Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-22
BANDITS ROB EXPRESS
Held Up Train Near Daven-
port, Iowa,
ON ROCK ISLAND ROAD
BLOW OPEN THE SAFE WITH
DYNAMITE.
Run Engine and Express Car Down
Run Engine and Express Car Down
Track and Escape-Posse
in Pursuit.

DAVENPORT. Iowa. November 22-
Train No. II, west bound, on the Rock
Island road, the regular ST. Joseph and
Kansas City express, was held up at IL 80
o'clock last night three miles west Of this
city by masked bandits, who cut OFF the
express and baggage cars, forced the en-
gineer to run two miles up the track blew
up the through express safe with dynamite
and escaped with their booty. The amount
Is not known. but as this train generally
carries a heavy shipment it is presumed
the sum was considerable.
AT daylight this morning no definite clew
to the robbers had been obtained, but the
police forces Of Davenport. Moline and
Rock Island. together with a corps of
railroad detectives. were on the trail.
According to different reports there were
twelve or fifteen in the gang. The train,
which was due to leave here at 1923 o. m
was thirty-five minutes late and pulled out
Tor the west after a short halt 1t had
Just passed through the village of Rocking
nam. on the outskirts of the Rock Island
railroad yards, when the engineer saw a
req lantern on the track and brought his
train to a stop.
Two Robbers Sprang Aboard.
AS he slowed down two robbers sprang
on the footboard of the engine and covered
him and the fireman with revolvers. While
the engine crew was thus kept quiet others
OF the gang menaced the crew and passen-
gers III the coaches. One of the bandits
uncoupled the express and baggage cars
from the rest OF the train, and then the en-
glneer was ordered to pull out Two miles
west OF Rockingham there is a stretch of
heav1ly timbered country, and in this the
engineer was ordered to stop. The bandits
70 rsy;{t
using an extremely heavy charge The
noise OF the explosion was heard in Daven-
port.
After wrecking the safe the robbers
track. 1t was reported that they left the
locomotive at small station called Buff
falo and escaped in the darkness.
The train was the fast west bound ex-
last night, and which runs through to
Fort Worth, Texas. via st. Joseph and
Kansas City.
The name Of the engineer Is shafrers and
the conductor Is Trumbull. Both are with
their train, which proceeded west after
delay Of two hours.
The explosion badly damaged the car.
but. so far as known, no one was Injured
The News in Chicago.
CHICAGO, November 22.-At the Rock
Island offices here early today it was said
that only meager details Of the hold-up had
been received. Reports from Davenport to
the officials of the company say that when
train No. II, which left Chicago yesterday
evening, was leaving the West Davenport
yards the bandits stopped it and cut Off the
express, mail and baggage cars
Then they evidently commanded the en-
gtnemen to run west, for that part of the
train left at high rate Of speed. At an
early hour this morning the officials here
had not been advised that the engine and
two cars had been located
1t was not possible to learn what amount
OF money, If any, was in transit in the ex-
press car, or whether there had been any
losses. 1t was said the passengers were not
molested.
Mr.. Goodnow's Statement.
General Manager c. A. Goodnow of the
Rock Island road today gave out the fol-
lowing official statement Of the Davenport
hold-up:
"Our No. II, leaving Chicago at 6O5
pm. yesterday for Ft. Worth, Texas, via
Kansas City, was stopped about a. mile
and a half west Of West Davenport by a
man displaying red light. using switch
lamp taken from the west switch of the
yard in the vicinity for that purpose
Five men compelled the engineer and
fireman to cut off the mail and baggage
cars and run the two cars farther west
about one mile. The engineer and fire.
man were then compelled at the point of
revolvers, to go to the express car and
open the door. The baggageman and ex-
press man were taken from the cars to the
engine and three men left to guard them
and the engineer and fireman while two
blew open the Chicago 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 ex-
press car was badly damaged, about fif-
teen feet of the roof being entirely blown
Off The train was detained two hours
and ten minutes.
Robbers Wore Masks.
1.-THE men engaged in this robbery all
wore masks, dark clothes and SLOUGH hats
and kept in the dark as much as possible,
SO from that cause and owing to the ex-
any description of the men, except that one
was a very tall, slim. raw boned man. pos
sibly six feet tall, and three were medium
short, heavy man.
THE police 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.
cutting through cornfield The sheriff at
Rock Island, with bloodhounds was
promptly on the scene and every effort is
being made to trace the robbers.
The robbery occurred just outside the
city limits of Davenport, and Is the bold
est affair that has ever taken place on this
company's lines. There was no one in
jured.
"The railroad and express companies will
offer, on account of this robbery and delay
to the United States mail, very large re-
ward for the apprehension and conviction
of the robbers"