The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-01-17
DARING ROBBERY.
TWO MEN HOLD UP A BURLINc
TON TRAIN.
One Covers the Express Messenger, His
Assistant and the Baggagemaster
With Pistols, the Other Binds
and Gags Them-Booty $4,000.

Omaha, Neh., Jan. ia special to
The Bee from Ottumwa, Ia, says: High
waymen got in their work here tonight.
1t was one of the most daring train rob-
berries ever attempted. 1t was execu-
ted on the Burlington passenger train No.
4, near this city. No. is the Burlington
passenger train from Denver and carries
large quantity of mails and baggage.
1t was not known that the train carried
a more valuable cargo of mail or express
tonight than usual, or if it was, it was
kept quiet, but it seems the bold robbers
knew that the expresses would make a
valuable haul and they planned to bag
it. They held up the train, but molestetf
nothing but the express car, though after
they had finished this job they stood for
10 minutes and waited long enough to
have robbed mail cars or the passengers.
The agent at Chiliicotha, small vii
lage seven miles west of here, says he
| saw two men about the deDot in the af-
| terDon, and when No. arrived at $50
they were not on the platform but they
| appeared while the train was standing
| at the station. When the string of cars be-
| gan to move out of the station the two
| express messengers and baggage men shut
| the side doors of the cars for the wind
| was blowing strong.
| Express Messenger John Page stepped
| to the end door at the front of the car,
which, though usually locked, was left
unlocked by some one passing through it.
He went to lock it and was just step
ping to do it when the door opened and
two men sprang inside, crying: Hold up
your hands," One ran to the car of the
assistant Hawk, and Baggageman Id
| ward Wright. The train men, taken by
surprise, threw up their hands. The lob
bers compelled them to 'bunch" i'll cor
ner of the car and one kept them cover
ed with two pistols while the other bound
and gagged them. He then turned his at,
| tention to the safe, which he unlocSed
with the keys from Pages pocket, stuff
ing the contents into big sack they had
| with them. At this iuncture the mail
| clerk came in, attracted Dy the NOISE,
! and he Immediately received the gag treat
ment and was thrown into the corner with
! the others. After filling the sacks the rob
bers quietly waited until the Tram SLACK
| ened for the Milwaukee crossing mile
west of town, showing by every a"ticn
a perfect familiarity with the lay of the
land and the habits of the train. When
the train stopped for the crossing they
both Jumped to the door, sprang out and
| started on a run across the frozen Des
Moines river.
BY this time the baggageman mad
| worked himself loose from the thongs
which bound him and he released his com
panions just as the train was pulling into
Ottumwa depot. The alarm was given
and an engine with II posse sent out to
| Chllicothe where no night agent is re-
tanned by the company. Another posse,
led by the Burlington detective, Jim Har-
rington, who recently had desperate
| fight with the bandits at Batavia, in which
one was killed. The express officials in
this city disclaim any knowledge of the
amount taken, but it is said to be several
| thousand dollars.
The express officials in this city who pre-
pared the money packages on the train
held up, declare that little of value was
carried off. Most of the valuable express
matter goes through on the night express
from Omaha. They said the loss would he
very small.
Later-Local officials at late hour es,f
innate the amount taken ats $500. 1t
has been a habit of banks in Stall towns
to send money to Chicago on Saturday
and it is believed the amount is much
! larger.