The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-04-26
TRAIN ROBBERS MAKE RICH
HAUL.
TAKE EVERYTHING IN SIGHT
Masked Men Rob Express Safe
on Gulf Road and
Escape.

Little Rock, April 23.-It is stated
that over $4,000 was secured in the
hold-up of the Choctaw, Oklahoma &
Gulf passenger train at midnight zeal
the Iron Mountain crossing, four and
one-half miles west of Memphis.
Sidney Drew, the negro porter, who
was shot by the bandits, was taken to
st. Vincent's hospital. His condition
is crltical. G. T. Meader, the express
messenger, was badly beaten over the
head and shoulders. with a pistol but
he was able to continue his run. The
passengers were not molested.
Six masked men boarded the train,
which left Memphis at 11:4O last
night, when it made the usual stop at
Bridge Junction, Ark, after crossing
the Mississippi river bridge. Half a
mile west of Iron Mountain crossing
Messenger Meader started to pass
from the first car to the second, where
the express safes are. AS he opened
the door he was confronted by four
men, with two revolvers anu two shot
guns. One of the gang grappled with
Meader and secured the pistol he car
ried in a belt around his waist. The
train began to slow vi and oon cana
to a full stop. Then the shooting be.
gan.
The two men on the rear of the sec
ond car captured Sidney Drew, the
train porter, and made him uncouple
the cars. Under orders from two Of
the men who had mounted the cab,
Engineer Johnson pulled the two Dag
gage and express cars about half a
mile away from the rest of the train
to a dense canebrake, ten or Is miles
from any habitation. When the en-
CINE stopped, George Ward. a boy who
had been riding on the blind bag
gage sprang off and started into the
woods. A shot brought him back to
the train. open the local safe or we
will kill you," shouted the leader of
the gang to the messenger.
The messenger obeyel and one of
the men placed the contents of the safe
in a sack. Now, you and the kid get
into the car ahead" was the next or
der. Meader did not seem to move
fast enough to suit the bandit, and he
fell upon Meader with the butt of the
ICVolNCl, Will WlIlCu IHc nlcSSGuSSI
was severely beaten over the head
and neck. The boy covered in a cor
ner of the car and was not attacked.
Meanwhile four of the gang were at
Worn on the through safe in the sec
ond car About a pint of nitro-glycer-
inc was poured into the edges of the
door. The fuse was lighted and all
left the a The door of the safe was
blown off and hurled through the side
OF the car. striking a tree 20 yards
away. 1t was 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 disap-
peared into che canebrakes.
Engineer Johnson ran back to the
rest of the train and as soon as the
coupling was made pulled away for
Edmonson, the nearest telegraph sta
ton, IL miles distant. The affair was
reported to Superintendent Harris
who Immediately secured a pack of
b%loodhounds and hurried to the scene
Detectives have been working all
day at the of the robbery, but
so far no arrests have been made.
1t is stated by a official of the
Wells Fargo Express company that
the bandits secured less than 800. The
company has a standing reward which
will apply in this case.
1t is thought the robbery was the
work of sever lei