Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-10-15

CHICAGO, October 14.-IMasked rob-
bers held up train No. Q. Of the North
western railroad, shortly before mid
night, between Maple Park and DeKalb,
shot at Dan White, the engineer, ran
away with the engine and blew open
the express car and safe. When the
robbers had rifed the car they disap-
peared. 1t is estimated that the rob-
beers secured $25, 1000 in cash alone.
Train No. 9 forms part of the fast
transcontinental mail which was re-
Gently established between New York
city and San Francisco. The run IS
made from Chicago to Council Bluffs
on a schedule exceeding a mile a min
ute. 1t has been the general custom
to carry only two cars, one containing
express matter and the other mail.
The train left the Northwestern de-
pot at 10 o'clock with Dan White, a
veteran employee Of the road, as engin-
eer. No stops were scheduled before
DeKalb, at which 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 CIV
ing the right signal. Dan White closed
the throttle quickly and brought the
train to standstill. The train was mid
way between Elburn and Maple Park.
White had hardly brought his engine to
a standstill when two masked men
jumped on the steps and pointed guns
at him and the fireman. Throw up
your hands" they shouted The rail-
road 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 There he attempted to
make fight and recapture his engine.
He struggled manfully, but finally one
OF the robbers shot at him, but failed to
hit him.
Meantime four other men had at
tackled the conductor and the brake
man. Numerous shots were 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 Elburn, where
he managed to send the alarm to the
train dispatcher in Chicago.
The robbers, after overpowering the
conductor, ordered the express messen-
ger, Frank Robson, to admit them to
the car. "You open up that car" one
of the robbers shouted, cor we'll blow
it up"
Back from the car came shout:
''You try to force it open and I'll shoot
the first man who shows his head"
A volley of shots was the reply, and
after several shots had whizzed past his
head the express messenger opened the
door. They put revolvers to his head
and compelled Robson to give up the
keys to the local safe. Then they blew
open the door of the through safe with
dynamite, the explosion wrecking the
car. The robbers then grabbed all the
money and express packages they could
find and fed.
Although it is impossible to give with
any great accuracy the amount, it is
estimated by the officers of the Ameri-
can Express Company in Chicago that
there was $4,000 in the safe. This
amount was stated early to-day by Cen
eral Manager Antisdel, of the American
Express Company, to have been in the
car in cash alone.
The news of the hold-up was re-
ceived in Chicago before u O'Clock.
Word was sent at once to the superin-
tendent, and special train was or
dered made up. Messengers were dis
patched for Detective Reilly, chief of
the special police of the Northwestern
system. When the train dispatcher was
notified he gave orders to freight train
No. 118, bound east, to stop at 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 engine as they went by, but
had thought nothing in particular of it.
When the freight crew reached tower
wv" they found the operator bound,
gagged and tied to a chair. When re-
leased he gave the first real information
to the officials. He said that at 10:3J
O'Clock four men had come into the
tower and asked him the number of
the next train going west They want
ed to know if it was not No. 8, but the
generator says he told them it was No.
119. The robbers then told the opera
tor he was fool; that they knew bet
ter. To show the operator they had
laid their plans thoroughly and knew
what they were talking about, they
DOiDtpd Guns at his head and told hin,