Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-08-10


Four masked men held up the Dia-
mond Special Of the Illinois Central Rail-
road at 10 o'clock Monday night between
Harrey and Matteson, Ill--a short dis
lance outside the city limits of Chicago
and robbed all the passengers, men and
women, in the two Pullman sIeepers.
About thirty passengers were forced to
give up money and valuables, tb 5otal
amount Of the plumber being between So
600 and $4,000
Two of the passengers were struck by
the robbers with Ratchet because they
tried TO conceal their valuables in their
berths. The weapon descended on their
heads and both were severely injured.
The Illinois Central Company physician
at Kankakee met the train and attend
ed to the wounded Another passenger
was shot at, but the bullet lodged above
his head in the berth from which he
crawled.
At the crossing of the Elgin, Joliet
and Eastern road, about two miles north
Of Matteson the bandits pulled the emer-
gency air cord, and when the train slack
ed up they jumped off, firing a volley
of shots at the train as they fed in the
darkness.
The Diamond Special is one OF the best
equipped trains that runs out of Chicago
over the Illinois Central Its leaving
time is $3.50 p. N. At 10 o'clock it reach
ed Harvey, where the four robbers board
ed the rear sleeper With Ratchet they
pried open the rear door of the car, and
on entering they found the conductor,
brakeman and porter in the smoking com
partment. -Four revolvers were showed
into the faces Of the trainmen, and while
one robber stood guard over them the
others went through the car, routing the
passengers out of bed. There were a few
who had not yet retired
Bullet for Passenger.
In this car one OF the passengers at
tempted to hide his money and valua-
bles from the robbers aud a shot was
fired at him. After all the passengers
in the rear car, FIVE of whom were " 1m-
en-, had been aroused and lined up in the
aisle, the robbers quietly searched their
berths for plumber. Suit cases. telescopes
and travelling bags We're ripped open
with n knife and the contents dumped
on the floor. Watches were taken from
vests, diamond studs and collar buttons
from shirts, and the pockets of trousers
also yielded treasure.
After robbing th~ occupants of the rear
coach one man left to guard them
while two others went to the sleeper
ahead. There were between twelve and
fifteen persons in this coach, and all were
treated in a manner similar to the pas
sengers in the other ear Those who
had gone to bed were pulled out of their
berths if they ventured TO demonstrate.
Two men in this car were struck over
the head with the Ratchet which had
been used by the robbers to enter the
other car At the sight of blood stream
ing from the wounds one woman tainted
Watches. diamonds and money were
take- from all the passengers in the Sec
Dad car, and travelling bags were slashed
with knife in the search for booty One
Of the victims in this coach was Superin-
tendelt of Telegraph Gross of the IlIi-
nois CO 1tral road. who was relieved of a
watch, tamond stud, $500 in money and
all of h. annual passes over different
lines. Sc eral Of the women passeps gers
had their + IS stripped from their hands
Bandits Act Quickly.
From the time the bandits boarded the
train until they leaped off not more than
eight or ten minutes interviewed. 1t is
thought at least one of the robbers was
former railroad man, to have known the
method of stopping a train by p.,ling the
emergency air cord. When the cord was
pulled all of the bandits ran to the rear
coach and got off when the train had
slackened sufficiently.
The Pullman car conductor ran ahead
and told the engineer of the holl-up this
being the first intimation he had that the
passengers in the sleepers had been rob
bed. The train was only two miles from
Matteson and quick run was made to
that point. Mr.. Gross notified Kankakee
and Chicago of the robbery by wire and
the train proceeded.
1T certainly was a bold job, " said Vice
President Harahan. Il don't know how
much the robbers got, but as the DIa-
moRd Special is always we'll loaded, the
fatal will ~, Il,