The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-04-02
The Daring Bandits Blow Open the Safe In
the Express Gar With Dynamite.
SECURE A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
One of the Despcradoes Young Man
Only Seventeen Years OId-Thc
Robbers Compel tho Engineer
to Cause the Express Messenger 10
unboIt tho Chr Door.

aSt bNpreSS, from the West. which
left Lebanon. Mo. 1872 miles west OF
st. Louis, Il little before o'clock this
morning, was held up by three masked
men. near Richland, twenty-five miles
cast OF Lebanon, about o'clock this
morning. When the train was nearing
Rlchiand the engineer saw a red light
down the track. He reversed the lever
applied the air brakes and stopped the
train. The engineer and fircmcn rckcd
their heads out of the cab window to
see what the trouble was. That IN
slant there was q, flash ana a bullc,
whizzed past the engineers head and
buried itself into the cab woodwork
"A man sprang into the cab with a Win
chester rifle, and commanded the en-
ginecr and the fireman 20 hold up their
hands. Then he compelled the engineer
TO get down and help the robbers get
into the express car. They made tho
engineer mount the platform, and. with
Winchesters prodding him from behind.
called loudly to the messenger TO omen
his car.
1t was not until several volleys had
been poured into the car through the
door that the messenger unbulted his
door and admitted the robbers. The
messenger declared everything In the
car worth taking was securely locked
IN the through safe, to which he did
not possess the combination The rob-
bers produced from the bag n package
of dynamite and went to work to blow
the safe open. They worked nearly an
hour. firing their guns all the time out
side the train to intimidate the pas
sengers and trainmen.
The messenger was badly hurt by be-
ing struck on the head with the butt
end of gun. AT last the safe was
opened. the booty secured, and the rob
bers mounted their horses and galloped
OFT In the darkness. A posse left Laba-
non early this morning In pursuit
The express officials claim not to l;row
how much the robbers got, but one OF
the passengers says he heard the meg
senger say there was over $50, 900 in the
safe.
: One of the robbers was q youngster of
H. who stood guard over the tralnmen
while the others did the work The
loss may be any amount from $4,000 to
SlO0.OOO. All the way bills were DESTROY
ed. In their haste the robbers droDped
one package of s41,700 After some time
consumed In drilling the safe, the first
charEe was exploded, creating a faint
shocK. In a few minutes n second and
HeaVler shock did the work The ban
ats cut the engine loose and started
down the track. Engineer Price offer
ed 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 mounted their
horses, which had been picketcd near
by Good descriptions are given of the
three robbers and as the country is
aroused and pursuit active, II is
thought they cannot escape. The st.
Louis agency of the Wells, Fargo Bx-
press Company refuse to state whit
amount of money was in the through
safe.
An; hour after the robbery was re-
ported here a posse made up of 100
citizens started in pursuit of the rob-
bers. This afternoon member of the
posse returned. He says they found in
the woods west of where the robbery
took place two checks. one for 81. 400
and one for $l5. and also an envelope
containing a So. bill. Hence 1t Is sup
posed that the cutting loose of the en-
gine was merely n blind and that the
robbers jumped off within n few hum
dred yards and took horses and come
west across the country. All least this
is this theory the officers. are proceeding
on. Wells. Fargo & Co. have issued
circular offere!ng $500 rewards for the
arrest of the bandits.