mOOnshiners" make their headquar-
tiers. 1t was the theory of the railroad
men that the two men belong to this
gang. The Adams Express officials in
this city disclaim any knowledge of the
amount taken, but it is believed to be
several thousand dollars. Local officials
at Late hour estimated the amount at
$4,000.
Omaha, Jan. 12.-Railroad officials
here claim that the train that was rob-
bed carried but little express matter Of
value.