Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-09-05
COTTON BELT TRAIN HELD
AND EXPRESS CAR ROBBED.
BANDITS EVIDENTLY BETTER Ac-
QrAfNTED WITH RAILROAD
ING THAN ROBBERY.
TWO BIG SACKS OF BOOTY.
PACIFIC EMPRESS OFFICIAL AD-
MIrs THAT AMOUNT sE-
CURED WAS LARGE.


FORT WORTH. Texas, September 4.
The Cotton Belt passenger train.
south-bound, due TO leave Texarkana
at 9:25 O'Clock last night, was delayed
in its departure and did not get out I'M
til Ii O'Clock. 1t reached the Texas &
Pacific crossing, four miles south of
Toxarkana. about III 20 D. m. As Ii
stopped, six men boarded the rain.
Two of these got on the engine and
compelled the engineer and fireman to
go back and cut the mail and express
cars from the train. When this had
been done, the six men boarded the en-.
CINE, left the fireman with the train
and the engineer was instructed to pull
out south. The train was run to Eylau,
n small siding where n stop was made.
While one man guarded the engine,
the others went back to the express
car. forced the doors and blew open tho
safe. They took their time at the work.
and when they had concluded. returned
to the locomotive with two sacks
heavy with booty. These they tossed
on the engine. Turning to the engin-
eer n OF them said:
I'VE will Just leave you here. You
are not the only engineer In this crowd,
and | guess we can run the machine a
few miles without your assistance.
When you locate your wagon. figure
the run in on your mileage, as we wont
put in time for the run we make"
Putting out the headlight, the bandit
engineer opened the throttle and pull
ed out. Engineer Henderson was left
with the express and mail cars and
the messenger and postal clerk. He
made his way to a section house nea
the scene and procuring n handcar and
some assistance in propelling 1t, start
ed on a search for the locomotive.
At a point south of Rowan, within
four miles of Redwater. they came
upon the deserted engipe- on thAma
track, throttle closed. lights out and no
one In sight. The engine was Mt the
bottom of a grade and either had been
deserted or been left at a point further
north and was allowed by its own
weight to seek the level track. Engln-
Ger Henderson took possession, backed
to the express and mail cars and cou-
| pied up.
The train was not put together until
early this morning. Some time after
midnight Henderson succeeded in get
| ting his engine and the two cars back
to where the first stop was made by the
robbers, and the train proceeded south
to Mount Pleasant, the division point.
There a full report was made and the
officials of the company ordered every
thing done possible to locate the rob-
bers.
In the meantime Conductor ARM
strong and several passengers had
walked back to Texarkana and given
the alarm. Without delay the sheriff
organized a posse and started In pur-
suit, and the conductor returned to his
train.
The passengers were no molested.
While superintendent Puss. Of the
Pacific Express Company, admits that
the robbers secured much money, he re-
fused to make a statement.
The work was done by men more ex-
perienced In %railroading than In rob-
berry. They knew the stops Of the train
and were prepared for the emergency
thus presented. 1t was not necessary
for them to flag the engineer. and when
he stopped for the crossing they climbed
aboard. They were armed, but did not
make unnecessary display of their
weapons. All were masked and each
wore a coat. The country where the
hold-up occurred is densely wooded, SO
that the robbers have had an opportu-
ity to double on their tracks through the
tim her and hide their route.