The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-07-11
So Rock Island Train Robbers
Didn't Get the $4,000
on Board.
BIG POSSE IN PURsUITT
II the Hall Hundred Of Armed Mens
Como Up With Brlgands,
Desperate Battle 10
Looked For.

Use of desperate battle and probable,
death for their portion, II they shall be-!
overtaken, the two bandits who halted,
the Rock Island railroads Denver Linn
tied express train at midnight Thurs
day and escaped after wounding one.
large.
All during Thursday night and yes
terday they pushed on through the.
farming country, stealing a buggy or.
wagon here and there and abandon
ing the teams when they We're too ex-
hausted to carry them further. Farm
ers and residents Of the little towns In
the vicinity of the scene Of the raid
swept over the surrounding fields and.
prairies in the hunt, but only once a.
glimpse was had Of the fugitives
Adolph Chance, farmer, from whom
they had stolen horses, engaged in a
running fight with the robbers. A
number Of shots were exchanged, but
neither Chance nor the bandits were.
hit.
James Kahn, the veteran express,
messenger, who was shot down by the
robbers while he stood with his hands
elevated above his head, was brought
to Chicago, and it is believed he Will
recover.
Charles Nessler the dupe and decoy
OF the bandits, who was captured ON
the ground after they had fled, was4
brought from Joliet by Sheriff Mayer
stadt but the officers do not believe
he will be of much assistance in run
ming down the fugitives
The attempt to open the strong boxes.
OF the United States express company
that were Journeying towards Omaha
and Denver is admitted to have been.
one of the best planned raids Of recent.
years put 1t was poorly executed, and
the bandits tried to carry out the pro-.
gram without sufficient force to protect.
themselves from an attack.
The detectives engaged in the investi-
gation and pursuit now being pushed.
all over Illinois are satisfied that the.
robbers hoped to force the big safes.
which contained somewhere in the
neighborhood Of $9O,OoO and only the
prec1p1tate shooting of the messenger.
defeated them in this project. When.
they fled they carried with them sew
eral packages of cheap jewelry, valued
at about $500, and quantity Of cata-5
1ogues and patent medicine bottle;
labels, which they apparently thought
We're bundles Of valuables.
According to Nessler's story. only
Two ronpers We're concerned. He is.
ABOUT ", Of frank appearance and in
telngent, and claims to be Of respecta-
pie parents. He says he went to Niles.
Center recently to visit cousin. Last
night he started home. Having no
1unds, ne was beating his way
AT EngleWood he climbed on the.
bumpers back Of the tender, and had
scarcely secured position when two
men climbed up. When Midlothian was.
reached one of the men climbed over
the tender and ordered Nessler To fol-
low. The robbers wore black masks
AT the point of q revolver Nessler was,
compelled to go forward and tell the,
engineer to stop the train. Thorouehly
frightened, he complied. ~.
Ihe engineer and fireman regarded
the request as joke, but when they
saw Two reVolvers pointing toward
them the engineer shut off the stean,
and brought the train to a standstiln
near Dupont. = -
Inc engine crew was taken back I'M
der guard Nessler remained in the
cab. A demand was made on the ev
press messenger and baggageman to.
open the door Of their car under,
threats to blow it up with dynamite.
The door was opened and the robbers!
rushed in. A struggle ensued. and Mas
senger Kane was shot through the
groin. The robbers attempted to open
the through safe, but We're unsuccess-
full. The local safe was forced open.
General Agent Wygant Of the United
States Express company says that the
robbers secured less than $50.
Omaha, July 5.-Express messenger
Kane, who was shot during the holdup.s
on the Rock Island road at Joliet. lived
IN Omaha and was well known here.
The train arrived in this city consider.
ably behind time. Passengers upon the
train, with few exceptions, knew noth-
ing OF the affair until after it was over.
Several Omaha banks for whom con
signments Of money were carried re-
port the safe arrival Of their currency.