Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-10
TRAIN HELD UP In ST, LOUIS
Robbers Stop the Iron Mountain Express
Within the City Limits,
SIX MEN WORK IN BNTCHES OF TWO
One Pair Threatens the EnPinccr
While Another Goes to ENprcsS
Car and the Third stands
Guard Outside.

ST. LOUIS, Dec 9.-Thc Iron Mountain
fast express train, outgoing was held up
one mile from the Union station within tho
city limits tonight at $3.50 by six masked
men. The door of the express car was
blown off with dynamite, but no plumber
/ was secured. One OF the men stood
in the center Of the track and waved a red
lantern, indicating that danger was ahead.
The engineer 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 robbers
made for the express car, while the remain-
ing two stood guard outside.
The two robbers who went to the express
car demanded admittance Express Messen-
ger w. J. Egan refused to let them In. They
threatened to kill him if he did not, but he
demonstrated that the express safe could not
be opened. Fortunately, II was through
car, and the money was in n time-locked safe.
Finding 1t useless to try to blow this open,
the robbers jumped off and notified their
companions on the engine that they had
failed to get anything. Conductor William
Hall came forward to find out what was the
matter. He was met by one of the thieves
who, pointing a revolver at his head ordered
him back on the train. The robbers then
left, and Engineer William Green started on.
The place where the robbery occurred was
at the Bateo street crossing, where there is
deep cut. The passengers on the train
were in no way disturbed. and II was half
an hour before any one realized what had
happened,
AS the train pulled away Express Messen-
ger Egan came to the shattered door of his
car intending to shoot at the bandits. No
sooner did they see him, however, than they
opened fire and he fled behind a pile OF
boxes. The noise of the shooting attracted
the clerks in the mail car and they opened
the door and fusilade followed. At mid
night the police had made no arrests. Tho
only clew they could get was from a citizen
residing near Bates avenue crossing, where
the hodup occurred. He said he heard the
shots and a few minutes later two buggies
with three men in each came tearing down
Bates street at full gallop. The news OF
the holdup soon spread throughout the city.
Business men gathered together in the lob
bies of the hotels after the theater to dis
cuss the affair Some were in favor of or
ganizing vigilance committee for the pur-
pose of putting down the epidemic of crime
that has hourished for the last three weeks.
Scarcely a night has passed in that time
but half dozen citizens have been sand
bagged and robbed and numerous houses
burglarized. reign of terror really exists
and the police seem powerless to stop it,
Half an hour after the robbery had occurred
all the mounted police from the various
parks and boulevards were called upon to
assist in running the robbers down. The
officials of the Iron Mountain road brought
out all their special officers. Never before
within the knowledge of the present police
officials has crime occasioned so much ex-
citement.
As soon the matter was reported at
the Central station every detective on hand
was called to service and, under instruc-
tions from Chief of Detectives Desmond,
sent out on the case. The conductor tee-
phoned in a description of the men as near
as he could, but owing to the fact that
all were masked, it was but meager.
Word was sent to every police
officer on duty in the city to be on
the lookout for suspicious characters. Ohl-
GERS on duty were called in and sent out to
search every tough resort in the city where
thieves are known to hang out. The robbers
had planned the job well, for within two
minutes they had disappeared from view
and were lost in the crowds of the city.
In his official report to Superintendent
Brownlee of the Iron Mountain road Con-
ductor Hall said: II was in the last sleeper
when we were stopped by six masked men
at the Bates street crossing. They were
poorly dressed and of medium height. All
wore masks. When / got OF the train they
told me II / went any further they would
blow my brains out. After blowing the door
Of the express car out they placed a stick
Of dynamite on the safe and discharged it.
This failed to force the safe but IL destroyed
Its combination so 1t cannot be opened The
robbers got nothing"