The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-08-08

Mount Carroll, Ill. August "a aar-
ing and successful train .obbery oc-
CURED at Marcus, On the Chicago, Bur-
hngton and Quincy railway. FIVE miles
north Of Savanna, about midnight.
The fine yestibuled passenger train OF
eleven coaches, Conductor Emerson in
charge, was tagged at the little station
and six masked men boarded the en-
gine.. The engineer and fireman obeyed
the imperative order ard the robbers at
once uncoupled the engine and express
car from the train and ran them q
quarter of a mile up the track They
then blew up the express car with dy-
namite, ran the engine north a dis
tance OF mile from Hanover and the
locomotive becoming dead the robbers
abandoned ii and escaped.
One OF the highwaymen was killed.
being shot above the eye and also in the
leg. He met instant death wElle in the
engine and his body was dumped 10 the
ground by his companions as they sped
away. The express messenger Byl
claims to have done the shooting The
deed was done quickly. the train men
and passengers making nc defence.
Six sacks of money were secured but
the amount is not known. The passen-
gers were not molested.
There was no way Of t..legraphing
news OF the hold-up ana Il fiagTnan
walked back and gave the alarm. A
special train Of citizens and several DO
hcemen at once proceeded TO the scene.
but, as the track runs along The Missis-
sippi and the country is vii adapted
to successful flight, the rot oers easily
escaped. The work was evidently that
or experts as they went at il ooolly and
methodically
-Four explosions were required to COM
pIete the obstruction OF The safe and
car was badly wrecked. The ROBBERS
were eight in number, all masked. They
evidently were railroad men, one being
a good engineer. Messenger William
Byl fired five shots ut the robbers but
without avail and an auempl was
made to blow him up IN his car. The
bandits had arranged 10 ditch the en-
tire train OF nine heavily laden coat hes.
had not the signal to stop been hee led.
Several passengers in the buffet in
cludlng the porter were held pr.s 1ers
during the struggle TO crack taf safe
1t is thought the dead robber was killed
by comrade by mistake. The body
was put on the tender and run by the
others short distance and then thrown
into the weeds.
OmciaI Account.
Chicago, August 6.-FolloHing is the
ofhcial account of the robbery issued
by the general manager of the Chicago.
Burlington and Quincy railway:
Train A was>held up last night ABOUT
11:30 Southswitch, Marcus, about ten
miles north OF Savanna, Ill. The switch
was turned for passenger track and the
train tagged. The two head cars. con-
sfsting of mail and express car and a
composite car We're cut or and taken to
the north switch, where the safe I'm the
express car was blown open with dy-
namite and contents taken. after which
the engine was cut of by the robbers
and started north. AS the robbers left.
the express messenger fired at them
One robber was found dead about one
mile north OF Marcus and his body was
given over to the coroner. At least six
men were concerned in the robbery So
far as Is known only $1,000 I'm silver
was secured. None>of the crew was
hurt and none Of the passengers mo-
Tested. The express end OF the rified
car was badly damaged"
Official announcement was made By
the officials OF both the Burlington
road and the Adams express company
today that a purse Of $1,000 would be
made up by the two companies and
given TO Express Messenger Eyl for his
bravery.