Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-08-08
A TRAIN Held Up.
Masked Men Stop a Train Thirty.
One Miles from Chicago.


Chicago, Aug. 1.-The Baltimore 4
Ohio passenger train from the east.
which was due to arrive in the Grand
Central depot at Chicago at nine
o'clock last night, was held up by
five masked men at eight o'clock last
night between Edgmere and Grand
Calumet Heights, Ind, 81 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 detached from the train
and run quarter of mile ahead.
The failure OF the robbers to make
rich haul was due to the fact that
the express car, which contained the
trains treasure, was in an unusual
place. NJ was the third car in the
train. After wrecking the mail car
and obtaining no booty the bandits
disappeared in the darkness without
attempting to rectify their mistake.
The only loot that they carried away
with them as result of their adj
venture was the gold watch Of the
engineer.
The train was running at high
rate Of speed as it passed Calumet
Heights, and Immediately after pass
ing out of sight of the station Engi-
neer J. w. Collins saw directly in
front Of his engine 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 the fireman, James Whip
pie, with revolvers.
After mounting into the cab Of the
engine the robbers, covering the en-
gineer and fireman with their re-
volvers, 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. They
then: hustled the two trainmen back
into the cab and. still keeping the
engineer covered with revolvers, d.
rected 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, the Others jumped off
and, hurting dynamite at the door OF
the car which they Judged to be the
express car, burst open the door
Hastily climbing in to get at the
safe, they werdastonished 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 uncoupled were
not express cars, and ordered him
to return at once and uncouple the
next car behind the baggage car
once more into the 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 revolver at his head,
Collins was ordered to run down the
track as before. He drew away from
the balance of the train about the
distance as on the first occa-
sion and. the robbers still leaving
him under the charge OF one of their
attacked the other car.
When they reached it they found, to
their great wrath, that they had
opened another mail car and that It
contained no money. The train had
been delayed now fully 80 minutes
and, fearing that II 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 thicket of scrub oaks at the
side Of the track and disappeared.
The train came on to Chicago and
officers were at once sent after the
robbers. Within an hour after the
robbery q large posse was on their
trail