The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-22
IN JUST TWELVE MINUTES
Three Masked Men Held l,p a
Southern Train.
DID THE WORK IN REGULAR STYLE.
Got One Hundred and Fifty Dollars
ana n jug of whtsky-It Was
the second Attempt.

New Orleans, La. january M.--A Plea
yune special from Birmingham, Ala. SAYS;
For the second time within month three
unknown masked men tonight held up
train No. 35 OF the Southern railway near
Berry station. seventy miles west OF Birm-
ingham and robbed the Southern Express
company's ear. The scene of the robbery
is within mile OF the former robbery and
they were almost identically alike in every
detail. Train No. 80 left here at o'clock
this afternoon for Greonville. Miss. In
charge OF Conductor Wiimot and Engineer
Brown. II reached Berry at s o'clock. being
thirty minutes late. As 1t pulled out from
the station, which is n small place In the
Widest section Of Alabama. masked man
heavily armed climbed into the engine cab
and presenting pistols to the engineer and
fireman ordered them 10 obey his com
mands at the peril OF their lives. AT the
same time Two other masked robbers board
ed the front platform OF the express car
When the train reached secluded spot
near North river three miles from Berry,
II was halted. Tho engineer and fireman
were ordered back TO the express car,
whore tho other two robbers were In wait
Ing. Express Messenger ]. j. Ward was
commanded to open the door. Evidently
suspcctlng that something was wrong the
messenger did not obey. Tho robbers then
began cursing and firing of their pistols
to intimidato the traInmcn and passengers.
none of whom dared 60 interfere Under the
direction OF tho outlaws. the express car
doors were broken open by the engineer
and hroman and pistols thrust into Mes
scnger Wards face. his safc keys were se-
cured and the local safe quickly opened
and rincd OF Its contents. which the eX-
press officials say amounted to $50. Before
leaving the ear. the robbers selected from
| the freight packages a four gallon Jug OF
good whisky and appropriated IT, They
then backed out, pointing their pistols still
at the tranmcn and disappeared In the
| darkness. II is thought they had horses In
waiting. and mounting them. made their
escape. The entire time of the robbery, Ds
shown In Conductor Wilmot'B delay report.
was twelve minutes. The express officials
here deny the rumors that the rohber.
! broke open tho through safe. which Is said
to have contained n large sum OF money.
They say that the messenger had no key
TO this safe.
W. C. Agoe. route agent Of tho Southern
Express company, who happened to hc
aboard the train as n passenger. reports
that only the local safe was robbed aud
| $l5b taken.
The posse. headed by Chief Detective ~
| L. Burns of the fouthern Express company
and Chief Special Agent O. A. Pickard oil
the Southern Railway company left here
on n special tonight for the sccnc Of TN
robbery,
At Coalburg penitontiary thoy occurred
seven blood hounds. with which they vii
cndeavor to trail the outlaws. There is M
doubt IN the minds VI tie express and rail
road officials but that tonights robher!
and that of month ago were committed b!
the same parties and that the robbers re
sido In the mountains near the scene wMcl
s the old stamping ground Of the one
famous burrows gang OF train robbers. Th
robbers obtained $500 In tho first haul.
vigorous search for the guilty parties vii
be prosecuted,