The age-herald., 1901-08-01
One of the Mail Cars Was Wrecked But HighWaymeR
 Secured No Booty
DYNAM|TED THE WRONG CAR
After Keeping Train Under Cover for Thirty Minutes and Seeing They Had Missed the Express Car
 the Robbers Departed.

Chicago. July S1.-The Baltimore and Ohio train from the east. which was due to arrive in the Grand Central depot, Chi cago, at o'clock tonight, was held up by five masked men at o'clock tonight be- tween Edgemore and Grand Calumet Heights. Indiana, thirty-one miles out from Chicago One of the mail cars, which contained no money, was dynamited and wrecked. The attempt at robbery was made after the two mail cars had been detached from the train and run quar- ter of a mile ahead. The failure of the robbers Ito make rich haul was due to the fact that the express car, which con tained the trains treasure was in an un- usual place. It was the third car in the train. After wrecking the mail car and obtaining no booty the robbers disap- peared without attempting to rectify their mistake The only loot that they carried away with them as result of their ad- venture was the gold watch of the en- gineer Most of the trainmen were shot at and had narrow escapes from bullets. No person was injured either by the 6yna- mite 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 a train rob bery could be desired by the robbers.
 The train was running at high rate of speed as it passed Calumet Heights. and immediately after passing the station En- gineer 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 cov- cred Collins and his fremen, James Whin- pie. with revolvers.
 Shots Caused Panic.
 Just before climbing into the cah tb. three men commenced to fire with their revolvers in order to frighten away all assistance. The shots produced the live nest Kind of panic in the sleeping cars, where the passengers made every effort to nice their money and yaluables before the robbers could get at them. No at- tempt was made. however, to rob any of the passengers. The fusiilade had the ef- feet of making them keep inside the cars.
 Alter mounting the engine the robbers. covering the engineer 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. They then hustled the two trainmen back into the cab, and still keeping the engineer covered with their revolvers. directed him to pull up some distance from the rest of the train Collins ran up some 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 1t open. Hastily climbing in to get at the safe, they were astonished to find that they had broken into a mail car. They threatened the engineer with death for not telling them that the cars which they had uncoupled were not express cars, anu ordered him to return and uncouple the next car behind the baggage cars. Climb ing once more into his cab Collins backed his engine down, coupled onto the third car which the fireman was made to un- couple at the rear end, and still with the muzzle of revolver at his head Collins was ordered to run down the track as be- fore 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.
 Gave 1t Up.
 When they reached it they found to their great wrath that they had a,tack- ed another mail car and that it contained no money. The train had been delawed fully thirty minutes and evidently fear ing that if they delayed any longer help would be coming to the trains crew, the robbers gave up the attempt to rob the 4vx ox,A 4xtxx. ct at the side of the track and disap- peraed. The train was hastily made up and came on to Chicago arriving here somewhat late, stop having been made a. Whiting to report the attempted rob- bery. Officers were sent after the rob bers and within an hour after the at- tempt a large posse was on their trail Charles A. Cross. conductor of the train. brought into the city tonight several sticks of dynamite that the robbers left at the side of the track
 'I heard some shooting" said the con- ductor, "and looked out to see what was the matter. I saw the engineer and fire man running down the track had no time to look at more than that for saw two flashes of flame close to the car and a bullet went by my head as one of them called out: Keep your head in there if you don't want it blown off
 Certainly" said, "and pulled it in as quickly as I knew how. When I heard the men go off up the track I ex- pected them to go back again in few minutes. However, they had no hrtter luck that time than on the first trip and it was not q robbery of much profit to them"
 F.A. Applegate of Newark O., the ex- press messenger. had no idea that a pob- bery was being attempted until he heard the shooting on the outside. He then seized a r1fie and climbed on the top of the safe. He was not molested in any way. however He said there was con- siderable gold and silver in the car and that the robbers might have secured rich booty if they had como to the right place.
 Local express officers refused to say how much money sxhsre was 1n the car.