The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-12-24

Fryer, pinned him to the floor and
took the keys of the small safe away
from him He was then chucked up
into a corner and with two guns held
at his head told to stay there. The
third man then took the keys. opened
the small safe, and took from it a mum
Der of packages of money, and after the
robbers had secured the contents of
the small safe they again attempted to
open the large one. A small hole about
one-eighth of an inch was bored in the
large safe, and two sticks Of dynamite
used
Fryer again talked to the men, and
told them they were wasting time; that
there was no money in the large safe
At this they desisted from their at
tempt to open it and prepared to leave.
Before they went away one of the men
walked over to Fryer, and taking a 81
bin from his pocket. said:
Here, help yourself to a Christmas
present. We have made good haul. -
1t was the 81 he had taken from the
conductor.
It is now known that large amount
was secured.
They then started to leave the car.
but before doing so, turned to Fryer
who by that time was greatly excited
and told him that they had used him
fair, and that he ought to give them
something out of his salary Fryer
said he did not have any money on his
person, but they did not believe him
and made a search of his clothing Two
and the third one pushed Fryer through
the open door and down to the side Of
the track. They then compelled him to
climb up on the front end of the car
and set the brake After the brake had
been set the robbers drove Fryer back
into his car, and closed the door, telling
him at the same time to remain there
on peril of his life. He was badly
frightened. AS soon as the express
messenger had been driven into the car
the robbers boarded the engine and
% "a h hfrrt~ ~ r-.Fr
miles, where it was abandoned
one of the baggage cars was a special
company. that stranded in this city sew
eral weeks since. 1t was being taken to
st Louis Among the properties in the
car was pet trick mule that was tied in
the last thing and stood with his heels
near the door. He was trained to do a
and if the robbers tried to get into that
car they probably received a warm recep-
tion.
The express car was loaded with an
enormous amount Of miscellaneous ex-
packages and many of them were from
Kansas City. The United States Express
company operates the express over that
The train carried a large number of
passengers, many Of them being ladies.
and when the word was carried back
through the coaches that a holdup was on
1and there was the widest sort of a panic
for a few minutes No one thought OF
fighting the bandits, but each passenger
began a wild scramble to hide what cash
We're overturned, purses were thrust be-
meath the cussions. watches were pushed
peneath the covering of the beraths and
diamonds We're hid in every conceivable
place Rolls of cash were thrust into
shoes and human ingenuity displayed it.
SER III many oInef ways and within two
minutes there was not an ornament visi-
ble nor pocket with a penny in it in any
TO scream. but others qufeted them ana
the hiding went on methpa icaly.
ed for the robbers t6 come. Fhev waffel
and waited. but no robbers came, and
their suspense was soon ended by the
conductor and tFaiumen coming back to
tell them the thieves had stolen the en-
gine. baggage car and express cars ana
While. the train was lying dead it was
stations through which it shold have
passed We're kept busy with messages as
to what had become OF it.
The only surprise OF the BLACK Crook
agent is that it was not a wreck instead
Of a holdup. q told Agent Hilton that
car" he said. The idea Of shipping the
baggage of q busted company in a car
the extra car. and the train men saw thar
the extra car has been in three accidents
At noon word was received from
Cracker-Neck, q small place near Blue
Cut, that man believed to be one of
the robbers had been held there
special train bearing officers was soon
started for Independence to make the
arrest. No description of the man is
given
The amount secured by the train
robbers is now placed at from 81. 500 to
5000 in cash
st. Louis, Dec 24-The Chicago &
Alton express, which was held up by
masked bandits in the famous Blue Cut
near Independence, No. Wednesday
night, arrived in St Louis this after
noon at 1:05 o'clock. Messenger Fryer
is in a bad state Of mind. He feels ter
ribry broken up over the robbery. The
hrst thing he said when the train crew
asked him how he had Jared, was that
the company had been hard hit. He now
says he cannot tell how much was ia
ken.