The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-07
WORK OF TRAIN ROBBERS
4 Chicago and Alton Express Hold
up Near Kansas City.
EIGHT BANDITS WERE IN THE GANG.
The Robbery Occurred Less Than Six
Miles From Kansas City-Dyna-
mite Did Not Explode.

| Kansas City, Mo-. October 6.-Bandits
held up Chicago ard Alton express train
tonight at point less than six miles from
Kansas City. The robbery Is the third oc-
currence OF the kind occurring on that
road Within year within fifteen miles Of
ibis city. The Chicago and st. Louis ex-
| press which pulled out at $3.50 this even
| ing was stopped by three masked men at
! Evanston Evanston is about eight miles
nearer TO Kansas City than Blue Cut,
made famous by the notorious JAMES
gang. and which was the scene Of the two
| previous robberies on the Chicago and
Alton. The train was stopped at the Evans
ton siding by the explosion OF torpedoes.
When the conductor and brakeman went
out 10 ascertain the cause OF the trouble
| they were covered with revolvers In the
| hands Of four Of the eight road agents.
The other four quickly covered the en-
gineer and fireman. The brakemen were
compelled to uncouple the baggage and
express ears from the passenger coaches.
! In the meantime The bandits at the other
end had ordered the engineer and fireman
to climb down out OF their cab. The en-
giueer hesitated until pistol ball was sent
whizzlng by his head. He then came down
quickly and two of the robbers Immediate
| ~ took their places. The others OF the
/ bandit crew jumped aboard the baggage
ana express cars. This part OF the train
they ran up the track toward lndepend-
enee Mo-, about quarter OF mile. There
they compelled the frightened express
messenger TO open the door OF his car and
made him walk back toward the other
portion Of the train. The bandits then
placed twenty-four sticks OF dynamite on
the big safe and then lifted the smaller
way safe on top of it. They applied
match TO the fuse and evidently waited
for the explosion to do the work. But for
some reason the explosive did not 90 oil,
and from the subsequent developments II
lis evident that the dynamite had failed TO
work
Il is clear they were afraid to return to
the express car, for after waiting a few
minutes for the expected explosion they
hurriedly left the place. running into the
undertrush which skirts the railway In
tina. section. The train men who Lad been
left behind with the passenger coaches po
litely waited a reasonable length OF time
for the robbers to complete their work
and then ran ahead to the engine ard the
two cars. After some delay for they. too,
were afraid of the dynamite. they sue
ceeded in lifting down the small safe and
throwing out the dynamite.
The engine was then run lack to the
rest of the train and coupled on and after
a full hours delay the express resumed
the journey towards St. Lous.
The passengers, especially the la1ifs.
were very much frightened and when the
robbers began shooting at Engineer Vo-
lcste there YVES a wild scramble 10 all the
coaches. Diamonds, jewelry and other val
usbles were hidden in every place con.
ceivabls in a passenger coach.
Two Chicago and Alton detectives were
on the train. Both were badly scared and
neither OF them put in an appearance out
side of their coach until ii was all over.
County Marshal Childs and 5everal depu-
ties as we'll as a squad OF city police start
ed for the scene Of the robbery at midnight