Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-11-09
Rock Island Officials Think
Wreckers Blpndered, Set
ting Torpedoes Too Soon
SENT TRAIN WITH ARMED MEN
The Hope of Capturing Gang of Hold
Up Men Was Inspired by Receipt of
Anonymous Letter Threatening sys-
tenn With Damage Unless $1,000 Were
Thrown From Locomotive of No. 6.

| Special to mnes-ReputEican.
| Des Moines, Nov. 9.-Rock Island Of
fcials here are still resieent over the
threatened attempt to wreck passen-
ger train unless $1,000 in money was
thrown off by the engineer. In the hope
of capturing the gang of hold-up men.
the Rock Island railroad sent speclai
train, bearing a number of armed Of
ticers. from Council Bluffs to Des
Moines Saturday night, following No.
| 6, which reaches here az 10 O'Clock.
| The general offices of the road had
received an anonymous letter threat
ening the system with damage unless
$1,000 were thrown from the locomotive
| of No. somewhere between Council
Bluffs and Des Moines. the place to be
| designated by the explosion of torpe-
does.
| When No. 5. west-bound, arrived in
Des Moines yesterday morning at $3.50
O'clock a white flag was noticed tied to
| the drawbar of the rear coach.
Naturally the peculiar signal was a
| matter of comment among railroad
| men, and the idea soon gained consid-
| cradle prominence in Des Moines that
| the flag had something to do with the
hold-up. How the information leaked
out is a mystery.
| AS matter of fact It. The crimi-
nails who had written the anonymous
and threatening letter to the roads
general offices had directed that the
$1,000 demanded should be thrown from
| the engine of No. 6. not later than last
night: and that If the road expected to
comply with the demand it should dis
play on No. 5. all the way from Daven-
Port to Council Bluffs. white flag az
tached to the drawbar of the rear
coach.
The criminals stated that II this sig
nal were displayed they would assume
that the money would be ready and
that they would place three torpedoes
under the engineers side of the loco
motive of No 6 last night; they d.
rected that when the explosions oc-
CURED tha ..asS slousi arrow the
81, 900 out of his cab, 1t being attached
to lighted fuse.
1t was also provided that he should
not even slack the speed of his locomo-
tive.
Engineer Irons. of No. %, on the
Rock Island railroad. it was said last
evening. had reported to the officials
o. the system Sunday that his 1ocomo-
tive ran over and exploded three tor
pedoes near Eariham shortly before 9
o'clock Saturday night.
Unquestionably these were the three
torpedoes which the officers of the sys-
tenn had been notified would be placed
on the track as an Indication of the
place at which the $1,000 should be
thrown off train No. g. Saturday night,
the $1,000 having been demanded on
threats of hold-up in an anonymous
letter received at Chicago ten days ago.
AS soon the Rock Island learned OF
Engineer Irons experience the officers
Immediately arranged 70 make UP
second special. and gathering a force
of armed men. sent the train west to
Dexter.
From Dexter 1t returned to the place
near Earlham where the torpedoes were
exploded. and the men with arms and
bloodhounds concealed themselves In
the timber along the line between the
two towns, In the hope OF discovering
the criminals.
It was soon after the arrival there
of the special that section man walk
ing the track took shot at suspicious
character who was found skulklng
along the right of-way. 1t was said
afterwards that the fellow was a
"hoho."
The officers and the hloodhounds re-
NAMED In the timber at Earlham all
- No, afH l,r
the city on No. 6. which was an hour
| late, to report to Superintendent Small
| ley.
The Rock Island detectives to the
number of half dozen, Chief Custey
of the secret service. f. r. Johnston OF
| this city, officer Eckles of the police
force and Detective George McNutt ac-
companied the train.
On the train also was Engineer Irons.
| He insisted on the accuracy of his
/ statement that the torpedoes had been
| exploded near Earlham, and he offered
to go with the officers and show them
exactly the spot where the thing was
| done.
| 1t IS evident that the criminals made
a mistake Saturday night. Apparent
| ly they did not know that No. "a pre-
| ceded No. 6 by half an hour, and set
their torpedoes too quickly.
There Is no doubs ina, they indi-
Gated in their letter to the Rock Island
1 officers that the money must be put on
No. engine, and that they expected
to place the torpedoes so that this To-
cornotive would run over them. The
Rock Island people now believe tina;
the criminals made mistake, and moi
calculating on No. "a preceding No G.
got their torpedoes under the wrong
train. Why they did rot then place
them for No. 6 remains a conjecture
probably they feared that a trap had
been set. still thinking No. 6 was the
train which had exploded the torpc-
does. but no money was thrown from,
lit, despite the signal of concession
made by the white flag on the drawbar
of the rear coach on No. 5 Saturday
| LOSE $500 IN WHIST GAME.