Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-05-07
BOLD EXPRESS ROBBERY.
Ten Thousand Dollars Taken-Day
LIGHT Robbery at Britt.

Mason City, May 1.-The little town
of Britt, located forty miles west of
this city, is in high fever Of ex-
element over the robbery Of the Unit
eded States Express companys Office
of $4,000 in cash.
John Peterson. an elderly gentle
man, represents the company as agent
Yesterday morning he made the Chi
ccgo. Milwaukee & st. Paul trair
which arrives at 1915. Among Other
shipments he received was register.
Cd package containing $4,000.
This was to be transferred from the
MilwaU'-eC a., Re Minneapolis & st.
Louis ri, IA The package was
ken fr,lr 'rA Gev0t to tho express
Fee in an isolated part of the town.
Agent Peterson arrived at his Office
about As and the package WIS placed
in the shipping s"fe. Mr.. Peterson
had some book work to do and he
seated himself at his desk and was
bus'ly ergognd.
lie tells the story that he heard a
nose but did not look up. But a few
moments passed when a tap on his
shoulder aroused him and he looked
up only TO see two revolvers held up.
on him by two heavily masked men
They demanded absolute quiet and at
The point OF the guns led him to the
safe and demanded that he immedi
ftely open it. Mr.. Peterson was not
long in obeying AS soon as the safe
was opened the package containing
the $4,000 was Immediately appropri
ated. Other packages containing
money were taken, but how much is
not known.
The agent was then taken and
bound hand and foot, gagged, and over
his head a large gunny sack which the
robbers brought with them was tied
He was then carried into back room
and left on the floor. With his arms
piniOned and SO badly gagged that he
could hardly breathe. it was impos
sible to give the alarm.
The robbers had completed their
work by o'clock. 1t was about 10: IL
when the young son of Mr.. Peterson
went to the Office and hearing a noise
in the back room went to see what il
was. He found his father and immedi
ately unbound him. The alarm was al
once given.
Immediately the officers Of the eX
press company were telegraphed anC
a number of detectives were sent tC
take up the chase.
During the afternoon two medicine
men who were in town, were put TN
der arrest. But when taken before
the agent he was unable to identify
them. He says that he was SO badly
frightened that it would be almos
impossible for him to identify the
men.
No one saw any suspicious charac
tiers about the town. Two men were
seen entering or coming from the
building. This is not strange from
the fact that the building is soisolated
Agent Peterson has been with the
company for a number of years anC
bears an excellent reputation. Polict
officers in all sections of Northern
Iowa have been notified of the rob
berry.
1t is thought that the men taking
the money had a knowledge of that
amount being on the train and that
possibly they came in on the same
train that the money did. Every in
dication points to the work of exper!
hands. There are heavy transfers OF
money at Britt, most of the currency
for the Fort Dodge banking institu.
tons being carried this way.
Mason City, May "A number OF
detectives are at work on the robbery
at Britt. One suspect was arrested at
Sanborn and is being held. There is
not the least suspicion duplicating
Agent Peterson. 1t is generally be.
lieved that the robbery was perpe.
trated by local parties. The officials
refuse to give the exact amount in the
package or from where it was sent
The general superstition is that the
package contained $4,000 as reported.