The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-03
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY
EXPRESS CAR ON THE UNION PACIFIC
ROAD DYNAMITED.
The Bandits Alleged to Have Secured
$4,000 in Money and About $1O,-
900 Worth Of Diamonds.

OMAHA, NED, June Zine Union fa-
cifc officials furnish the following account
of the robbery of the west-bound train. No.
I, which left this city yesterday morning.
Just before daylight to-day, In the midst
of drenching rain, the train was held up
a short distance beyond Wilcox. Wyo. The
robbers blew up the express car with dyna-
mite, severely wounding the engineer and
then escaped to the mountains. According
to the officials of the express company the
robbers obtained only a nominal amount of
booty for their daring crime. A posse un-
der command of the sheriff of Carbon coun-
ty is in pursuit and officers are confident
of capturing them
Union Pacific officials received their first
information of the affair from Engineer
message follows:
of Wilcox. Express car blown open, mail
car damaged. Safe blown open, contents
gone We were ordered ws5, to pull pull oyer over the
crossed the bridge the explosion occurred.
Can't tell how bad bridge was damaged.
No one hurt except Jones, scalp wound and
cut on hand"
During the forenoon several other dis
patches were received containing some de-
tails. They indicated the robbers boarded
the bridge one of the robbers crawled into
the cab and at the muzzle of a revolver
ordered Engineer Jones to pull across the
bridge and stop. Meantime the others Of
the gang were at work in the express car.
Just as the engine pulled off the bridge
there was tremendous explosion that scat
tered the express car for hundred feet in
every direction. The end OF the express car
was crushed in. Engineer Jones was slight
ly injured by flying debris. 1t only re-
quired few minutes for the robbers to rifle
the safe, which was blown open by the ex-
plosion. They took its contents. signaled
their confederate on the engine and before
the passengers and the train crew were
aware of just what had happened, were off
for the mountains. 1t required two hours
to clear away the wreckage SO the train
could proceed to Medicine Bow, the next
station, from which the report was sent
The sheriff was notified at once and. with
a posse. started in pursuit of the robbers.
The soft ground caused by rain. will aid in
trailing the robbers. 1t Is not positively
known just how many there are of them.
but as only four were seen by the trainmen,
it is believed that number constitutes the
party. A later telegram says the bridge
has been repaired.
The passengers were scared nearly out Of
tkeir wits, but the robbers made no effort
TO molest them, contining their operations
TO the express car. The local officials have
received no information beyond the fact
| that the train was held up and the con-
| tents of the safe taken. They say the safe
| contained very little of value. Nothing is
| said in any OF the dispatches regarding the
| express messenger or where he was when
the explosion occurred. but 1T is believed he
escaped.
telegram from Conductor Storey says
| that the robbers nagged the train with red
| and white lights and stopped it about one
and half mile west of Wilcox. There were
| six in the gang, and four of them got on the
engine. The conductor came forward TO as
certain what stopped them, and one of the
| four men on the engine covered him with
| his gun and compelled him to remain quiet
| The two remaining bandits went TO the
mail car. They cut off the tourist and spe-
cial cars and took the remainder of the
| train mile farther west. There they blew
! In the side door OF the mail car. and during
the excitement Storey got away and ran
| back 10 flag the second section and prevent
| collision. Then the robbers tried TO blow
up The bridge. The next move of the gang
| was 10 take the mail and express cars 10
| the top OF the hill between Aurora and VII.
cox where they blew open the safe The
| express matter was badly damaged, but the
| baggage escaped with only slight injury
Conductor Storey unable to estirnat te
| the value of the booty secured.
| Union Pacific officials offer a reward OF
| Sl0C0 head for the robbers who held uu
| their train this morning