New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-08-12
SHOT DEAD IN HIS CAR.
EXPRESS MESSENGER MURDERED AND
SAFE ROBBED ON A TRAIN NEAR
COLUMBUS, OHIO.

Columbus Ohio. Aug IA daring murder and
robbery were committed on Pennsylvania passen-
ger train No s, which arrived here from St Louis
AZ 11,sO o'clock last night. Charles Lane an Adams
77nrezs messenger formerly OF St Louis, but re-
Gently q resident OF Columbus. was shot and killed
shortly before the train reached the Union stauon
.n this city and the local safe was ronoed OF al
the money and valuables which 1t contained The
robbers escaped, and. they were not seen by any
Iv4ne person so far as now known the AFFAIR Is
sbrouded in mystery. How much booty the roooers
secured IS purely matter OF speculation Inc saIe
robbed contained only the packages OF money ana
valuables collected after the train left st LOUIS.
and the officials Of the express company insist that
rbA sum was not large All the money forwarded
from St Louis and points west in sealed saIe
which was not disturbed by the robbers, probably
for the reason that they did not have time
The crime was not discovered until the tram
,,1led into the Union Station here. When an extra
messenger, named Sheldon, Of the Adams transfer
once at the station went TO the car, he was sur
prised TO find the side door which Is usually opened
nv the messenger as the train pulls into the sta
ion closed Pushing the door back, Sheldon was
s4ar+lad bv the sight of Lanes body, lying race
downward in q pool Of blood between the stove ana
the side OF the car. in the forward END Inc oooy
uss found to have been riddled with bullets ana
there were evidences that desperate struggle had
.at,er place No less than eight bullet WOUNDS
we're found three in the right side Of the back one
a. the left side and four in the right leg II seemed
that two Of the bullets might have been nreo INTO
the mans back as he lay on the floor Inc oullets
extracted were OF Ss-caiibre. The robbers hao
tsken the key TO the local safe from the messen-
gers pocket opened the safe and looted II OF
everything Of probable value. The key was leIt
sticking in the safe door. The messengers revol-
.er with two chambers emptied. was found in the
safe, where It had probably been laid by the ROD
hers after being wrenched from his hand
The murder was probably committed just after
4he train left Milford Centre. twenty-eight miles
-,est OF Columbus where IL is believed the ROBBERS
Tlrrxy AZ
.aw and talked with Lane there When the body
-zas discovered here it was cold and the blood was
elotted showing that death had occurred at least
half hour previously. Lane had washed ana
changed his clothes preparatory 10 leaving the
train when attacked by the robbers. MS ne prop
ably did near Milford Centre
The robbers had no difficulty in getting into the
car after boarding the train as the end door mao
been left open On account OF the neat Inc Idln
made only two stops between Milford Centre and
Columbus one az Plain City and the other at Mar
bic Cliff the latter five miles out Of the city.
At the latter place the train was tagged to take
on passenger, an old nan. The police were az
rst inclined 70 the belief that the E0GoeGs g9t on
do not entertain that theory. They thlnk II more
P rGpae ievr tlA m &c Coming into the city
All the city detectives were Immediately sent out
ing al the neighboring country. How many Of the
robbers there were is not known nnI II IS G0slo
cred certain there were al ledst Two oSCeuse %
fhe number Of bullets fred into the body OF the
Eariy this morning two tramps were found in q
t1oxcar near Marble Cliff and sent in on suspicion,
do with the crime. Lane, the murdered messenger,
was tWenty-eight years Old and LETT VIE ana
The express officials profess TO be unable to make
an estimate Of the loss saying that until the way
Louis have been checked there IS no way IN Which
Al engine which was sent out on the line early
today in an effort 10 secure some trace OF the
rnlrderers returned about daylight without having
seen or heard Of anything TO lead TO clew: Inc
press officials, well as the police departments
TO capture the men. Every suspicious character is
being picked up bvt ssDs fsr - IS not thought the
right persons have been secured.
The only Bit OF light thrown the affair is by
5ohn Fletcher, baggagemaster on the train: VINO
-cs e ,La 6ofics are looking for four persons
made the following statement to-day:
After we left Crbara everything went wei until
COMING along the tfa there being two or three Of
them one man stepped On g piece Of rotten wood
got under wav We stopped at Plain City and
Sfiltord, and I heard no unusual sounds. After We
tried the door Of the express car but found that it
Lane had freight against II. We stopped at Marble
Ctr and there saw two men running toward the
train one was an old man. and the other young
fellow. Both were dressed in dark clothes"
sors The bandits overlooked or purposely left
large quantity Of silver bullion and a number OF
been pressed for time in their operations. In add
ZION 10 the Two suspects arrested here. four men
are held az PLAIN City.
Chicago. Aug. L.-Local officials Of the Adams
Express Company are in possession of no new facts
concerning the robbery Of the Pennsylvania express
csr near Columbus. Ohio. last night, and the muir
der Of the messenger Lane. They state that the
Ts-ee sT5no and hat he losses rrohatv viii nor he
known until shippers make their claims.