San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-12-24
ON THE TRAIL.
Officers Are After The Chicago And
Alton Train Robbers.

Officers Are After The Chicago And
Alton Train Robbers.
Kansas City, Mo-, Dec. 24.-It was
1915 this morning before the Chicago
and Alton train, which was held up
and robbed at Blue Cut, near lndepen-
dence, last night, was finally gotten
together, after having been cut in two
by the robbers, and the trip to st.
Louis resumed. This made it fully
six hours off schedule time. The To-
cal officials of both the United States
Express company and the railway
company have received nothing more
definite regarding their respective los
SEES. and nothing positive will be
known till the train arrives at st.
Louis. The express officials feel sat
isfied though that the safe was not
opened and if it was they say but lit
| tie of value would have been obtained
/ by the robbers, as the bulk Of valua-
bles was made up in Christmas pack
ages. The value of these, many of
which were carried off or despoiled
by the robbers, cannot be estimated.
Marshal Keshlear, who started in
pursuit of the robbers, with number
of deputies last night, has not yet re-
turned. The probabilities of an I'M
| mediate capture of the robbers, how
ever, are not as bright, as they have
every opportunity to escape.
When the excitement among the
passengers and crew. who had been
cut off from the engine and express
car had abated, a number of trainmen
who had been left with the train start
! ed on foot to find the balance of the
train. 1t was fully two hours after
| the robbery occurred that the crew
came up with the engine and express
car. fully three miles from where the
train had been stopped. When the
door of the baggage car was opened
| by one of the crew, the express mes
senger, J. A. Freyer, who had been
| left by the robbers with the command
not to move under the pain of death.
quickly emerged from his cramped po-
sition and aided the others in patch
| ing I'D the train. There were eviden-
| ces of money packages having been
opened and it is the general opinion
| that several thousand dollars were ia
ken. Messenger Freyer could give no
| estimate of the loss, however. He
had a good view of the robbers, and
describes two of them as being quite
| tall, and he thought smoothly sha-
ven. They were about % years OF
| age. The third man, the one that at
| tempted to blow open the safe, was
about 35 years old and had a small
moustache.
| The robbers had all evidently left
| the scene Immediately after cOnclud-
| ing that it would be useless to break
| into the through safe. Had the rob
bers succeeded in opening the through
safe, they would more than likely
| have made a rich haul notwithstand-
| ing the express company officials
| statement that it contained but lit
| tie.
George p. Griffin, depot agent Of the
company, who knows the contents OF
| the safe, refuses to make a statement.
It will be remembered that George F.
Ross. the company's local cashier now
under arrest charged with embezzle-
ment. handled over 100000 on the
day before he left, and It was Sunday.
The belief just at this time, is that the
| amount exceeded this and that this
nlum was what the robbers were al
| ter.