The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1904-09-16
A DARING TRAIN
ROBBERY IN IOWA
chicago-kansas City Passenger
on the Rock Island
Is Held UP.
1T WAS WORK OF EXPERTS
Men Knew All About Handling an -n.
sine, and Were Fully Informed
About the Road-Sad to Have
Secured No valuables.

l3es Moines Ia. Sept. 15.-The Rock
island train from Chicago to Kansas
City was held up by five bandits at
midnight. near Fruitland. six miles
from Muscatine. The robbery was at
the end of a sharp curve exactly where
similar holdup was engineered two
years ago by the Chicago car barn"
bandits
The engineer, as the train rounded
the curve. saw a red lantern on the
track and Immediately stopped the
train. The engine, express car and
baggage car We're boarded by the rob-
bers. while fusilade of shots was
fired along the sides of the train to pre-
vent interference by the passengers.
The express messenger was compelled
to open the car door and the safe was
dynamlted and contents taken; after
which the engine crew was compelled
to return to the passenger coaches,
and the engine was cut off. The rob-
'bers mounting it, ran it west to within
two miles of Columbus Junction, where
they took their departure.
The manner in which the robbers
handled the engine. and their knowl-
edge of the road, convince the officers
that some of them We're experienced
railroad men. According to the express
messenger, the bandits secured no
money. as the safe contained only mer-
chandise and the company's papers
Posses with aloodhounds are securing
the country in the effort TO apprehend
the highwaymen.
Robbers Probably in q Marsh.
Three special trains on which were
posses of railroad! and express employees
and number of officers, We're rushed
to the scene of the robbery Immediate
lI- N;,1t- ~
Muscatine. West Liberty and Daven-
port Horses We're procured in the
country surrounding Columbus juno
ton and in that town. near which point
the robbers left the railroad.
Mounted men With bloodhounds are
now securing the country for miles in
every direction in the effort to appre-
hend the robbers, While all railway
trains that passed through Columbus
junction OF nearby points from the
time of the robbery are being held up
by the officers and carefully inspected
TO ascertain ts tle bandits ere UNDER
taking to escape in this way. The en-
gineer and fireman of the train fur
nished pretty accurate description of
the three men
Officials seem to be of the opinion
that the robbers. when they left the en-
CINE two miles east of Columbus juno
tlon, instead of going into that place
where the robbers had already been re-
ported by wire from Frutland started
Off to the east into the marsh country
lying between the Iowa and Mississippi
| rivers. where the Iowa forms a delta
and the country is overgrown by
stunted timber. Believing they will
keep to cover for the time being the
officers directing the search have ar
ranged to keep a sharp lookout along
the Mississippi river and at Wapello,
keithsburg and other points where
they might come out Of the swamp
country.
Hounds on the Trail
K Two packs of bloodhounds took the
scent of the robbers at Fruitland short
lN after daybreak and tlarted into the
timber followed by posses of officers
and farmers. A slight rain during the
night had rendered the trail difficult,
but reports from Muscatine We're that
the chief of police of that city, who is
directing the man hunt, was confident
of capturing the robbers.
Estimates as to the amount of the
booty varied. Superintendent w. H.
Quick of the Iowa division of the
United States Express company insists
that the safe contained no large sum.
He says all the Chicag go Kansas City
and through business goes over the AL
ton and that nothing but local business
was carried in the Rock Island safe.
The major portion of the contents was
QeStlned 1Of davenport and had been
removed. He makes no estimate as to
the amount left in the safe but says
is consisted only of local business des-
tined for Trenton, Mo-, the only point
between Davenport and Kansas City
at which the safe would be opened He
indicated the amount must have been
under $1,000.
An Easy Job.
Further details of the robbery show
conclusively that it was the work of
experts who had carefully considered
all plans. Whisky Hollow, where the
train was stopped, is lonely place in
| the Mississippi bottom. surrounded by
heavy tmbe. and far removed from
| habitations. Trains have orders to run
slowly there, owing to frequent wash
4 outs. and to watch for danger signals
! The robbers lanterns We're therefore
| quickly needed. Two of the gang
/ promptly covered the engineer and fire.
man with revolvers and stood over
! them and the express and mail mes
sengers when the two latter were
| brought up by their companions. With
out even detachng the express car
/ from the train. the safe was leisurely
raed and the robbers escaped on the
engine, running nearly ten miles west
! he taking. a n tho woods