The herald., 1897-10-07
Corded Up Dynamite on
the Safe
THE KNAvLSH ENGINEERS
ESCAPED BEING HOIST BY THEIR
PETARD
Not a Bold Bandit Dared to Come
Back to Examine the Faulty
Fuse
Associated Press Special Wire.


KANSAS CITY. Oct. 6.-Bandits held
up the Chicago and Alton express to-
night at point less than six miles from
Kansas City. The robbery is the third
occurring on that road within year, al!
within fifteen miles Of this city.
The Chicago and st. Louis express.
which pulled out Of the Union depot at
$3.50 this evening, was stopped by eight
masked men at Evanston, a euburban
stopping place just beyond Washington
park. Evanston is about eight miles
nearer to Kansas City than Blue Cut.
made celebrated by the notorious James
gang, and which was the scene Of two
previous robberies on the Chicago and
Alton within a year, one on December
23rd last, and one on October 23rd. last.
The train was topped at the Evanston
siding by the explosion Of torpedoes.
which had been placed on the track.
When the conductor and brakemen went
out to 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 engineer and fireman. The brake
baggage and express cars from the pas.
enger coaches. While this was being
done, one Of the robbers busted himself
by going through the pockets Of Con-
ductor Graves, who was relieved Of $22 In
coin.
In the mean time, the bandits at the
head of the train had ordered Engineer
Vollett and his fireman to climb down
nyIt nf 6ai oil uip No1I Ia$k + ocl
tated until a pistol ball was sent
whistling by his ears. He and the fire.
man, after this persuasion, climbed
down quickly. and two Of the robbers i'm
mediately took their places. The others
of the bandit crowd jumped aboard the
express cars. This part of the train
they ran up the track toward Independ-
ence, Mo-, about a quarter of a mile.
There they compelled the frightened
express messenger to open the door Of
his car. The door once opened, they
dragged the messenger out by the legs
throwing him to the ground, and then
took his gun away from him. The mes.
senger was then compelled to walk back
toward tke other portion of the train
After securing complete possession Of
the engine and the baggage and express
sticks Of dynamite upon tho big through
safe and then lifted the smaller way
safe up on top of it. They applied the
fuse and the match, and then evidently
waited for the explosive to reveal to
them the treasure for which so much had
been risked.
But for some reason the explosive did
not go off, and from subsequent develop.
hof
great terrors for the men who were not
afraid to run the ordinary risks Of train
robbery.
1t is clear that they were afraid to re.
turn to the express car, for, after wait.
ing few minutes for the expected ex-
plosion, they hurriedly left the place.
running into the underbrush which
skirts the railway in that section.
The trainmen, who had been left be.
hind with the passenger coaches, DO
lltely waited reasonable length of time
for the robbers to complete their work.
and then ran ahead to the engine and
the two cars. After some delay, for
they, too, were afraid of the dynamite,
they succeeded in lifting down the small
safe and throwing out the dynamite.
The engine was then run back to the rest
VI lHe train anu CUupItu OH ana, dIt6f
full two hours delay, the express re-
sumed the journey toward st. Louis.
The passengers, especially the ladies,
were very much frightened and when
the robbers began shooting al Engineer
Vollette there was wild scramble in all
the coaches. Diamonds, jewelry and
other valuables were hidden in every
place conceived BILE in a passenger coach.
Two Chicago & Alton detectives were
on the train. Both We're badly scared
and neither Of them put in an appear
ance outside of the coach until it was
all over.
General Superintendent W. E. Gray
was also on the train.
The express messenger was not only
roughly handled by the road agents, but
was robbed of $31 from his private purse.
The passengers made up purse of SIS
and gave to him.
County Marshal Childs and several
deputies, as we'll as a squad of city po-
lice, left for the scene of the robbery
about midnight on a special train. There
seems to be little chance Of their over.
taking any of the robbers. as it is be.
lieved the gang, by scattering and COM
ing in one at time, will have little
trouble in getting back into Kansas
City or Independence.