New-York tribune., 1902-11-23
TRAIN ROBBED NEAR CITY
AN EXPRESS HELD UP THREE MITES
FROM DAVENPORT. IOWA.
AFTER BLOWING Up THE BAGGAGE CAR
AND CAPTURING CONTENTS OF Ex-
PRESS SAFE THE BANDITS ESCAPE
on A LOCOMOTIVE

Davenport. Iowa. Nov. 22-Train No. H. west
bound. the Rock Island road the regular St
Joseph and Kansas City express was held up at
L 30 o'clock last night. three miles west this
citv by masked bandits who cut off the express
and baggage cars, forced the engineer 10 run two
miles Up the track blew up the through express
safe with dynamite, and escaped with their booty.
The train. which was due to leave here at 1923
2 n. thirty-fve minutes late. and pulled out
for the West after short halt. 1t had just
nsssed through the suburban village of Rocking
ham. the outskirts OF the Rock Island rail-
road yards when the engineer saw A red lantern
on the track, and brought his train a stop.
As he slowed down two robbers sprang the
,oo+board OF the engine and covered him and the
fireman with revolvers. While the engine crew
was thus kept quiet others of the gang menaced
me crew and passengers in the coaches. One of
the bandits uncoupled the express and baggage
cars from the rest of the train and then the eng-
neer was ordered TO start his engine. Two miles
west OF Rockingham there is a stretch of heavily
riubered country. and in this the engineer was
ordered to come TO halt. The bandits blew up
the through safe with dynamite. and used ex-
+remely heavy charge. The noise of the explosion
was heard in Davenport.
After wreckng the safe the robbers mounted the
engine and ran It down the track.
The train was the fast westbound express, which
left Chicago at 6:05 o'clock last night and which
runs through Fort Worth, Tex. by way of St
Joseph and Kansas City. The name of the eng-
Dser Is Shaffer, and the conductor is named Trum-
hull The train was delayed two ho-rs. Men who
answered the description of the Rock Island train
robbers stole a team and wagon from farmer.
whose farm reached by mile tramp through
heavy timber. The robbers drove northwest on a
-lIr and at daylight passed q farmhouse three or
four miles away. The trail is being followed hard
BY posses Of policemen and citizens. Richard F.
Ridley and Luther D. Hayward. strangers. have
been arrested on suspicion
Chicago, Nov. 22.-General Manager c. A. Good
now Of the Rock Island road, in official state
ment OF the Davenport holdup. said:
The men engaged in this robbery all masks
dark clothes and slouch hats, and kent in the dark
much possible. from that cause and owing
the excitement employees unable TO give
any description Of the men, except that one was
very tall slim, rawbOned man, possibly six feet
tab. and three We're medium sized men, rather
heavy, and one was short, heavy man.
The robbery occurred just outside the city limits
of Davenport and Is the boldest that has ever
taken place On this companv's lines. There was
no one injured. The railroad and express com
panies will offer. account Of this robbery and
delay 10 the United States mail, very large
ward for the apprehension and conviction Of the
robbers.
AT the Offices of the United States Express Com
pany il Is said the loss that company Will
exceed $1,000