The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-09-05
BOLD PLOT FOR
LITTLE BOOTY.
Two Masked Men Hold Up Train Between
Franklin and Nashville.
THEY LOOT THE SECURE A THRILLING sUM-THE
LEADER POSES HYATT.-oFFIcERs HOT
ON

A bold train robbery occurred Mon.
day night between Nashville and
FRANKLIN, Tenn, two masked men.
armed to the teeth, entering the ex-
press car attached to the Louisville q
Nashville train No. 2 just after it had
pulled out of Franklin, and, ordering
| Express Messenger A. N. Battle to
hold up his hands, march to the rear
of the coach and stand with his back
turned, proceeded to rife the safe Of
it's contents
After riding nearly to Nashville,
distance of eighteen miles, the robbers
ordered the messenger to put out the
light and pull down the train. The
train slowed up about mile from
Nashville and the robbers made good
their escape. No clue to the identity
of the robbers has been obtained as
vet. although one of the men announ-
ced that he was Gus Hyatt and called
his pal George >
The robbery was nervy one. so
we'll were the plans laid that no one
on the train except the express mes
senger knew what had occurred until
the train reached Nashville. The rob-
bers entered the express car through
the north door and it is mystery how
and where they got on the. tram.
The through safe, it is claimed, was
not touched and no effort was MADE
to use dynamite. The express COM
pany officials state that less than $ooO
was taken. -,
To take the robbers every possible
effort Will be put forth, members OF
the Louisville & Nashville secret SER
vice agency and city and county officers
having gone to WORK on the case I'M
mediately.
TRYING EXPERIENCE.
The ordeal through which the ex-
press messenger passed was a trying
one and the ride of eighteen miles at
the point of big Colts pistol seemed
ages to him. The story in his own
language is as follows:
1.-The affair occurred just after we
had pulled out of Frankli lin. We
we're about 40 minutes late. We pull
ed out of franklin at 6:45. l had OPP
ened the local safe and was checking
up preparatory to putting my packages
into the through safe before reaching
Nashville. The two safes and the
chest are placed on the left side OF the
coach beyond the middle door opening
on the left side. There is door at
either end of the coach and one on
either side. I was sitting in front OF
the chest with my face to the side OF
the north door, facing west.
'"Suddenly felt the wind from the
door as it opened, and looking up was
astonished to see big man entering
the door. He had big gun in his
hand and stuck it in my face immed1-
ately.
SAID HE WAS GUS hyatt.
"Throw up your hands, Cd d-n
you.' he exclaimed, I'm Gus Haytt. -
/ Jumped out of my chair as quick as
I could and threw up both hands:
inst ut this juncture another masked
man came through the door. l took
good look at them as l stood there,
although could not tell anything
about them as they were both masked.
"The first one who entered, the one
who said he was Gus Hyatt, looked as
though he would weigh 1870 pounds
He had on blue overalls, blue shirt
with white stripes in it and a black
felt hat He had red cotton hand
kerchief over his face with holes cut
through it for the eyes, nose and
month. He was about five feet ten in.
ches high. His companion was dressed
pretty much the same way and was
also masked, He had on pair OF blue
leans pants, a blue flannel shirt and
q black or blue hat. He had a black
handkerchief over his face with holes
cut in it for the eyes, nose and mouth.
GAS soon as had thrown up my
hands. the one who called himself
HYATT. and who seemed to be the
leader. made me deliver up my Keys,
ordered me to the rear OF the car, tell
ing me to turn my back and hold up
=. NOW. G-d-you, if you turn
around I'll put hole through you,
he exclaimed. Hold your hands up.
RIFLED THE SAFE.
st did as they told me to. and
naver did look around until we got
nearly to Nashville. l could not see
what thew were doing, OF course, as l
had INV back turned to them. They
r;ied fhe small safe, however, taking
avarvthing in It. Each OF them had
a sack fastened around his waist by
a belt. and | suppose they put the
stuff in the sacks. :, ,..
mTbe leader did all the talking.
Tho other man never said a word.
The leader called him George. just
before the train reached the corporate
limits we'll, I guess it must have
been a mile or two from town. the
,esder exclaimed, Hurry up George,
wear are nearly to South NASHVILLE.
"s'.They ordered me to puat. out the the
lights in the car, but cautioned me
not to look around. | put OUT =, tn ne
two near me and they . sat'nG ordsrsd
the rest. The leader tnen olue s.eol
me to give the S.y p1G two p pn at the SeI
c cnr but the engineer failed to an
swer the signal - .. .o.,n - ve,,.
ed the leader, and did So Ihis