The record-union., 1899-10-14

the men covered the engineer and fire
man with revolvers. and after un-
coupling the engine, compelled the en-
gineer to run it down the track two
miles.
They then blew up the express car
with dynamite, practically demolishing
it and blocking the track. They then
blew open the safe and robbed it. I'm
mediately after grabbing what they
could from the safe the robbers fed
into the darkness.
They are now being pursued, but the
robbers have quite a lead over the
posse that is after them.
1t is not known how much money
was secured.
Engineer Daniel White was shot, and
it is reported very seriously wounded
in the breast because he refused to run
his engine away from the train. After
shooting him one of the robbers ran
the engine down the track two miles
to a switch, where it was killed"
1t is also reported that the station
agent was pounded up and was left
unconscious on the floor when the rob-
bers went to stop the train. 1t is not
thought his injuries are fatal, but it
was two hours after being assautte ed
before he recovered consciousness.
Train No. g forms part of the fast
transcontinental mail which was re-
Gently established between New York
and San Francisco. The run is made
from Chicago to Council Bluffs on a
schedule exceeding a mile a minute. It
has been the general custom to carry
only two cars, one containing express
matter and the other mail.
Train No. 9 left the Northwestern
depot at 10 o'clock, with Dan White, a
veteran employe of the road, as engi-
neer. No stops were scheduled before
DeKalb, at which place the train was
due shortly before IL o'clock. At Maple
Park, fifty miles from Chicago, it was
discovered that tower w at Elburn 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 mid
! way between Elburn and Maple Park.
! White had hardly brought his engine
! jumped on to the steps and pointed
guns at him and the fireman.
Throw up your hands," they shout
! ed
/ The railroad men did so.
Two robbers detached the engine
! from the rest of the train, and White
was told to pull out. The robbers or
/ dered him to take his engine two miles
UP the track. He attempted to make
| fight and recapture his engine. lie
struggled manfully, but finally one of
! the robbers shot at him, but failed to
hit him.
In the meantime four other men had
| attacked the conductor and the brake
| man. Numerous shots were fired to in
timidate them. The conductor was un-
able to make any resistance as he was
! told he would be killed. One brakeman
escaped and raced to Elburn, where he
managed to send the alarm to the train
dispatcher in Chicago.
The robbers, after overpowering the
conductor, ordered Express Messenger
( Frank Hobson TO adEut them to the
car.
You open up that car,'' one of the
robbers shouted, 'or We'll blow it up
| Back from the car came a shout
You try to force it open and I'll
shoot the first man that shows his
head" euor
A volley of shots was the reply, and
after several bullets had whistled past
his head the express messenger opened
the car They put guns TO his head
and compelled him t) give Up the keys
to the local safe. They then blew open
| the door of the through safe with dy-
Mantle, 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 great accuracy the amount,
1 it is estimated 10y The officers CT the
American Express Company in Chicago
that there was So. 800 in the safes.
This amount was stated early to-day
by General Manager Anrisdel Of the
American Express Company to have
been in the car in cash alone, besides
| jewelry, etc.