Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-04-25
Ian EXPRESS TRAIN
ROBBED IN ARKANSAS
Held Up by Six Bandits and sevcral
Thousand Dollars Taken
From Safes.
MESSENGER BRUTALITY TREATED
"eaten Over the Head with tho Butt of
Revolver by One of the Robbers
Negro Porter Is Shot and
Will Probably Die.
MESSENGER BRUTALITY TREATED

Little Rock. Ark. April 25.--The
Choctaw, Oklahoma and Gulf passen-
ger train which was held up at mid
night four miles west of Memphis ar
rived here this morning half an hour
late. Sidney Drew. the negro porter
who was shot by the bandits, was
taken TO hospital. His condition IS
serious and he may die
Express Messenger Meader was bad
ly beaten over the head and shoulders
With pistol, but he was able to con-
tinue the run. The passengers We're
not molested.
Frank w. Haskell, local agent of the
Wells-Fargo Express company, could
rot estimate the amount the robbers
secured. but 1t is said to have been over
$4,000 The train left Memphis at lilac
last night and made the usual stop at
Bridge Junction, Ark. AT this point
Six masked men boarded the train, but
We're not seen by any of the train crew.
When point half Il mile west of the
Iron mountain crossing had been
reached Messenger Meader started tc
ross over from the first car to the one
Where the express safes We're. AS he
opened the door he found himself star
ing into the barrels of two revolvers
and two shotguns and saw four mer
standing on the platform. He was i'm
mediatelS grabbed by one of the rob
bers and his pistol. which he carried In
a belt around his waist. was taken
rom him.
Shooting Begins
About this time the train began to
Glow up and came to a full stop Then
the shooting began The two men who
had boarded the rear of the second car
captured Sidney Drew, the train por-
ter, and made him uncouple at that
point The engineer and fireman hag
been taken care of by this time. I'm
der orders from two of the men, who
had mounted the cab Engineer John
son started up the locomotive and ran
1T with two baggage and express cars
for about a half mile.
The place where the cars stopped is
In the midst of a dense canebrake and
ten or fifteen miles from any habita-
ton. The track Is fifteen feet above
the surrounding country. When the
engine stopped George Ward, a boy
who had been riding on the blind bag
gage, sprang off and started into the
woods a shot from one of the rob-
bers brought him back to the train.
Then, open the local safe, or we will
kin YOU" was the order given to the
messenger by one of the robbers, who
seemed to be the leader. He was very
calm. while the other three We're very
excited and worked like amateurs.
The messenger obeyed and one of the
men who carried a sack placed all tho
contents of the local safe in it.
Now you and the kid get into the
car ahead was the next order. Mea-
der did not seem to move fast enough
to suit the fellow who had him i'm
charge. so he delivered IL few blows
With heavy revolver he carried After
the messenger was in the other car the
robber continued to beat him just for
pure meanness. the messenger says, UNI
TIL he was very badly bruised.
One robber guarded the two prisoners,
while the others We're blowing open the
through safe with nltroglycerine. This
was accomplished in few moments, and
after placing the contents of the safe in
sack the robbers jumped off the car
and with few parting shots disappeared
Into the canebrakes. The engineer ran
back to the rest of the train and as soon
as coupling was made started as fast as
possible for Edmondson, twelve miles
away, the nearest telegraph station.
where the affair was reported to Super
intendent Harris. The superintendent inn
mcdiately wired the convict camp at
Hubert, five mile sthis side of the scene.
OF the hold-up, asking that the blood
hounds there be placed on the trail of the
bandits. Rewards will be offered