Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1904-09-15
A DARING
II0LD.UP
FAST ROCK ISLAND PASSENGER
TRAIN STOPPED BY BANDITS
NEAR LETTo.

CYPRESS CAR LOOTED
Amount OF Booty Secured BY the Rob-
bers is Unknown = They Were Five
in Number and Escaped on the En-.
gine After Their Crime - Posses
on the Trail.
Muscatne, Sept. 13. -(speciaD =
| Five unknown men held up and robbed
Rock Island passenger train No. IL,
hear Let's last night and escaped with
their, booty. the amount of which is not
known. Armed posses are securing
the Iowa river bottoms near Columbus
junction in an attempt to locate the
| bandits but the latest reports bring no
tidings of success in the quest. 1t is
impossible to learn the amount taken
from the express safe, which was
blown up with nitroglycerine. General
Superintendent Quick of the United
States Express Co., says the only loss
IS that of a package of cheap jewelry.
Mr.. Quick says the train is no longer
used for specie shipments. Neverthe-
less. there is rumor here today that
the loss will reach from $4,000 to $780,
000
Deed Was Carefully Planned.
The robbery was the work of men
who are experienced in that line and
who had planned their work very care
fully. When the train left Muscatine
last night two men were concealed in
the closet in the smoking car. They
rode there until they reached sharp
curve two miles east of Let's, where
their three confederates were awaiting
them.A bonfire built near the track by
the three served as signal to the two
bandits on the train and as soon as
they saw the blaze they pulled the
emergency signal and brought the
train to stop. The surprised passen-
gers were ordered to remain inside the
cars and the two robbers, armed with
revolyers, kept watch on the coaches
while their three confederates boarded
the engine and covered the engineer
and fireman.
Slow Open Express Car.
Leaving one man to guard the en-
ginemen the other four robbers went
to the express car and raped on the
door for admittance. The messenger
opened the door but on seeing who
was outside he closed 1t quickly and
refused to again open it. The robbers
| then blew open the car with charge
of nitroglycerine and made the mes
tsenger a captive. They used nitrogly-
cerine on the safe also and after the
explosion they hurriedly gathered up
the contents.
Escape on Engine.
At this juncture one of the bandits
said. "All right" evidently the signal
arranged upon for all to go to the
engine. AS they boarded the locomo-
tive the robber who had been left to
guard the crew got off and uncoupled
the engine. The engineer and fireman
we're then ordered tc get off and the
five outlaws. taking charge Of the en-
CINE. started off into the night Not
stop was made until the engine had
come within half o mile of Columbus
Junction. Here the engine was later
found. dead" and near by were two
hats which had been worn by the ban
dts. 1t is taken for granted that the
robbers are hiding in the Iowa river
bottoms. where the thick woods and
the scarcity of houses make an ideal
place for them to evade searchers.
Posses Are Organized.
The news was brought to Muscatine
by wire from Let's the engineer and
fireman having walked to the station
in order to notify the railroad compa.
ny Of the robbery. Posses were i'm,
mediately organized in Mrscatine.
West Liberty, Columbus Junction and
Let's and headed by officers Of the
law, they are searcLlng the wild cpun
try along the Iowa river in the hope
of overtaking the bandits.
Recalls Another Crime.
The event of last night recalls the
robbery of another Rock Island train
between this city and Davenport two
years ago. which is thought to have
been carried out by the same mer
who engineered the Chicago street
car barn robbery. No one has ever
been tried for this robbery though
several have been arrested. A large
amount was secured by the robbers al
that time.
Des Moines. Sept. 49, The man
ner in which the robbers at Lett
handled the engine and their knowl
| edge of the road convince the officer
that some of them were experienced
railroad mn.
! Claim Loss is Slight.
1t is stated by the express compan.
representative that the bandits secu1
ed no money as the safe contains
only merchandise and the company
papers.