Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-11-22
Engineer Forced to Take Oars Three Miles
Down Track,
EXPRESS ROBBED GOES TO FORT WORTH
Leaves Chicago Safely, but is Delayed for
Nearly Two Hours,
AMOUNT OF BOOTY is NOT YET KNOWN
Probably Proceeds Are Large, as Much
Treasure Usually Goes on Looted
Train from Northern MetrOp-
oils to western Country.

DAVENPORT, la Nov. 21.-(Special Tel
egram.) Fifteen masked bandits deraiied
the fast westbound express train on tee
Rock Island road three miles wcs. OF Ssrs
this morning, detached the engine ana Ct.
press car and two miles farther west Grove
the United States Express company's me1-
senger from the car, dynamlted the safe,
securing all OF its contents and escaped
after making one of the richest hauls on
record in this section OF the country.
The detonation from the discharge OF
the bomb could be distinctly heard in
Davenport five miles distant.
One car is off the track and the express
car is a mass of ruins.
SO far as known none of the passengers
were molested, but It is feared that harm
befell the express messenger.
The train which was known as No II,
bound for Kansas City from Chicago, is
due in Davenport at 1928 p. m. Tonight
however, 1t was thirty minutes late.
At this station two suspicious characters
were seen TO board one of the coaches.
but nothing was thought of the circum-
stance at the time, although their personal
appearance was noted These men are
now, however, believed to have played star
parts in the robbery.
The scene OF the robbery is a somewhat
lonely spot, heavily screened from the
surrounding territory by a dense growth
of timber. II offered an excellent spot
for bandits to consummate a crime OF the
sort upon which they we're bent. One mile
east there is a small switch yard, where a
switch engine is stationed. 1t was to this
point that the train fagman ran when the
passenger train was stopped. There the
switch engine crew carried him back to
Davenport as rapidly as possible. The flag
man was unable to give any Of the details
of the robbery other than that there were
twelve to fifteen men in the party, and
that they had uncoupled the engine and ex-
press car and taken both mile or so west
ward before using the dynamite.
Later, however, he said the robbers
stopped the train by placing a red lantern
on the track. When the engineer saw
the signal he stopped.
Five men boarded the train, detached the
engine and express cars, and forcing the
engineer to accompany them, took these
cars westward, leaving the rest Of the
train standing on the main track.
When the news was received at police
| headquarters in this city the yardmaster
OF the Rock Island hurriedly made up a
special train OF an engine and one car, and
| Chief OF Police Martin and ten officers
we're put aboard. Private detectives also
accompanied the party. Up to this hour
nothing has been heard from anyone on the
ground OF from any Of those who left this
| city.
Train No. II is one OF the popular trains
on the Rock Island and is known to carry
| in the express car thousands Of dollars
for Kansas City merchants and banks and
their correspondents throughout the west
and southwest. This fact was evidently
known to the robbers, else they would not
have selected this especial train for their
work.
Railroad and express company officials in
timated here tonight when they heard OF
| the robbery and learned that the bandits
had obtained all the contents of the safe
| that the loss would be one OF the heaviest
sustained by any of the express companies
| for quite a number OF years, but so far II
is impossible to form any estimate OF the
| exact loss.
The train left Chicago at sos last night
| II was the fast train that runs through to
Fort Worth by way of St. Joseph and Kan
| sas City.