The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-14
TRAIN ROBBED
BY ONE MAN.
Fast Mail on Illinois Central
Held Up
Within a Mile Of the City of
New Orleans.
OTHER BOLD HOLDUPS.
Mail Pouches Rifed on a Cotton
Belt Train.
POstOf1ce Looted and BOxOffice
Attacked in Iowa.
OTHER BOLD HOLDUPS.

New Orleans, La, Dec. 1.-THE south
bound Illinois Central fast mail. due
here at T:15 p. m, was held up and
robbed by a lone train robber about one
mile above the upper limits of the city
last night. His booty consists of only
one registered mail pouch from Durant,
Miss, and six other registered letters
from points between Cairo and New Or
leans. Conductor kinnebrew was shot
in the groin, and J. c. Parker, railway
mail clerk, had his left eye powder
burned by a shot directed at MS head
The rObber got on the train, 1t IS sup
posed, at some point above the city and,
after passing kenner, the last stop be-
fore the train arrives in New orleans,
he clambered over to the engineer and
covered the engineer and hreman ana
brought the train to a. StandStilL When
the conductor came forward to see what
the trouble was he was shot by the ROB
Der r. F. Goldsby, one Of the railway
mail clerks, stuck his head out or the
door and was ordered to jump down,
which he did Then the robber led the
engineer. fireman and Goldsby toward
the express car and made one OF them
blow the side out with a stick of dyna-
mite which he supplied. This train car
ried no money. and has no safe Ihe
robber then made for the mail car and
there discovered Parker, who had hidden
the registered pouches. He shot at him,
and then one Of the pouches was pro-
duced. and the r0bber made of with it,
He unccupled the engine from the train
and ran it to point near Carroiiton
avenue where he abandoned it. The
route Of the engine was marked by mail
pouches and letters which the robber
threw or dropped out as he escaped The
robber was evidently we'll acquainted
with railroading. His face was black
ened. and he was a man little less than
six feet tall, weighing about $50 pounds
He took Conductor KinnebreW'S watch
after he shot him.
GOOD HAUL ON COTTON BELT.
St Louis. Mo, Dec. IA special to
the -Post-Dispatch from Texarkana-
Ark, says:
way occurred at Bassettss Tex, thirty
miles south OF Texarkana, on the train
coming north. in which Postal Clerk
John NJ. Dennis was almost killed and
mail pouches of this car were rifled of
their contents. The amount stolen IS
not known.
As the train left the Bassetts' water
tank the express and mail cars were
separated from the train, but the train
crew soon had them coupled again In
the run from there to Texarkana the
coaches were uncOupled twice in q very
mysterious manner
TJpon the arrival Of the train here the
United States transfer clerk went to the
door OF the mail car and knocked for the
postal clerk to open it.
No response was given from the IL
side. Ofhcials then forced an entrance
to the car and were astonished to find
the clerk, John H Dennis, stretched up
on the floor. apparently dead
A hurried examination showed that
the registered pouches had been ripped
open and robbed of their contents. the
most valuable of which was the Waco
Memphis through pouch. containing
large number of valuable packages
A physician was sent for and it was
found that Dennis was alive, but uncon-
scious- An ugly wound in the top of his
head told the story. Two hours after he
was taken to the hospital, he revived
enough to give the details Of the rob-
berry.
Just as the train parted at Bassett's
tank. Dennis went into the vestibule of
the mail car to stir up the fire. When he
opened the Vestibule door he saw two
men standing by the stove, one of whom
dealt him a terrible blow over the head
with heavy fire shovel. The first blow
felled him. and he was then quickly
beaten into a senseless condition He
knew nothing more until he was remov-
ed to the Texarkana hospital. He is in a
critical condition Examination of the
car showed that the robbers gained en-
trance by crawling through a small tran
door. through the floor of the vestibule.
In the NeStbule IS a crank with which q
person can uncouple the car from an
other and it was the intention of the
robbers to diSconnect and get control OF
both cars 1t is believed.
1t is impossible to tell what the rob-
bers secured, but they made good haul
Officers are on the case, but thele is lit
tie to work on. as the men could have
left the car at three different places be-
fore the train arrived here.
Word reached here that two suspects
have been arrested at Naples. near the
scene of the robbery. but none Of the
stolen packages were found.
Dennis IS an old and trusted mail
clerk
POSTOFFICE ROBBED.
slwood, Ia. Dec. 14.-Burglars enter
60 the postof1ce here early today blew
the safe and escaped with $50 in stamps,
a small amount of cash and $500 worth
of negotiable notes.
BOX OFFICE ATTACKED
Sioux City, Ia, Dec. 14-Durine thA
performance of shore Acres in the
Grand Opera House in this city, lasr
night two masked men entered tba b0-r
office assaulted, beat and shot Trees
urer Harley S-Rounds and escaped with
out getting any cash
THREE ARRESTS MADE
New Orleans. Dec. 14.-Three arrests
were made early today in the vicinity
of the sensational hold-up on the MI
ncis Central in the suburbs of this citv
last night, but none of the suspects has
been identified Two of them bear a
close resemblance to descriptiors f11r
nished Of the robbers, who were said to
be at least two ins number. A black
handkerchief was found on one Of the
meE. A similar article was used for q
mask by one of the robbers
Engineer Smith of the train which
was held up visited police headquarters
today, but was unable to identify the
prisoners. AS the robbers had their
faces covered and 1t was dark when
Smith saw them. his failure to identify
the suspects was not considered surpris-