The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1901-04-26
SIX BOLD BANDITS
HOLD UP A TRAIN
"Open the Local Safe, or We'll
Kill You"
THAT SAFE WAS OPENED
After Appropriating Its Contents,
They Blew UP tho Express Safe,
Transferred Its Contents to Their
Bag and Made Their Escape.

Transferred Its Contents to Their
Bag and Made Their Escape.
LITTLE Rock, April 23-The Choctaw.
Oklahoma and Gulf passenger train was
held up at midnight near Iron Mountain
crossing, ~ miles west Of Memphis,
and arrived here at 6:lo this morning,
half an hour late.
Sydney Drew, the porter. who was
shot by the bandits, was taken co St.
Vincent's hospital and his wound
dressed by the comloany's local ply
slcian. His condition is serious ana ho
may die.
o. z. Maader, the express messenger,
was badiy beaten over the head and
shoulders with n pistol, but ho was able
to continue his run.
The passengers were not moles ed.
Frank ". Haskell, the local agent Of
the WellsFargo Express company, could
not estima.te the amount the robbers So.
cured, but it is said TO be over $4,000.
story OF tho Holdup.
Tho train left Memphis at 1l:t0 last
night, aud after crossing the bridge,
madc the Usual stop az Bridge Junction,
Ark. At this point six masked men
boarde d the train but were nos seen b.
ANY o. the rrain crew. Wuen Il point Il
halt t.;. mile west of Iron Mountain cross
ing had been reachs ed, Messenger Mea-
Ger stated TO cross over from the first
car 10 uhe other, where the express safes
were, as Ee had finished arranging the
baSHf Te. AS he opened the door he
Iouut himself Starring into the barrels
OF uw o revoiverS and two ShutguES and
saw bur men sanding OH the platform.
He was grabbed by one of the robbers,
and his pistol, which ho carried il Il
belt around his waisI, was taken from
him.
About this timo tho train began to
SLOW up and camo to a full slo3.. Then
shooting le;sin. Two men who had
boarded the rear end Of the second car
captured Sidney Drew, the train porter,
ana nade him uncuUpio nt that point.
Inc engineer Eui fireman had been
taken care OF by this time. Two Of tho
robbers rnouISed tho engine cab ard
forced Engir eer Johnson TO lul tna
baggage ana express cars ahoG5 half y
milo. The pi s.'e where tie cars stopped
Is III tho nldS nt Il dense caneUrGke and
10 or ID miles. from any liuhitation. The
track is raised l5 tect above the sur.
rounding country. When the engine
stopped GcosSo Ward. Il boy who had
been riding um the blind baggage, sprang
Off and started in to the woods. y shot
from one o. the robbers brought him
back to the train.
Command Promptly Obeycd.
Then "Open the local safe, or we will
kill you'll! was the order given to the
messenger by ono of the robbers, who
seemed To be the header. He was very
calm, while the other three were very
much exctIed and worked like amateurs
Inc messenger obeyed, and one of the
men, who carried Il sack, placed all the
contents of the local safe in If.
Now, you ana the kid get into the
car anead," was the next order. Mea-
der did not seem TO move fast enough to
sui5 the rooAer who had him in charge,
SO he delivered q few blows with the
heavy revolver he carried. After the
messenger was in the other car the rob.
Der continued 10 beat him. the messen.
ger says. until he was badly bruised,
He received lad cut over the right
eye.
With hNi;ro-Glycerine.
One robbcr stayed TO guard the two
prisoners. the other two joining their
comrades in the express car, where they
were at work on thr through safe, which
was locked and cou1i not be opened IN.
til Little Rock was reached. They had
about pln5 OF nitro .glyccrine and
poured it in tho cracks OF the safe.
When everything was ready, nil left ,he
car and the eIplos 4on followed. 1t WAS
complete success. for the door OF the
safe was blown off and hurled go feot
away, striking tree trunk and smash
ing it. The robbers re.entered the car,
and 1t was but rhe work of few mo-
ments TO transfer the contents of the
safe to the sack. Everything was taken.
The robbers then jumped off and with
few parting shots disappeared into the
canebrakes.
The engineer ran back to the rest of
the train and as soon as the coupling
was made started as fast as possible for
Edmiston, II miles away, the next tele-
graph station. where the affair was re-.
ported to osuperintendont John H. Harris.
The Immediately
to the convict camp at Hubert, miles
this side of the scene of the hold-up,
asking that the bloodhounds there be
placed on the trail of the bandits. Re-