Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-07
WAS VEIL PLANNED
c. B. E Q. Train Robbery Execut.
ed With Skill and by Cool
Headed Crooks.
Evidence at Inquest Indicates
Dead Bandit Was Shot
by His Pals.
No Clue to the Robbers. Suppos-
ed to be in Hiding on Some
Mississippi Island.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Clinton. Aug Hundreds of people
from the surrounding country visited
Savanna yesterday to see if they coulc
recognize the dead robber who was sho
here in the hold-up Tuesday night
Many of the visitors We're police officers
from Iowa and Illinois. SO far the
body has not been identified. 1t is still
at the Undertaking establishment
the hopes that it may be identified. II
the identity of the dead robber can be
established it will be an important fact
for determining the other bandits.
The wounds on the dead man and
the testimony given at the inquest last
i evening by ngineer John Il. Mooney
+ who pulled the train that was held up
4 strengthens the theory that the robbel
was killed by his pals After the deed
4 had beef committed and Money was on
4 the engine, ready to obey the orders OF
the robbers. shot was fired near the
( engine. He heard a man say: What
in he'll did you shoto me for? There
was q scuftling on the ground and the
next moment the body of one of the
robbers was placed in the gangway
Mooney WAS then ordered to get off the
engine. He said this one shot was all
ne heard. When the body was found in
the morning there We're three wounds
One i'm the breast. just above the right
nipple, the ball lodging just beneath the
skin in the back. one finger was also
shot off. These two Wounds We're
probably made by the same bullet. and
fired by one of the robbers. who mis-
took the man for one of the tranmen.
The other bullet entered the right eye
and came out at the back of the head.
This bullet was Undoubtedly fired by
the robbers after the man had been
placed on the engine and when they
discovered the seriosness of the first
wound. knowing the man would be u
burden to them and fearing he would
expose them for leaving him. they
Killed their companion in crime to
avoid detection.
The dead robber is a man of fine APP
pearance, perhaps so years of age. He
is dark -compleXioned, has sideburns
and a mustaehe. and wore an air of
considerable refinement His hair and
eyes We're jet black. He was Well
dressed and wore blue overalls and a
blue Jacket All the men We're dressed
exactly alike.
The principal witness at the inquest
was Engineer John +. Mooney. He said:
while nearing the south switch at
Marcus saw a trainman's lantern be-
ing swung across the track. Thinking
we We're to go on a siding. | slowed
down. When near the switch. | saw
/, man hold of the switch bar and the
switch was partly thrown If had not
stopped the train. it would have been
wrecked. AS the train came to stand
still. several men jumped on the en-
CINE. | saw revoivers pointed at me in
every direction l looked. l saw we were
in for it. One of the robbers. a heavy
set fellow, who would weigh ABOUT $50
pounds. said if l would do exactly as
told we would not be harmed; other
wise we had better prepare to meet our
kin. In the meantime the express. bag
gage and buffet car had been Gu. off
from the train and one of the robbers
said: Pull up the track until I tell
You to stop" After l had gone perhaps
Il mile. was ordered to stop The rob-
bers then told the fireman and myself
to get off and go with them. All this
time they had a revolver at each of our
heads. They marched us to the rear of
the baggage car, where they had taken
the express messenger. We remained
here, under guard of two of the men
While the others blew open the safe. l
think they used four charges of dyna-
mite two of which sounded like earth
quakes. The express messenger said to
the robbers. that it was Impossible TO
blow open that safe. One of them said
We will show you When the last ex-
plosion occurred we heard the money
jinsing down. One of the guards said,
L told YOU we would open it. The car
was set on fire by the explosion and
the fireman was told by the robbers to
put it out. They then marched us to
the engine and l was ordered into the
cab. Soon after l heard a shot fired
and man said. What in hell did you
shoot me for | heard a shutting on
the ground and the next moment the
body of one of the robbers was laid in
the gangway. [ was then told to get
off and out of the way. Before leaving
the engine l cut off the air, hoping to
prevent the men from starting the en-
CINE. They called to me when | was a
short distance away and told me to
come back. started down the track as
fast as | could run and shAlted back,
You go to hell. had had enough of
them. However, the men soon discov-
cred what was wrong and in moment
heard the engine going up the track. |
Part of the gang. if not all OF them. I
we're railway men and one was a good I
engineer. as was shown by the way the |
engine was handled.
Some time after the robbers had left /
found my engine several miles up the t
rack 1t was dead, but the throttle I
vas wide open. The boiler was empty (
md the fire was out l am of the opin-
on the men stayed on the engine until (
I stopped. then struck across the coun-
ry The robbers did not appear 10 be
he least excited and We're cool and COLI
ected.'
The residents of this vicinity. who
ne familiar with the surroundings, are
II the opinion the robbers are now in
hiding on some of the numerous islands
II the Mississippi river. There are
cores of these islands between Clinton
md Savanna, some of which are thous-