Rock Island Argus., 1902-11-22
HoLDUP MEN GET $4,000.
Continued From First Page.

! going back and giving an alarm, the
robbers jumped on the engine and or
dered the engineer to pull on down
the track.
After running couple of miles the
train was again stopped and the en-
gineer and fireman were ordered to
get out on the track in front of the
engine, where they were guarded.
| Part of the bandits then went back
to the baggage and express cars and
ordered Henry Mcclure, the baggage
man, and T. II. Gregory, the express
messenger, to get out, assuring them
they would not be hurt if they obey
ed orders. The key to the local safe
was taken from the expressman, and
while he and the baggageman were
! kept with their hands above their
| heads against the side of the car. the
robbers robbed the express car of all
of value they could get and prepared
to dynamite the safe. Then the lights
were turned out and the two train
men were taken ahead of the engine
and placed in charge OF the men
guarding the enginemen.
Three shots Necessary.
In order to break open the safe
three shots were fired. Two of them
were close together and were heard
III this city just before midnight. The
third was heard about fifteen minutes
later, or just after - o'clock. 1t is
estimated that an explosive equal in
force to between 10 and 20 pounds of
giant powder was exploded in all.
! The safe was wrecked and the roof of
/ . h l., Ill
tents of the car were more or less
| damaged. The floor and trucks were
left intact
| After the last shot the bandits gath
cred up whatever of value there was
lying about and after ordering the
railroad men back to their places, in
structed the engineer to pull out to-
ward the west, and to be pretty quick
about it. The suggestion was not dis
regarded. The engine and two cars
were run a couple of miles further.
and after a discreet wait were taken
| back to the rear section of the train.
Omcers on Scene.
! In the meantime the alarm had
been given and by the time the train
was coupled up Il switch engine ar
rived from Davenport pulling a car
on which were Sheriff Macarthur
with force of deputies and num-
ber of officers of the Davenport po-
lice force. Efforts were at once made
to trace the fleeing bandits, but in
the darkness little was accomplished
and the highwaymen were enabled to
get good start.
The whole transaction took but lit
| flo nd No liz.
sumed the trip west but two hours
and 10 minutes behind time At Mus
catine the damaged car was taken
out of the train and it's contents were
transferred to another car.
But little was accomplished in pur-
suing the robbers till daylight. Then
it was learned that members of the
gang had stolen a team and wagon
from farmer living a short distance
from the scene of the robbery and
had driven west through the hills Up
till late hour this afternoon moth
ing had been heard from the outfit
although the pursuit was being vigor-
ously prosecuted. This morning three
detectives arrived from Chicago to
work on the case. Sheriff CraIle.
I, from this city, was among those en-
gagged in the chase.
Value of Booty.
How much booty was secured rs a
matter of conjecture to all outside of
the officials of the United States Ex-
press company. who, as is always
done in such cases, place the figure
below $1,000. 1t is stated that the
safe containing the large shipment
of money that the robbers evidently
planned to open, was sent last night
via the Alton road under an arrange