Omaha daily bee., 1902-10-12

to Lincoln by a circuitous route, arriving
before daylight, and since have kept in
hiding. The reward OF $1,000 offered by
the Burlington may be doubled in order to
stimulate the chase The offer is for the
robbers. either alive or dead. but the on
cials make no secret Of the preference that
IL it we're the latter the example might
have a wholesome influence.
Reports of the booty taken from the
through express safe vary from 81, 800 to
$50, 900, but General superintendent Calvert
of the Burlington and Adams express off,
cials declare positively that the former
figure more than exceeds the loss.
Express Messenger Lupton. who checked
the robbers by hastily removing the money
packages in the local safe, throwing them
under the stove, where they escaped at
t%ention, will be rewarded by the express
company with a promotion.
story of Engineer.
RAVENNA, Neb., Oct. 11.-(Special Tele-
gram. )-Engineer Abraham Clayburg says
about three miles out of Lincoln regular
stop signals we're seen and the train was
tagged in a regular manner with red Ian
terms. This fact was what deceived the
engineer and he did not SUSPECT a holdup
until three men appeared alongside the
engine and one addressed the fireman,
telling him to get down.
The fireman Immediately recognized the
purpose of the order and told Engineer
Clayburg. The fireman did not obey the
order and one of the men sprang into the
cab Of the engine and covered the en-
gineer and fireman with a revolver. As
soon as the engineer realized that the
train was held up he pulled the throttle
! open in an effort to either disconcert or
run away from the robbers. When the
revolver was pulled down on him he obeyed
orders and shut of steam.
The other two robbers had made some
Investigation in the meantime and found
the express car standing on a bridge. They
then ordered the train pulled up a short
distance, when they made the fireman go
back and uncouple The mail, baggage and
express cars from the train. The three
! men then got aboard the engine with the
engineer and fireman and at the point of
their guns ordered them to move forward.
At a point about one and a half miles
up the track the robbers ordered a halt and
compelled Engineer Clayburg and the fire.
man to walk ahead Of them to the ex-
press car door. They demanded that the
doors be opened, but the express messen-
ger. refused to comply. They then placed 4
stick OF dynamite about one inch in diam
eter and ten inches in length in Clay
burg's hands and ordered him to light the
fuse. Clayburg, fighting for time, pre-
tended he could not light It. The mes
senger was warned not to shoot, for Clay
burg and the fireman were required to
stand next to the door and in front OF
the robbers. He dared not shoot or at
tempt any defense Of the car for fear Of
shooting either the engineer or the fireman.
Messenger Opens the Car.
The messenger finally opened the door
and was invited by the robbers TO .yacate
the car. This he did, and together with
the engineer and fireman they were marched
forward at the point of a revolver in the
hands Of one Of the robbers to a point
some little distance from the train The
trainmen were obliged to stand in the light
Of the headlight while the robber stood
obscured in the shadow to one side.
Within Ave minutes after the robbers
entered the car the first explosion took
place. The explosion made a fearful crash,
indicating the use Of a very heavy charge.
Five minutes later there was q second ex-
plosion, as loud as the first. Almost im>
mediately after the two men who done
the dynamiting called to the man who
was guarding the engineer. fireman and
messenger, "All right" The three men
were then marched to the engine and or
dered to, climb on and the engineer was
directed to move forward.
Clayburg moved the engine forward a
few feet, then suddenly reversed, hoping
by these tactics to get the robbers in the
glare Of the headlight. thereby getting q
better look at them. But the effort was
E futile. They Immediately disappeared il
: the weeds and shrubbery alongside tn,
track and were lost to view. The engineer
2 could not see anything of the men an'
4 cannot say in which direction they went
, although he is strongly Of the opinion tina
they went east.
90 story Of the
. Conductor Charles Lyman realized that
hoidup had occurred as soon as the trail
stopped the second time. He had beei
through a similar experience once before
! about two years ago, the holdup oecurrin
at almost the same point. When the trai
. stopped he slipped out OF the vestibule Q
one Of the forward cars. Immediatel
there was a gruh order to get back in tn
car. emphasized by two shots from a re
volver. Conductor Lyman obeyed the or
der.
: The passengers were nearly all aslee
and but one or two, including Judge MOI
= val, who was an occupant OF the smokin
car. suspected the cause OF the trouble.
After the head end OF the train had bee
: taken OF the passengers In the smoker an
y day coaches commenced to awake and III
cause OF the trouble was soon understooi
;" but the danger was practically over so "a
as they we're concerned.
There was no panic or excitement, a
- though some Of the more cautious one
p proceeded to secrete their valuables. MOI
{ of the sleeping car passengers were AVA
&c Of anything unusual occurring. When Il
v engineer was. released by the robbers |
% backed the detached cars back TO the ma
train. While the express car interior VI
literally torn TO pieces. the running gea
en- and air brakes were not injured. condu
a. tor Lyman guarded the rear end Of h
'e, train during the stop. When the head Ell
% Of the train returned he went forward
Sc see n anyone had been hurt or killed an
finding everything an right In that regaT
IN he started his train Backward TO LincOl
Ne hack at LtnfSiaI W1thiR Hour.
I'D Within an hour after the hOldup Z
O., train was standing in front Of the depot
Lincoln. The express and baggage "