Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1899-10-21
4 BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY.
OCCURRED NEAR CHICAGO.
CHICAGO.
-Four Masked Men GuiIty-Ix-
press Car Blown Up-Safes Rined-
Took Il Signal TOWer-Many shots
Eired-OperatOr Was Bound and
Gagged.

bp ILdlu 4NO. ., VI the OIlhNSSIelH lNll'
road between Maple Park and DeKalb
and shot at Dan White, the engineer, ran
sway with the engine and blew open the
express car and safe. When the robbers
had rined the ear they disappeared.
Train No, forms part OF the fast trans
continental mail which was recently estab-
lished between New FORK and San Fran
cisco. The run is made from Chicago to
Council Bluffs on a schedule exceeding q
mile a minute. 1t has been the general
custom to carry only two cars, one con-
tanning express matter and the other mail.
Train No. 8 left the Northwestern depot
with Dan White as engineer. No stops
were scheduled between Chicago and De-
kalb. AT Maple Park, 80 miles from Chi
cago it was discovered that tower wv" 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 a standstill. The train was
midway between Elburne 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 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 we're fired to intimidate
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 oyerpowering 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 car came a shout: "You
try to force it open and III shoot the first
man who shows his head"
a voley of shots was let fly, and after
several bullets had whizzed past his head,
the express messenger opened up the car.
They put reyolyers 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 fled.
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 $780,
900 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, MIR. Anrisdel said he could
not guess at.
The news of the hold-up was received in
Chicago immediately. Word was sent at
once to the Superintendent and a special
was ordered made up. Messengers were
Dispatched for Detective Reilly, chief OF
the SPECIAL police OF the Northwestern sys
TEN.
When the train dispatcher was notified
he gave orders TO freight No. lis, bounc
east, to stop at Geneva and return to tn,
scene of the hold-up. The trainmen OF No
us had noticed No. . standing on thu
track with detached engine as they wen
by, but thought nothing of it.
When the freight crew reached towe
w, they found the operator bound, gaggeC
and tied to chair. When released N
gave the first real information to the Off
cials. He said four men had come to tn
tower and asked him the number of TIN
next train going west. They wanted t
know if it was not No. 8, but the operate
says he told them it was No. 10.
The robbers then told the operator h
was fool that they knew better. To shoy
the operator they had laid their plan
thoroughly and knew what they wer
talking about, they pointed guns at hi
head and told him if he made move the
would kill him. They tied him up wit
ropes, stuffed towel in his mouth an
told him if he was a good fellow he woul
escape without being hurt. They the
set the signals which caused No. to slo,
up.
The train dispatcher made repeated e
forts to reach the Maple Park operate
when no report was made to him for ]
minutes of the passing of No, 9. 1t wa
first thought at the Northwestern offiC
that No. 0 had been wrecked and order
were sent up and down the line to waite
out and report an accident if any had o,
CURED.
August Jacobey, chief editor of Vo