The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-02
FIVE BOLD ROBBERS.
A Rock Island Train Held Up ana
Robbed In Indian Territory.

El Reno, Okla, Oct. 1.--3audits robbed
the south bound Rock Island passenger
train and all its passengers at Il o'clock
this forenoon at siding No. ], about five
miles south of Minco in the Indian terri
tory.
The railroad and express officials have
feared a hold-up in that section for sew
eral weeks and armed guards have been
put aboard all night trains al El Reno and
carried through to ChickasAa. It had not
been thought that the outlaws were bold
enough to attack a train in midday. This
morning the train men were completely
surprised and they were not prepared to
offer any resistance when five masked
men came up on them at the lonely sid
ing.
The place is uninhabited and the only
persons in the vicinity at sthe time were
four section men. These men tagged the
train, the robbers having compelled them
to do so. The bandits were hidden at the
time in brush pile and jumped out as
soon as the passenger train had taken the
siding.
Under the pressure of Winchesters and
ugly looking six-shooters, The train men,
the express messenger and all of the
score or more of passengers were made to
climb down from the train and stand in a
line, hands up, on the prairie along the
railway. While three of the robbers COW
cred the badly frightened crowd with their
guns. the other two coolly and carefully
robbed them. passing from one passenger
to another, down the line. The bandits Sc
cured about $500 in cash and such other
valuables in the way of watches, pins and
jewelry as were in sight.
The few women passengers were not
compelled to give up their valuables and
Rev Mr.. Roe, one of the passengers who
was Sick, was not compelled to leave the
coach.
jim Wright of Minoo, showed a disposi-
ton to resist, when the bandits ordered
"hands up" They shot one of his ears off
to prove to his satisfaction that his BRAY
cry was ill-advised. Wrlght's hands then
went up.
| No one else was injured.
The passengers and trainmen, having
been thoroughly plucked, three of the
| bandits turned their attention to the ex-
press and mail coaches, the others sSaud-
| ing guard over the helpless crowd in the
| prairie. The registered mail pouches
were quickly bed, but the through safe
| in the express car resisted all the force
| and the ingenuity of the road agents.
When the messenger zhsz3 convinced tht
| bandits that he could net open thu
| strong box, they resorted to dynamite
| Several heavy charges were exploded, but
the safe proved bandit proof, and though
it was badly battered its contents were
| saved to the express company. Having
! taken forcible possession of everything
they could carry away, the bandits mount
| ed their horses and rode off to the west.
! AS soon as the trainmen could collect
their wits, they got their scared passen-
gers aboard and hurried on TO the nexi
station south, Chickasha, from which
| point the railroad officials were notified OF
| the hold-up.
At Chickasha, a posse of citizens was
| hurriedly formed. These citizens set out
! in pursuit of the gang, and officers have
| been dispatched from El Reno and other
points in this section. It is hardly posi-
| bic that the bandits can be overtaken in
| the prairie country, and they will prob
! ably be able to reach the Wichita noun.
| tains to the west of the scene of the
| hold-uD.
| Officers here believe the gang to be the
same one that held Santa Fe trains up al
| Edmunds twice during last month