St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-19

Great Northern overland train No.
8, which pulled out of st. Paul last
night at 7:45 p. M, was held up by
gang of masked robbers, who are
thought to have boarded the train at
Elk River, and who were frustrated
in their effQrts by their own stupid
ity as we'll as the fact that the car
against which they directed their op-
erat:ons was equipped with a
through safe, and was in charge of a
quick witted messenger who denied
that he could give the robbers the
combination.
Shortly after the train was due to
leave st. Cloud a run1or reached St.
Paul that it had been held up, and
the Great Northern officials, with lit
tie loss of time, repaired to the gen.
eral offices, where they placed them
selves in communication with the
stations near the point along the
line.
1t was learned that half a dozen
men wearing
HANDKERCHIEF MASKS
had boarded the train 1t Elk River
at 10 o'clock, and that when the train
was going from Clear Lake to Haven
two men clambered over the tender
and ordered the engineer to stop the
train and the fireman to uncouple the
combination baggage and express car
from the balance of the train and
proceed on with it. The men were
armed, and displayed revolver and
rifle to back up their orders. The
engineer complied, and the engine
and single car proceeded in the di-
rection of ST. Cloud. When within
several miles of the city, however,
the engineer. was ordered to stop, but
before the robbers could make any
headway they were frightened away
and made good their escape.
When this news was received Gem
eral Manager Warren had decided to
forward a special having on board
detectives, etc. General Manager
Footner, of the Great Northern Ex-
press company, was promptly on the
scene, and issued orders to have the
local offices of the express COM
pany in st. Paul and Minneapolis
make on immediate report on the
amount of money packages and other
valuable matter was taken out on
the train.
1t was explained that on the train
there were two express cars, viz. ::
The Winnipeg car, which is fitted
with a through safe and placed next
the engine, and the through car,
which was Immediately behind it,
and which was not even entered by
the robbers.
Mr.. Footner said 1t would be i'm
possible without the records to say
how much money was shipped, but
that being Monday night, when busi-
ness was light, the amount was prob
ably not large. When the two rob-
bers left the engine and car the en-
gineer proceeded to ST. Cloud, where
posse of men was taken on board,
and the engine proceeded back to the
balance of the train. The passengers
were badly frightened by pistol shots,
which gave them their first intima-
ton that their train was being held
up, but they were not molested. The
conductor, G. H. Craveson, and a
special detective, who happened to
be on board,
EXCHANGED SHOTS WITH THE
ROBBERS,
but nobody was injured The train
was taken to st. Cloud, and pro-
ceeded on it's way west between two
and three hours late. --
A special train was made up in the
yards here and left st. Paul at an
early hour this morning with Chief
Of Detectives John o'Connor and half
6, dozen Of his detectives. The opin-
ion was freely expressed that the
work was that Of green hands. and