The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1900-12-19
TWO BOLD ROBBERIES.
Illinois Central Fast Mail Held Up
by Masked Men at Outskirts
of New Orleans.

OF new Orleans.
New Orleans, La, Dec. 1.-THE Chi
cago limited on the Illinois Central was
held up last night at Carrollton avenue
on the outskirts of the city by masked
men.
The mail and express cars were blown
open with dynamite, and the former was
rified of its contents.
Conductor Kennebrew was badly
wounded. He was shot in the back be-
cause he did not obey orders to uncoupie
the train. None of the passengers was
disturbed and knew nothing of the hold
up until the heavy charge of dynamite
was fired. Then they pulled down the
blinds and kept quiet.
A large squad Of police and detectives
got to the scene of the holdup in few
minutes and succeeded in arresting six
men, who are held at headquarters. Four
OF them are negroes.
1t is not known just how many men
took part in the holdup They all wore
snort, black masks, and are supposed to
last stop before New Orleans. The lead
er OF the gang evidently got on in front
OF the mail car, next the tender.
Plan Appeared Well Laid.
The plan was we'll laid, and when a
point near the railroad crossing at Car
rolltOn avenue was reached the leader
craWled up over the coal tender to the
engine, and, covering the engineer and
fireman, ordered them to stop the train.
They complied. The other men iumned
from the train.
Conductor kennebrew also left one of
the rear coaches and was immediately
covered by several revolvers. He was
ordered to uncouple the train. He did
not step quick enough and a bullet was
fired into his back.
The robbers then uncoupled the train
back of the tender, and the leader, who
was still on the engine, ordered the en-
gineer to ''pull out'' The engineer com
pied and kept pulling OUT until or
dered to stop half mile away Here
tne leader OF the gang jumped off and
hurried away in the darkness.
Meantime the rest of the gang was hur-
rylng matters, and after demand On
the express messenger and mail clerks
TO open up, which was not complied with.
pig charges of dynamite were placed I'M
der the cars and touched off, The ex-
press car was badly shattered. but the
express officials claim the robbers got
nothing there,
Inc mall car was not badly injured,
but an entrance was effected and all the
mail pouches were cut open. Some
seyenty-hye or hundred pieces of regis
tered mail were carried away.
While this was going on the fagman
of the train escaped and went down the
track to flag another train. He was met
by the robbers and relieved Of his watch.
railroad and city detectives and Unit
ed states secret service men by the score
are working on the case
Rob Texas Mail Car.
IeXarkana, Ark, Dec. IA bold rob
berry on the Cotton Belt railway was
at Bassett, Tex, thirty miles
south of TeXarkana. on the train COM
ing north, in which Postal Clerk John n
Dennis was almost killed and the mail
pouches of his car rified of their con-
tents. The amount stolen was consider
able
As the train left the Bassett water
tank at g a. m. 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
ferrous manner
Upon 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 inside. Officials then
forced an entrance to the car and found
the clerk, John n. Dennis, stretched upon
the floor apparently dead.
The registered packages had ueen
ripped open and robbed of their contents,
the most valuable of which was the
Waco-Memphis through pouch, contain
inc q large number Of valuable packages.
It was found that Dennis was alive.
but unconscious, with an ugly wound in
the top of his head Two hours after he
was taken to the hospital he revived
enough to give the details of the robbery.
Beaten with Fire Shovel.
Just as the train parted at Bassett 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
by the stove one of whom dealt
him blow over the head with heavy
fire shovel. The first blow felled him and
he was then beaten into senseless cou-
1itiOn. He knew nothing more until he
was removed to the TeXarkana hospital.
He is in a critical condition.
Examination of the car showed that
the robbers gained entrance by crawling
through a small trap door through the
floor of the vestibule. In the vestibule is
1 crank with which the cars can be I'M
coupled, and it was evidently the inten-
ton of the robbers to disconnect and get
control Of both cars.
Officers are on the case, but there is
title to work on. as the men could have
eft the car at three different places be-
ore the train arrived here.
Word reached here later that two sus-
,ects have been arrested at Naples, near
he scene Of the robbery, but none Of the
tOlen packages We're found.