Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1899-10-18
A BOLD Train ROBBERY.
OCCURRED NEAR CHICAGO.
The Northwestern Fast Mail stopped
-Four Masked Men Guilty-Ex-
press Car blown Up-Safes Rified-
Took a Signal Tower-Many shots
Fired-OperatOr Was Bound and
Gagged.

Chicago, Oct. l6.--Mlasked robbers held
| up train No. 8, OF the Northwestern rail
road between Mssse Park and DeKalb
and shot at Dan White, the engineer, ran
away with the engine and blew open the
express car and safe. When the robbers
had ritled the car lasey disappeared
Train No. 9 forni-- part OF the fast trans
continental mail which was recently estab.
lished between New York and San Fran
cisco. The run is made from Chicago to
Council Bluffs on schedule exceeding
mile a minute. II has been the general
custom to carry only two ears, one con.
tanning express matter and the other mail.
Train No. 0 left the Northwestern depot
| with Dan White as engineer. No stops
were scheduled between Chicago and De-
kalb. AT Maple Park, so miles from Chi.
cago it was discovered that tower "W,' at
Elburne, was either out OF order or was
not giving the right signal. Dan White
closed the throttle quickly and brought
the train to standstill. The train was
midway between Elbmne and Maple Park.
White had hardly brought the train to
a standstill when two masked men jumped
on to the stern and pointed guns at him
and the fireman.
Throw up your hands!' they shouted.
The railroad men did 50.
The two robbers detached the engine
from the rest of the train, and White was
told to pull out. The robbers ordered him
to take his engine two miles up the track.
Then he attempted to make a fight and re-
capture his engine. He struggled man
fully. Finally one of the robbers shot at
him but failed to hit him.
In the meantime, four other men had
attacked the conductor and brakeman.
Numerous shots were fired 10 intimdate
them. The conductor was unable to make
any resistance as he was told he would
be killed.
One OF the brakemen managed to escape
in the darkness and raced to Elburne,
where he managed TO send the alarm to
the train dispatcher in Chicago.
The robbers, after oyerpoweling the con
ductor, ordered The express messenger,
Frank Hobson, to admit them to the car.
"You open up that car" one OF the rob
bers shouted, "or we'll blow it up"
Back from the .iar rame shout: "You
try to force it open and III shoot the first
man who shows his head"
A volley of shots was let fly, and after
several bullets had whizzed past his head,
the express messenger opened up the car.
They put revolvers to his head and COM
PEELED him to give up the keys to the local
safe. They then blew open the door Of the
local safe with dynamite, the explosion
wrecking the car. The robbers grabbed
all the money and express packages they
could and fed.
Although it is impossible to give with
any accuracy the amount, it is estimated
By the officers of the American Express
Company in Chicago, that there was S25,,
600 in the safes. This amount was stated
by General Manager Anrisdel OF the
American Express Company, to have been
in the car in cash alone. The amount OF
! jewelry, etc, Mr.. Anrisdel said he could
not guess at.
The news of the hold-up was received in
Chicago Immediately. Word was sent at
80 ,.as ordarod mado nm Messengers were
n;snatchod for De,ect;ve Reilly. chief of
,be sneca, nol;ce of the Northwestern sys.
TEN.
When the train dispatcher was notified
he Gave orders 10 freight No. lls, bound
cast N ston At Geneva and return to the
scene of tho boIa.un The trainmen of No.
us hod noticed Eo q standing ON the
traot with q detached engine as they went
~. b., ,honoht no,h;ng Of II
y, ',whon I ,ha ;re;oh, crsw reached tower
w thew found ,be onerator bound. gagged
| and tod 10 a chair When released he