Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-22
.D(lD[gI AO[DUP EVER
Five Masked Robbers Stop Rock
Island Train in the City
of Davenport
EXPRESS SAFE WAS BLOWN UP.
$1,000 Taken-Train Stopped by Sig
mailing With Switch Lantern-crew
Compelled to UneoupIe Express and
Mail Car Which Were Run Out of
Town Where Robbery Was Done.

! Chicago, Nov. 22.-General manager
Goodnow of the Rock Island road today
gave out the following official state
ment of the Davenport holdup. Our
passenger express leaving Chicago at
6:05 p. m. yesterday, was stopped about
q mile and half west OF West Daven-
port by man displaying red light,
using a switch lamp taken from the
switch for the purpose Five men
compelled the engineer and fireman to
cut off the mail and baggage cars an1
run two cars further west about q
mile The engineer and fireman were
vers, to go to the express car and open
the door. The baggageman and ex-
pressman were taken from the cars to
the engine and three men left to guard
while two of them blew open the Chi
cago safe Of the United States Express
Company in the express car.
"All the contents of the safe were
taken, the roof and side of the baggage
and express car were badly damaged.
The train was delayed two hours and
| ten minutes.
THE men engaged in the robbery all
wore masks and dark clothes with
slouch hats and kept in the dark as
much as possible, SO from that cause
and owing to the excitement our EN-
ployes are unable to give any descrip-
| ton Of the men except that one was
very tall. slim rawboned man, pos
sibly six feet tall, and three We're medi-
um sized men rather heavy, one was
a short heavy man.
'Po1ice at Davenport and Rock Is
land were promptly notified and were
very quickly on the ground but could
find no wagon tracks leading from the
scene Of the robbery. The supposition
| is that the robbers left the road and
went to the north. The sheriff at Rock
Island with blood hounds was promptly
| on the scene and every effort is being
made to trace the robbers.
! 'eThe robbery occurred just outside
of the city limits Of Davenport. 1t was
the boldest affair that has ever taken
place on this company's lines. Thera
was no one injured.
Railroad and express companies win
offer very large reward for the appre-
hension and conviction Of the rob-
berS."
Loss $1,000.
At the Office of the United States
Express Company it is said the loss
to that company will not exceed $1,000
1t consisted of foNr packages of value
upon which their liability is limited to
$50 each. one $50 package originating
at Rock Island and one package of
value which can not be accurately de-
termined and quantity of Rock Is
land railway tickets.
Davenport, Nov. Pit is reported
the supposed Rock Island train robbers
stole a team and wagon from a farmer
mile from the scene of the robbery.
The robbers drove northwest on a run
and about daylight passed farm house
three or four miles away The farmers
description tallies with that of the
trainmen. The police here have arrests
ed Richard F. Ridley and Luther b
Hayward strangers, on suspicion
Des Moines. Nov. 22-The United
States Express Company officials have
1t is asserted been formally apprfsed
that the loss In the Davenport hold-up
approximates $4,000. The Davenport
officers of the company insist there
were but $500 in the safe