Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-04-02
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY
"Priseo Fast Express" Held Up Near
RichIand, Missouri.
ONE OF THE BANDITS A Bov.
They Garry OF the Contents of
the Through Safe, Which May
Amount to O,OOo-Posse in
Active Pursuit.
Active Pursuit.

ST. LOUIS, April 1.-The "'F'risco Fast
Express" from the West, which left
Lebanon, 1s2 miles west Of st. Louis. a
little before 1 o'clock this morning, was
held up by three masked men near Rich
land, twenty-five miles east OF Lebanon.
about o'clock this morning. When the
train was near Richland the engineer SAY
a red light down the track. He reversed
the lever applied the dir-brakes, and
stopped the train. The engineer and the
fireman poked their heads out OF the cab
windows 10 see what the trouble was.
That instant there was a fash, and
outlet whizzed past the engineers head
and buried itself in the woodwork. A man
sprang into the cab, with Winchester
rife. and commanded engineer and fire.
man to hold up their hands. Then he
compelled tto engineer to get down and
nelp the robbers get into the sxpress-car.
They made the engineer mount the plat
form, and, with Winohesters prodding him
behind, call loudly to the messenger to
open his car.
Not until several volleys had been pour
ed into the car did the messenger unbolt
his door and admit the robbers. The mes
senger declared that everything in the
car worth taking was securely locked IN
a through safe, to which he did not pos
sess the combination. The robbers pro-
duced from bag package of dynamite,
and went to work TO blow the safe open.
They worked nearly an hour, firing sheir
guns all the time outside the train to in
timidate the passengers and trainmen.
The messenger was badly hurt by being
struck on the head with the butt end OF
a gun.
At last the safe was opened. the booty
secured, and the robbers mounted horses
and galloped off I'm the darkness. A posse
left Lebanon early this morning in pur-
suit The express officials claim not TO
know how much the robbers got, but one
OF the passengers says he heard the mes
senger say there was over $4,000 in the
safe
one OF the three robbers was a youth
of IL. who stood guard over the train
men while the others did the work. The
loss may be any amount from $4,000 TO
100000. All the way-bills were destroyed.
In their haste the robbers dropped one
package Of $l,700.
After some time. consumed In drilling
the safe. the first charge was exploded.
creating faint shock. bn q few minutes
a second and heavier shock did the work.
The bandits cut the engine loose and
started down the track Engineer Price
offered to go with them to take care Of
the engine. but they said they did not
need him, as they knew something about
engines. An eighth OF mile east Of
the train they left the engine, and mount
ed their horses, which had been picketed
near by.
Good descriptions are given Of the
"a Il ha try Ia
aroused and pursuit is active. it is
thought they cannot escape. The st.
Louis agency OF the Welis-Fargo Express
Company refuse information as to the
amount of money in the through safe.
POSSE IN PURSUIT.
LEBANON, MO, April IAN hour after
the robbery was reported here a posse
made up OF 100 citizens started In pur-
suit Of the robbers. This afternoon a
member of the posse returned. lie says
they found In the woods west OF where
the robbery took place two checks, one
for AGO and one for SIS. and also an
envelope containing s. bill. Hence ii Is
supposed that the cutting loose OF the
engine was merely a blind, and that the
robbers Jumped off within a few hundred
yards. and took horses and came west,
across the country At least, this Is the
theory the officers are proceeding on.
Wells. Fargo Il Co have issued a circu-
lar Offering 500 reward for the arrest of
the bandits