Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-04-24
SIX DARING BANDITS
TOOK AWAY BIG BOOTY.
HELD UP THE CHOCTAW EXPRESS
ON THE CHOCTAW, OKLAHO-
MA e. GULF.
SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS
SECURED BY BLOWING THE
THROUGH EXPRESS SAFES
WITH GLYCERINE.


stated that over $4,000 was secured in
the hold-up of the Choctow, Oklahoma
and Gulf passenger train last midnight
near Iron Mountain crossing, four and
half miles west Of Memphis. The
train reached Little Rock half an hour
late at six O'Clock this morning
Sidney Drew, the negro porter, who
was shot by the bandits was taken to
st. Vincent's hospital where his wound
was dressed. His condition is SER
ious.
C. T. Meader, the express messenger,
was badly beaten over the head and
shoulders with a pistol but was able
to continue his run The passengers
were not molested.
Six masked men boarded the train
(Which left Memphis at 11:4O last
night when it made the usual stop
at Bridge Junction, Ark, after cross
ing the Mississippi river bridge. They
escaped observation. When a point
half a mile west of Iron Mountain
crossing had been reached, Messenger
Meader started to pass from the first
car to the second where the express
safes were, as he mad finished arrang-
ing the baggage AS he opened the
door he was confronted by four men in
whose hands were two revolvers and
two shot guns. One of the gang CRAP
pied with Meader and secured the pis-
toll he carried in his belt around his
waist.
About this time the train began to
slow UP and soon came to a full stop.
Then shooting began. The two men
who had boarded the rear of the second
car captured Sidney Drew, the train
porter and made him uncouple the cars.
Under orders from two Of the men who
had mounted the cab, Engineer Johnson
pulled the two baggage and express
cars about half mile away from the
balance of the train to point in the
midst of a dense canebreak and ten
or fifteen miles from any habitation.
When the engine stopped, George
Ward, boy who had been riding on
the blind baggage car, sprung off and
started into the woods. A shot from
one of the robbers brought him back
to the train.
"Open the local safe or we will kill
you," shouted the leader of the gang to
the messenger. The messenger obeyed
and one of the men placed the contents
of the local safe in a sack.
Now you and the kid get into the
car ahead was the next order. Mead
er did not seem to move fast enough to
suit the bandit, who had MIN in charge
and he fell upon Meader with the butt
of a revolver with which the express
messenger was severely beaten over the
head and back. The boy, frightened
almost out Of mis- senses, covered in a
corner of the car and was not attacked.
Meanwhile, four of the gang were at
work on the through safe, in the second
car About pint OF nitro glycerine
was poured into the edges of the door.
When everything was ready fuse was
lighted and all left the car.
A terrible explosion followed. The
door Of the safe was blown off and
hurled through the side of the car,
striking tree twenty yards away. The
robbers then re-entered the car and it
was the work OF few moments to
transfer the contents Of the safe to the
sack. Everything was taken The rob-
bers then jumped off and with few
parting shots disappeared into the cane
brakes.
Engineer Johnson ran both to the
rest of the train and as soon as the
coupling was made pulled away for
Edmonson, the nearest telegraph sta
ton, twelve miles distant. Here the
affair was reported to Superintendent
Harris, who Immediately secured pack
of Ibloodhounds and hurried to the
scene.
Messenger Meader says:
4 was made to open the local safe
with my keys. was then ordered in
to the car ahead and heard them blow
open the safe. They beat me with their
pistols for meanness, for did all they
told me to do without protest They
had the drop and | did not care to get
shot. l saw six Of the men and all
were masked. They appeared to be
young men. All were excited, but the
one who seemed to be the leader"
Sidney Drew, the negro porter, whose
home is in Memphis, was shot in the
thigh and may die. He refused to IN
couple the train when frst commanded
to do so and one of the robbers fred
al him