The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-01
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Robbers Held Up a B. & 0. Pas
senger Train
Thirty-One Miles Out of Chi
cage, Last Night.
BLEW OPEN MAIL CAR.
Under the Belief That It Was
the Express.
Repeated the Mistake, Got
Frightened and Left.
BLEW OPEN MAIL CAR.

chicago aug. line aAluAOES q
Ohio passenger train from the east,
which was due to arrive in the Grand
Central station. Chicago. at O'Clock
last night, was held up by five masked
men at O'Clock between Edgmere and
Grand Calument Heights, Indiana. 81
miles out from Chicago. One of the
mail cars, which contained no money,
was dynamited and wrecked. The at
tempt at robbery was made after the
two mail cars had been detached from
the train and run a quarter of a mile
ahead. The failure Of the robbers to
make q rich haul was due to the fact
that the express car, which contained
the trains treasurer was in an unusual
place. It was the third car in the train
After wreclxing the mail car and OBJ
tanning no booty the men disappeared
in the darkness without attempting to
rectify their mistake. The only loot
that they carried away with them as
result of their adventure was the gold
watch Of the engineer
The train was the New York and
Washington vestibuled limited. Most of
the trainmen We're shot at and had
narrow escapes from the bullets. No
person was injured either by the dyna-
mite or firearms. The place where the
robbery occurred is a lonely district
where houses are far between
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 J. w
Collins saw directly in front OF his en-
CINE 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
three men commenced to fire with their
revolvers. to frighten away all assist
ance. The shots produced the ltveliest
kind of panic in the sleeping cars,
where the passengers made every effort
to hide their money and valuables be-
fore the robbers could get at them. No
attempt was made. however to rob any
Of the passengers.
After mounting into the cab OF the
engine the robbers, covering the engi-
neer and fireman with their revolvers,
made them step down and 60 back the
length of two cars. They ordered the
men to uncouple the first two cars,
which was done They then hustled the
two trainmen back into the cab, and
stin keeping the engineer covered with
revolVers, directed him to pull up some
distance from the rest of the train.
Engineer Collins ran UP 200 feet and
was then directed to stop. He did So
and while one OF the men remained to
guard him and the others jumped off
and hurled dynamite at the door of the
car which they judged to be the express
car, and burst it open Hastily climb
ing in to get at the safe. they were as
tonished to find that they had broken
into a mailcar.
They threatened the men with death
for not telling them that the cars
which he had uncoupled were not ex-
press cars, and ordered him 70 return
at once and uncouDle the next car be-
hind the baggage cars. Climbing once
more into his cab Collins backed his en-
CINE down, coupled onto the third car
which the fireman, was made to un-
couple at the rear end and still with
the muzzle of the revolver at his head
track as before. fe drew away from
the remainder of the train about the
same distance as on the first occasion
and the robbers. still leaving him under
charge of one of their number, attacked
the other car When they reached it
they found to their great wrath, that
they had opened another mail car, and
that 1t contained no money. The train
had been delayed now fully thirty min
utes 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 ran
into a thiclzet of scrub oaks at the side
of the track and disappeared.
The train came on to Chicago and
oHcers were at once sent after the rob-
ebrs. Within an hour after the robbery
a large posse was on their trail.
Charles A.. Cross. conductor of the
train, brought into the city several
sticks of dynamite that had been left
by the robbers at the side of the track
F. A Applegate of Newark. O.. was
the express messenger, and was alona
in his car. He had no idea that a rob
berry was being attempted. He said
that there was considerable gold and
silver in the car and that the robbers
might have secured quite a sum IL they
had come to the right place.
Local express officers refused to say
how much there was in the car.
It is estimated that $4,000 was stored
in the express car and It Is believed the
robbers knew Of the large amount of
money and valuables aboard. After
leaving the train the robbers turned
toward Lake Michigan. It is believed
they made their Anal escape in a boat