The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-04-24
TRAIN ROBBERY t a
FURTHER PARTICULARS or THE
HoLDUP IN ARKANSAS.
Ni-trogIycerin Used To Blow Open the
and Messenger
Wounded-SmaII Booty.

Choctaw, Oklahoma * Gulf passenger train
which was held up about midnight near
Iron Mountain bridge crossing. four and a
half miles west OF Memphis. arrived here at
6:l0 o'clock this morning. half an hour late.
Sidney Drew. the negro porter. who was
shot by the bandits, was taken TO st. Vim
cents Hospital and his wound dressed by
the company's local physician. His condi-
ton is serious and he may die. C.. T. Mead
erin. the express messenger. was badly
beaten over the head and shoulders with a
pistol. hut he was able TO continue his run.
The passengers were not molested. Frank
w. Haskell, local agent for the Wells
Fargo Express Company. could not esti-
mate the amount the robbers secured. but
1t is said TO be over $1,000.
The train left Memphis at n:4o last night.
and after crossing the bridge made the
usual stop at Bridge Junction, Ark. At this
point six masked men boarded the train
but were not seen by any OF the train crew.
Mountain crossing had been reached Mes
senge Meaderin started to cross over from
the first car to the other, where the express
safes were. as he had finished arranging
the baggage. As he opened the door he
Aouhu AllHStil SldilnS INTO the bdlIciS VI
two revolvers and two shotguns and saw
four men standing on the platform. He
was Immediately seized by one of the rob-
bers and his pistol. which he carried in a
belt around his waist. was taken from him.
About this time the train began TO slow
up and came to a full stop. Then shooting
began. The men who had boarded the rear
OF the second car captured Sidney Drew.
the train porter, and made him uncouple at
that point. The engineer and fremen had
been taken care OF by this time. Two OF
the robbers mounted the engine cab and
forced Engineer Johnson TO pull the bag
gage and express cars about half a mile.
The place where the cars stopped is I'm the
midst or a canebrake, and ten or fifteen
miles from any habitation. The track is
raised fifteen feet above the surrounding
country.
When the train stopped George Ward. a
boy who had been riding on the blind bag
gage, sprang off and started into the
woods. A shot from one of the robbers
brought him back TO the train. Then open
the local safe or we Will kill youi' was the
order given TO the messenger by one of the
robbers, who seemed to be the leader. He
was very calm. while the other three were
very much excited and worked like anna
tours. The messenger obeyed and one OF
the men. who carried a sack. placed all the
contents of the local safe I'm IL.
now, you and the kid get into the car
ahead! was the next order. Meaderin drt
not seem to move fast enough TO suit the
tatN WV AAAa nm AA ia 2 81 lt AtlN-
cred a few blows with the revolver he car
ried. While the messenger was. I'm the other
car the robber continued TO beat him. the
messenger says, until he was badly bruised.
He received a very bad cut over the right
eye. One robber stayed to guard the two
prisoners. the other two joining their COM
rades In the express car, where they were
at work on the through safe. which was
locked and could not be opened until Little
Rock was reached. They had about a pint
of nitroglycerin and poured IL I'm the crack
or the safe When aVarVfhinR was raaAV
all left the car and the explosion followed.
1t was a complete success, for the door of
the safe was blown of and hurled twenty
feet away. striking a tree trunk and smash
ing IL. The robbers re-entered the car and
* was but the work of a few moments TO
transfer the contents of the safe to the
sack. Everything was taken. The robbers
then jumped off and with a 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 Edmonson.
twelve miles away, the nearest telegraph
station. where the affair was reported to
superintendent John III. Harris. The SUI
perintendent wired TO the convict camp at
Hulburt, five miles this side of the hold-up,
skiing that the bloodhounds there be
placed on the trail of the bandits. Rewards
will be offered.
Messenger Meaderin. relating his expert
ence, said: Il started 10 the other car and
upon opening the door found two pistols
and two guns pointed in my face. / threw
up my hands. and one Of the robbers
searched me. taking my pistol. About this
time the train stopped. and later. when we
had uncoupled and run ahead. / was made
TO open the local safe with my keys. I
was then ordered into the car ahead and
heard them blow open the safe. They beat
me with their pistols just for meanness. for
/ did all they told me to do without protest.
They had the drop and / did not care TO get
shot. / saw six OF the men and all were
masked. They appeared 10 be young men.
and all were excited but one. who seemed
to be the leader.''
Sidney Drew. the negro porter. lives in
Memphis Tenn. He is shot in the thigh
and may die. He refused TO uncouple the
train when first commanded TO do so, and
one of the robbers fired at him.
George Ward, aged seventeen. who lives
in Cincinnati. got the best look at the rob-
bers and is the only person who saw them
get on the Train. He was riding on tina
blind baggage, trying 10 get to Hot Springs.
He says: when the train stopped at the
railroad crossing / saw the men run out
and jump on. -Four got on the rear end OF
the first car and two on the rear end of the
second car. | paid no attention 70 them un-
til the shooting began. and as soon as the
train stopped / got off and started to run
away, but they saw me and made me come
back"
The Choctaw officials will cooperate with
pense to capture the bandits.
Their Haul Was Small.