The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-25
SECURED LITTLE BOOTY
THE BANDITS USED TOO MUCH DYNA-
MITE ON THE SAFES.
Contents Blown to Atoms-DetniIs of
the Missouri Pacific HoId-UD
Near Kansas City.

KANSAS CITY, NO., Sept. A.-Seven
masked men held up the West-bound Mis-
souri, Pacific passenger train, known as the
Little Rock and Wichita express, at a point
in the woods between Leods and Dawson,
seven miles from Kansas City, at $40 last
night. To avoid interference they smashed
the telegraph instruments at the Belt line
station, the junction of the Belt line and
the Frisco, near the scene of the hold-up,
and marched the operator, d. NJ. Hisey, be-
fore them to point half mile east. While
two men covered his eyes, the others tagged
the train as it approached quickly covered
Engineer Slocum and Fireman Weston and
compelled them to dismount, and detaching
the engine and the Pacific express car, ran
them down the track mile and half to-
ward Dawson. The passengers were un-
molested. but the porter who attempted to
interfere was quickly sent to cover by a
shot directed by one of the road men.
At desolata spot up the road the bag
gage car was quickly broken into, great
quantities of dynamite placed upon the
through safe and the local safe placed on
top of it. So much explosive was used that
the car was literally blown to splinters and
the safes thrown way to one side of the
track This morning nothing but fragments
of the local safe could be found and the
through box was a wreck, the top having
been blown off and the door wrenched and
otherwise damaged. The explosion, which
was Of such force as to have been heard dis
tinctly in Kansas City, undoubtedly de-
stroyed any valuables that the safes may
have contained. That the robbers them
selves were not blown to atoms seems
strange so terrific was the blast. The ex-
press officials examined their one remaining
strong box this morning. They absolutely
refuse to make statement of their loss,
saying simply that it was small" Superin-
tendent Moore, of the express company, in
sists that the train carried but little treas
ure.
Flying debris from the shattered express
car carried down the telegraph wires along
the Frisco track, which parallels the Mis-
souri, Pacific at the point of the robbery
and completed the stoppage of telegraphic
communication begun at the Bedtime sta
the. news of the robbery became known
and still longer before a wrecking crew
could be got. new engine had to be Sc
cured, as the one used by the bandits had
been killed, 1t was $3.50 this morning be-
fore the wrecked baggage and express mat
ter, strewn in all directions was gathered
together, the train made up and the trip
south continued. The express matter. in
many instances totally destroyed, was
taken to Osawatomie, Kan. Much excitement
their long wait in the detached cars, though
but little firing was INDUCED in by the rob-
btrS The robbery was undoubtedly one of
the boldest that has ever been committed
in the locality SO noted for hold-ups.
a special train left the city for the scene
of the robbery about o'clock this morning,
carrying several railroad and express Off
Gals. Operator Hisey, the first man en-
countered at the junction telegraph Office.
told his story of the robbery 1T was just
before the Missouri Pacific was DUE said
#Hlsey, when two men, tall and a short
one, came into the telegraph office. The
short wearing black mask showed a
winchester to my stomach and ordered me
to hold my hands up. The tall man had
displayed a big. red nose and pair of
vicious, black eyes. He carried a pair of
plyers, with which he cut few wires, then
revolver. The damage did not amount to
much. Just then the train crossed the tres
short man showed me ahead Of him at the he
muzzle of his Winchester, down the track
to the train Around the engine were per-
the engineer and fireman down from the
engine. The engineer. fireman and myself
were ordered to uncouple the engine and
We complied promptly. We three were
then ordered to get on the train and stay
there, under pain of death. The porter Of
the train came on the scene, but a shot
from one of the robbers caused him to make
a hurried retreat. In few minutes more
started down the road. About twenty min
utes later we heard terrific explosion and
soon Express Messenger T.. j.. Hills came
running back and said the express car had
been blown up. He had not stayed to get
the details. / Immediately repaired my in
struments and gave the alarm"
John Kennedy, the locomotive engineer.
who has been accused of completely in
numerous train robberies, came to the city
to-day from his fathers home in the no
torious Cracker Neck district a former
rendezvous of the James gang. When ques-
toned by the police, Kennedy positively de-
clared that he was at his fathers farm
when last nights train robbery was COM
mitted. He is under surveillance.