Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-14
Daring Hold up of Train on Chicago
and Northwestern.
SAFE BLOWN OPEN WITH DYNAMITE
The Bandits Succeeded in Making
Their Escape.
THOUGHT TO BE IN CHICAGO

railroad shortly before midnight, between
Maple Park and DeKalb, shot at Dan
White, the engineer. ran away with the en-
gine and blew open the express car and
the safe. When the robbers had rfied the
car they disappeared. 1t is estimated that
the robbers secured $4,000 in cash alone.
Train No forms part of the fast trans
continental mail which was recently estab-
lished between New York city and San
Francisco.
The run is made from Chicago to Coun-
Gil Bluffs on a schedule exceeding a mile
minute. 1t has been the general custom
10 carry only two cars one containing eX-
press matter and the other mail
Train No left the Northwestern de-
pot at 10 o'clock with Dan White a vet
eran employe of the road, as engineer No
stops were scheduled before DeKalb, at
which the train was due shortly before II
CLOCK AT Maple Park. fifty miles from
Chicago, 1t 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 to a stand
still when two masked men jumped on
the steps and pointed guns at him and the
fireman.
IhroW up your hands, they shouted
Fight for the Engine.
The railroad men did So Two robbers
detached the engine from the rest of the
train, and White was told to take his en-
glne two miles up the track There he at
tempted to make fight and recapture his
engine He struggled manfully, but final
ly one of the robbers shot al him but fail
ed to hit him.
In the meantime four other men had at
tackled the conductor and the brakeman.
numerous shots We're fired to intimldat te
Nha anp1 1JtrI
any resistance, as he was told he would
be killed. One of the brakemen managed
TO escape in the darkness and raced to Ell
burn, where he managed to send the alarm
10 the tram d1SpatcherS in Chicago. The
robbers, after overpowering the conductor,
ordered the express messenger, Frank Hob
son, to admit them to the car.
You open that car" one of the robbers
shouted, "or well blow it up
Back from the car came a shout:
You try to force it open and I'll shoot
the first man who shows his head"
A VOlley of shots was the renly and af-
ter several shots had whizzed past his
head the express messenger opened the
door They put revolvers to his head and
compelled him to give up the keys to the
local safe. They then blew open the door
of the through safe with dynamite the ex-
plosion wrecking the car
The robbers then grabbed all the money
and express packages they could find and
fed.
Loss Estimated at S25,OOO.
Although it is impossible to give with
accuracy the amount, it is estimated by
the officers Of the American Express Com
pany in Chicago that there was $25 900 in
cash in the safe. The amount of jewelry
etc, Mr.. Antisdel, the general manager of
the American Express Company, said he
could not guess at. The news of the hold
up was received in Chicago before -
o'clock. Word was sent at once to the su-
perintendent and special train was or
dered made up. Messengers were dispatch
ed for Detective Reilly, chief Of the special
police of the Northwestern system. When
the train dispe tcher was notified he gave
orders to freight train No. 11s, bound east,
to stop a Geneva and return at once to
the scene Of the hold-up.
The trainmen of No. 11s noticed No. 8
standing on the track with a detached en-
gtne as they, went by. but had thought
nothing Of 1t. When the freight crew
reached tower W. they found the oper-
ator bound, gagged and tied to a chair.
When released he gave the first real infor-
nation to the officials.
He said that at 1880 o'clock four men had
come into the tower and asked him the
number of the next train going west.
They wanted to know if 1t was not No. o,
but the operator says he told them 1t was
No. 119 The robbers then told the operator
he was a fool; that they knew better. To
show the operator they had laid their
plans thoroughly and knew what they
were talking about they pointed guns at
his head and told him if he made a move
they would kill him. They tied him up
with ropes stuffed a towel into his mouth
and told him if he was a good fellow" he
would escape without being hurt.
Set Signals for No. ..
They then set the signals which caused
No. 8 to slow up. The chief train dis
patcher made repeated efforts to reach the
Maple Park operator when no report was
made to him for fifteen minutes of the
passing of No. 8. 1t was first thought at
the Northwestern offices No. . had been
wrecked, and orders We're sent up and down
| the line to watch out and report acci-
dent If any had occurred.
The police at detective headquarters in
| Chicago were notified of the hold-up at
midnight. Detectives were sent at once
to the outlying stations Of the Northwest
| ern in the hope of getting some trace of
| the robbers. Lieut.. Williams said there
| was little question that the robbers were
| Chicago crooks, as all the old-time train
| robbers have been captured, and it was
| thought that the practice had been pretty
| we'll broken up. A message was sent to
| all the police stations Of Chicago to look
| for the robbers. The stopping of the mail
| train brings the United States authorities
| directly into the case, as we'll as the eX-
| press company, and special police service
| OF the railroad company If the robbers
| make their escape it will be by hiding in
| Chicago. Every effort is being made to
| prevent them from getting into the city
| If they are compelled to stay out in the
country over night their chance of elud-
| ing the officials will be slight.
Pursuit of the Robbers.
| When the special train bearing Genera
| Superintendent Sanborn and Trainmastel
| Battisfore reached the scene of the trair
| robbery they found that not only had the
| operator of Tower w been bound and gag
| ged, but the conductor, engineer and fire
| man of the train had been tied securely tt
| the express car, the robbers thus prevent
| ing immediate pursuit.
| The trainmen were only able to give theil
| officials the direction the robbers had taker
| in making their escape. Shortly after the
! officials arrived another special train bear
ing General Manager Antisdei of the Amer
! lean Express Company, w. A. Pinkertor
| and a number of detectives, arrived ant
| organized pursuit was at once begun A
| good description of the robbers was fur
| nshed by Operator Whistler of Tower w
Blood was streaming from Whisler's face
| where he had been struck with a revolye
by one of the robbers He was almos
| dead from suffering when released tn,
| towel used as a gag having been stuffed
| down his throat Three suspects were ar
| rested at daybreak and taken to the SoutI
| Elmhurst police station. The men wer,
| caught in freight car but the police wer,
not at all confident that they had the righ