Omaha daily bee., 1895-08-22
TOLD ny THE TRAINMEN.
Robbers Carried u Most Liberal Sups
ply of Winchester Rifles.

~ "
The Atlantic express on the Union Pa
ciGc, which was held up by express robbers
near Brady Island early yesterday morning,
pulled into Omaha at 1885 yesterday afternoon.
two hours and ten minutes late. If the
news of the occurrence had not preceded it,
the appearance of the express car vas sufn-
cient to indicate that something unusual had
occurred. The dynamite explosion had blown
all the windows from the car and through
the openings could be seen the shattered in
terror. The floor was still Uttered with bits
of glass and splinters and the safes, trunks
and other articles all bore evidence Of the
tremendous force of the explosive.
The remains of a sure enough train rob-
berry were scattered all over the car. The
big safe at one side, on which the dynamite
had been piled. looked as though 1t had been
through a fire. The top was cracked in sew
eral directions and one big rent near tho
center indicated the spot where the explosive
had been placed. The steel bars on the cor
ners were broken and bent, but the door was
still unopened and the jagged rent in the top
was not sufficient to afford access to the
interior.
In the center Of the car lay a trunk that
| had evidently been laid over the dynamite
! on the safe by the robbers. 1t was splintered
into kindl!ng wood and the contsnts were
piled up in a little heap with the rel1ins Of
the receptacle. Trunks were stacked I'D be-
tween the safe and the rear docr of tie car
and these all bore evidence Of rough usage,
On the side next to the safe they were coasid-
erably splintered and holes had lCen cut
through two Of them by flying debts. The
interior framework Of the car did not escape
and long s~plinters that had been partially de.
tached by the explosion hung from the roof.
Numerous dents showed where pc es Of the
shattered safe had struck.
EYprpSS Messenger Thomas McH,rI ura
engaged in making up his report and id not
seem perceptlbly ratified by his sensational
experience. According to his statement the
robbers did not get over 800 for their trouble.
They had sacked the way safe. but had failed
to get inside Of the large safe. whlsh bore
the traces Of the explosion. As all money!
was taken from the way safe at j~ulction
points and deposited in the through SAT-, there
was comparatively only a small am unit to
reward the cracksmen. .
Mr.. McCaTl said that the first he knev
of the contemplated robbery was when the
train stopped and the engineer raped on
the north door. He did not answer at 6rstl
but when the engineer called 10 aim 10
open the door he did so. He was then con-
fronted by the muzzle Of a gun and walked
out Of the car and away to one side, while
tho robbers did the work.
Conductor Flynn was near the rear OF the
train when 1t stopped. He says that this
was at exactly FIVE minutes after l o'clock.
- - o. ~ " " nat Nd5
the matter, but had not gone far when one
Of the robbers leveled a Winchester in his
face and invited him to remain where he
was or take a dose Of lead. He preferred
the former course under the circumstances
and remained with the passengers until the
thieves had completed their work and left,
The whole affair occupied thirty minutes.
The engineer and fremen who we're IN
charge OF the engine left the train at Grand
Island. Conductor Flynn said that the rob-
bers had undoubtedly boarded the train al
Bray Island. They lay low until the
train reached the second curve I'm the sand
hills, when they climbed over the tender and
leyeled their r%eyolyers at the engineer and
fireman and compelled them to stop the train,
Then they ordered the engineer to cut the
train behind the express car, but he pre-
tended that he could not undo the coupling
and this was abandoned. Then they tooA
him 10 the north door OF the express car and
ordered him 10 call 10 the express messenger
TO open the door, The engineer told the
! messenger that the robbers carried Win
chesteTs and would blow the top OF his head
of unless the door were opened.
Conductor Flynn thinks that the escape 4