Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-11-25
TRAIN ROBBED N ltHA,
Rock Island Flyer Held Up Near
!. Davenport and Express Car
J. Safe Blown Open.
DOZEN MASKED BANDITS Do The JOB.
-Larre Sums of Money Usually Carried
ON the Train, But Amount stolen
: IL Not Known-Part of the Gang
Guard PassenEers-LnrEe Reward
VIII he offered for Their Capture.

: Davenport, Ia, Nov. 24.-The fast
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific train
No. II was held up two miles west of
Davenport by gang composed of
from IL to Is men. The express car
/, was blown to pieces with dynamite,
Sand the gang, after securing the con-
tents of the express safes, fed. The
train was stopped as it was slowing
up for crossing inside the city linn
its, within mile and a half of the
center of the city. The robbers swung
a red lantern at the crossing, causing
1.-THE engineer to stop entirely instead
OF going on. Three men suddenly
,sprang into the cab, two of them COM
ing over the tender and showing re-
Solvers into the faces of the engineer
and fremen.
Guard Passengers.
As soon as the train came to stand
still part of the robbers stood guard
over the passenger coaches, prevent
ing any interference, while the rest
forced the engineer to start on. They
cut off the express car and hauled it
nearly two miles down the track, and
then ran it on the side track at Dale
station.
The trainmen were held at the point
of revolvers while two men blew open
the express car with dynamite and
proceeded to wreck the safes. The
two explosions that wrecked the car
were heard all over Davenport, but it
was long time before the cause was
known.
All Wore Masks.
The men engaged in the 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 excitement the employees are
unable to give any description of the
men, except that one was very tall,
slim, raw-boned man, possibly six feet
tall, and three were medium-sized men,
rather heavy, and one was a short,
heavy man.
Omcers on the Hunt.
The police at Davenport and Rock Is
land were promptly notified and were
quickly on the ground. but could find
scene of the robbery. The suppose
ton 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.
Loss Net Known.
Des Moines, Ia, Nov.24.-Localof officers
of the United States Express compan,
state that the loss in the holdup of th
stbound passenger train on the Roc
Island system near Davenport at mic
night will not exceed $4,000 or s., OOt
On the other hand. it is stated at tn
local railroad offices here that the los
must have amounted to $4,000 or 500,
600, as the train carried large guam
t;ty of money and jewelry for Omah
and Denver. The railroad and ex
press companies will offer on accoun
of this robbery and delay to the Unite
States mail very large reward TO
the apprehension and conviction of tn
robbers.
Stole a Team. @
Davenport, Ia, Nov. 24.-It has ia.
been learned that men supposed to b
the Rock Island train robbers stole
team and wagon from William Rol
mer, whose farm was reached by a mi
tramp through heavy timber. TT
robbers drove northwest on run, ar
nearly daylight passed a farmhou'
three or four miles away from IL
scene of the robbery. The trail is b
ing followed hard.