The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-12-10
BANDITS IN ST. LOUIS.
An Express Train Held Up Within
y. the City Limits.
THE ROBBERS SECURED NO BOOTY.
The Work Done by Six Masked Men, Who
Quickly Disappeared After Their Unsuo-
cessfuI Effort, Leaving No Glow to Their
Identity.

Quickly Disappeared After Their Unsuc-
cessfuI Effort, Leaving No Glow to Their
Identity.
ST. LOUIS, Dec 10-The Iron Mountain
fast express train, out going, was held up
one mile from the Union station, within
the city limits last night at 930 by six
masked men. The express safe could not
be opened, and the bandits fed without
booty.
Ono OF the men stood in the center Of
tho track and waved q red lantern, signi-
flying that danger was ahead. The ell
gineer stopped the train, and no sooner
had he done so than two masked men
jumped on the engine cab, and presenting
revolvers told him to hold the engine still
on pain of death. Two of the other rob-
bers made for the express oar, while the
remaining two stood guard outside.
The two robbers who went TO the OK
press car demanded admittance, but Tx
press Messenger w. J. Egan refused to
let them In. They threatened to kill him
II he did not, and this threat failing they
placed stick of dynamite at the car door
and blew 1t to pieces, badly shatterlng
one side Of the car Fortunately it was a
through car, and the money was in a
time locked safe. Finding their efforts
} useless to blow open the safe, the robbers
jumped from the car and notified their
companions on tho engine that they had
failed to secure anything. Conductor
William Hall came forward to learn what
had occurred. He was met by one of the
thieves, who, pointing q revolver at his
head, ordered him to go to the rear of the
train. The robbers then left, aud Engineer
William Green started on.
As the train pulled away Express Mes
senger Egan came to the shattered door Of
his car intending to shoot at the marau-
ilers. No sooner did they see him, how
over, than they opened fire and he fled be-
hind pile of boxes. The noise of the
shooting attracted the clerks in the mail
car, and they opened the doors and a per.
feet fusillade followed.
The place where the robbery occurred
was at Bates street crossing. There is
deep cut there and the noise of tho explod-
ing dynamite was smothered by the cliffs
at each side of the track.
The passengers on tho train were in no
way disturbed, and 1t was haitian hour be-
fore any of them realized what had hap
pened.
In less than fifteen minutes tho whole
thing was over, and the conductor hasteHed
to the nearest telephone and notified the
police. AS soon as the matter was re-
ported every detective on hand was called
into service and sent out on the case The
conductor tolephoned in n description of
the men as near as he could, but owing to
the fact that they oil woro masks 1t was
but meagor.
Word was sent to every police officer on
duty in the city to bo on the lookout for
suspicious characters. Officers off duty
wero called in and sent out to search every
tough resort in the city, whero Thieves are
known to hang out
The robbers had planned well the job,
for within two minutes they had disap-
Feared from view and were lost In the
crowds of the city. For boldness, the rob-
bsry has no equal in the annals of train
hpldups In Missouri. II is believed by tho
police, that the three men who recently
entered the office Of the Homo Brewing
company In broad daylight, bound md
gagged the employees and got away with
$1,000 were the leaders in this job.