The Penn's Grove record., 1897-10-15
TRAIN ROBBERY INTEKAS.
Cannon-Bal Express Held Up in Broad
Daylight Near Austin.
CRIME COMMITTED BY FOUR MEN.

The Bandits Took the Passengers Money
But Failed to Open the Express Safe
The Conductor and n Passenger Wound
ed-The Robbers Ran Away with
the EngIne-SmaIl Amount OF Booty.
AUSTIN, Texas (Special).-At $50 O'Clock
p. M, within twelve miles OF the limits OF
this city, the south-bound 'cannoD-ball"
train on the International and Great North
ern Railroad, consisting of mail. baggage
and express cars, and three coaches filed
with passengers, was held up by four men
and robbed. The conductor of the train
Thomas Healy, was shot by the robbers
while resisting them, but was not wounded
seriously.
One Of the passengers had his SHIRT collar
carried away by a pistol ball that was aimed
at his neck, and another received q bullet
wound in the hand. The passengers were
robbed of about 5000 in money. The ban
dts attempted to rifle the safe in the ex-
press car, but we're unsuccessful.
When the train reached Mcneil, a small
station, fourteen miles above Austin, two
men, heavily armed, boarded the train
and took their stand on the rear platform.
After the conductor had checked up the
train he reached the platform, where a
pistol was presented at each side Of his
head. The men demandedthat he stop the
train. He declined to do so, and began to
run through the train, with the two
robbers in close pursuit. He had not gone
foremost robber shot at him, bringing him
to the floor with a pistol wound in his
right arm
The other robber pulled the bell cord
and the train was brought to u ~standstili
1t was evidently at the appointed place,
for the train had hardly stopped before W
other men, whose faces were covered with
masks, stepped out from among the trees
and began shooting into the cars as they
walked toward the train. Thu two men on
the train were Joined by those from the
woods, and began their work OF robbing
the passengers.
As the colored train porter spraDg from
the rear coach and ran for shelter a robber
began shooting at him, and the porter
emptied a revolver in turn without effect.
The express messenger looked out OF bis
car, and, taking in the situation, left the
car and ran through the woods aud was
soon lost to sight.
The robbers, leaving two men to guard
the passengers in the three coaches, pro-
9 to the express car and demanded
that the ~baggngeman open the express safe,
but, upon being assured that he could not
do so, again turned their attention to the
passengers. They took only money from
them, not overlooking n single cent, and
walking two by two through the cars, so as
to always keep their yes on the passen-
gers. Having secured about 5000 in this
manner, they u%ncoupled the engine from
the train and started off down the track
upon &c. After going several miles they
set the lever so that the locomotive would
run at u moderate gait and left the engine.
The engine came on to the flag station at
Duval, and was there captured. The sta
tion agent returned to the scene OF the rob-
berry, secured the train, and brought 1t to
Austin, arriving here shortly after dark.
Officers went to the scene with b~loodhounds
to pursue the robbers.