The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-08-02
MAIL CAR 81 OWN UP
BY MASKED BANDITS
a Baltimore and Ohio Train
Held Up.
CAR MEN DODGE BULLETS
Nobody Hurt Either by the Dynamite
or the Bullets
TIERS AN UTTER DeARTH or BOOTY
Beg Your Pardon, They Did Gel the Engineer,
Watch, But ,ha Car Containing the
Object Of Tn j. Search They
NAYrr MT rcd
Never Entered.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Chicago, Ills, July 31.-The Baltimore
and Ohio passenger train from the East
which was due to arrive in the Grand
Central depot, Chicago. at 9 O'Clock to-
night, was held up by five masked men
at O'Clock between Edmore and Grand
Calumet Heights, Ind, thirty-one miles
out from Chicago. One of the mail cars
which contained no money. was dyna-
mited and wrecked.
The attempt at robbery was made
after the two mail cars had been de-
tached from the train and run a quar-
ter of mile ahead. The failure of the
robbers to make a rich haul was due
to the fact that the express car, which
contained the trains treasure. was in
an unusual place. 1t was the third car
in the train. After wrecking the mail
car and obtaining no booty, the rob-
bers disappeared in the darkness with
out attempting to rectify their mis-
take. The only loot that they carried
away with them as a result of their adj
venture was the gold watch of the en-
gineer.
The train was the New York and
Washington vestibule limited. Most of
the trainmen We're shot at and had mar
row escanas from the bullets. No per-
son was injured either by the dynamite
or firearms.
The place where the robbery occurred
is lonely district, in which few people
live. and houses are far between. No
better place for train robbery could
be desired by the robbers
The train was running at high rate
Of speed as it passed Calumet Heights,
and Immediately after passing out of
sight of the station Engineer Collins
saw directly in front of his engine q
large fire, on which some rails had
been placed. He slowed down, and as
he did So, three men wearing masks
over their faces jumped into the cab
and covered Collins and his fireman,
James Whipple with revolvers.
Just before climbing into the cab the
fhree sfnen commenced to fire with their
revo1vers in order to brighten away all
assistance The shots produced the
liveliest kind of panic In the sleeping
cars, where the passengers made every
attempt to hide, their money and valu-
ables before the robbers could get at
them. No attempt was made, how
ever, to rob any of the passengers. The
tusillade had the effect of making them
keep inside the cars.
After mounting into the cab of the
engine, the robbers, covering the engi-
neer and fireman with their revolvers,
made them step down and go back the
length of two cars. They ordered the
men to uncouple the first two cars,
which was done. Then they hustled the
two trainmen back into the cab, and
still keeping the engineer covered with
revolvers, directed him to pull up some
distance from the rest of the train.
Collins ran up two hundred feet and
was then directed to stop. He did so,
and while one of the men remained to
guard him, the others jumped off, and
hurting dynamite at the door of the
car which they judged to be the ex-
press car, burst open the door Hastily
climbing in to get at the safe, they
were astonished to find that they had
broken into mail car. They threatened
the engineer with death for not telling
them that the cars which he had UNI
coupled were not express cars and or
dered him to return at once and UNI
couple the next car behind the baggage
cars Climbing once more into his cab,
Collins backed his engine down. coupled
on to the third car, which the fireman
was made to uncouple at the rear end,
and still with the muzzle of the revol-
yer at his head, Collins was ordered to
run down the track, as before. He
drew away from the balance of the
train about the same distance as on the
first occasion, and the robbers. still
leaving him under the charge OF one
of their number, made for the car.
When they reached it they found to
their great wrath that they had at
tackled another mail car, and that 1T
contained no money. The train had
been delayed now fully thirty minutes,
and. fearing that if they delayed any
longer help would be coming to the
train crew, the robbers gave up their
attempt to rob the train, and jumping
\ down ran into thicket of scrub oaks,
at the side of the track, and dlsap-
peared. The train was hastily made up
and came on to Chicago, arriving here
somewhat late. a stop having been
made at Whiting to report the robbery.
Officers were at once sent after the
robbers, and within an hour AFTER the
robbery a large posse was on their trail.
1t is estimated that S50,0oO was stored
in the express car and it is belleved the
robbers knew of the large amount or
monav and valuableS aboard.