The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-28
Five Masked Men SwOop Down
on Mcfarland.
Hold Up Train Men and Rock
Island Employees.
WORK WITH A SYSTEM.
Six of Victims Are Locked in
Refrigerator Car.
Baggageman Charles TOler
Pounded Into Insensibility.
MAKE THEIR ESCAPE.
Sheriff Frey Pursues Robbers
Toward Topeka.
Believed That They Are Sur.
rounded Near Paxico.
Amount of Plunder Secured Is
Not Known.
Baggageman Charles Toler
Pounded Into Insensibility.
MAKE THEIR ESCAPE.
Sheriff Frey Pursues Robbers
Toward Topeka.
Believed That They Are Sur.
rounded Near Paxico.
Amount of Plunder Secured Is
Not Known.

masked
highwaymen robbed the station and
eating house in the Rock Island Yards
here at 1880 o'clock last night. locked
six men in refrigerator car until they
nearly suffocated, beat two railroad
men over the head with revolvers and
finally escaped toward Paxico two
hours ahead of the pursuit. The ban
dts secured eight watches and perhaps
$3.50 in money.
Sheriff F. J. Frey of Wabaunsee
county and Chief of Detectives Custy
of the Rock Island railroad, with four
deputies, are following the robbers and
at o'clock this afternoon were report
ed to have them surrounded near Paxi-
co. The robbers were on foot The
night station agent at Paxico, four
miles east of here, saw them pass by
along the tracks about 2 a. M, an
hour after they left Mcfarland
That the robbery was carefully plan
ned Is unquestioned. 1t was conducted
without a hitch and with considerable
deliberation the five men spending
nearly ana hour about the railroad
yards. After locking everyone else IN
sight into the refrigerator car the high
waymen assaulted Charles Toler as
| sistant station agent, and compelled
him to open the cash. drawer.
j When freight train 80 arrived from
the west and Conductor Monahan step
ped off, he was knocked down with a
revolver butt, his watch and money
taken and he was then liberated The
irObbers at once set out on foot. AL
though Toler was badly hurt he es-
capped while the money drawer was be-
ing looted and gave the alarm in the
town, which is some distance from the
railroad station. All trains arriving af-
ter the robbery were held, by orders
from the railroad officials, until the
| |lr,rrr -crrrff IL
The five highwaymen first made
their appearance at 1925 on the station
house platform and they at once enter
ed the telegraph office, which was in
charge of E. H. Widener Widener,
seeing the armed men, fled to the eat
ing house where he awakened three
railroad men. All of them, however,
remained concealed in an upper story
until the trouble was over. Having
chased the telegraph operator oVt the
robbers proceeded up the platform
where they found six men waiting for
trains.
They were ]. E. Gotsil. locomotive
fireman: j. G. Seville, night hostler at
the Rock Island roundhouse; an un-
known stockman and boy, and three
railroad men named J. J. johnson and
! w. G. Emerson.
The highvva ymen compelled them to
stand and deliver their watches and
money and then marched them to an
empty refrigerator car standing on a
sidetrack In this the six men remained
locked until two hours later, the noise
they made in their efforts to escape be-
ing heard by Il man walking down the
track The car was almost air tight,
and when let out. the men were trying
to cut hole through the side of the car
lin an effort to get fresh air.
After locking the six into the refriger-
ator car, the highwaymen broke open
the money drawer at the restaurant,
taking about $50. They also helped them
f<r1af Inn at o
the station house. which they first en-
tered, the robbers attempted to open the
heavy money drawer. with which they
experienced considerable difficulty
While they were thus engaged Chiis.
Toler.. an assistant at the depot, arrived
at the station from UP town. He was
Immediately seized, and while resisting
was beaten over the head by one OF the
; desperadoes. AT the point OF pistol
Toler opened the cash drawer. While
the robbers were going through 1T and
the ticket rack Toler made a run for
, liberty and escaped to give the alarm.
At this time freight train No. 80. pull
ed into the station at the end of It's
run and Conductor Monahan of Herring
ton stepped off to get his train orders.
As he left the train he was attacked by
two of the robbers who kicked out his
: lantern, knocked him down and went
/ through his pockets while the others or
| dered the other train men to stay where
they were without waiting to go
. | through the tratnmen or the caDooSe tne
! robbers set out on foot in the direction
| of Paxico-
Very unsa satisfactory descriptions have
been secured of the five men. 1t is sta
ted in town that two or three of them
had been soon loafing around a joint
during the afternoon and 1t is believed
they had spent the day in examining the
situation in preparation for the rob
berry 1t is reported from Alma that two
of them large blond man supposed to
be a Swede and a smaller man. dark
Commissioned, with a black muetache,
were seen there during the afternoon
T,bev were trying to dispose of a sill
yer watch but without success. They
disappeared from town during the af-
ternoon. The blonde is large man.
and when seen at Alma wore a pink
I shirt and a straw hat. Both men We're
: well dressed. While robbing the sta
ton and eating house at McFarlano
Ali five wore handkerchiefs over their
, faces All were armed, each man be-
: ing provided with a revolver of large