Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-16

StTaWStaCk on a farm near here VINO
were supposed to have been the Rock
Island train robbers were tramps.
| Officers have given up the search for
the men.
Des Moines, Sept. 16.-Oficers at
Winfield have given up the hunt for
the Rock Island train robbers. The
suspects have eluded the hunters sue
Icessfully so far.
Winfield, Sept. 1G.-The five bandits
who held up and robbed Rock Island
passenger train No. II Tuesday morn
ing near Let's have been seen near
this city. Four OF the men were sleep
ing and one was standing guard. The
gangs guns were plainly seen together
with a heap Of cartridges on blanket.
Later the men entered a restaurant
here, ordered q meal and lunches for
several people. After supper the men
left, but are now being hunted by Rock
Island detectives and county officers.
Edward BEAMS, farmer four miles
north of here, while at work on his
farm, saw a party CT men at a hay
where they We're and saw four men
asleep. One man was standing guard
At this time Mr.. Beamis had not heard
of the train robbery and was under the
| impression that the men were hunters,
an impression they took care to deep
en-. Mr. Beamis came to Winfield and
heard of the train robbery Meanwhile
the very one Mir. Beamis had seen
entered the restaurant of Ed NJ. Sewell
| here and ordered supper. They also
ordered food which they carried away
with them.
| Description is Very Accurate.
The description of the men as given
! by Mr.. Sewell talles with the descrip-
ton of two OF the train robbers now in
| the possession of the Rock Island de
tectives, one of whom at least, is on
his way to this place. Mr.. Sewell says
one of the men is heavy set. wore Il
| black suit. was five feet. six or seven
| inches in height and was middle aged.
| His COuntenance. Mr.. Sewell describes.
as being Of a Hebrew cast.
The other man was nearly or quite
| six feet in height. He wore d gray
suit. His mustache was heavy and
was dark either brown or black. He
also had two weeks growth of beard
! on his face. This description tallieS
exactly with the tall man of the gang
as given by the secret service men.
Mr.. Beamis also says the man with
The Hebrew cast of countenance could
! have been no other than the man who
was standing guard at the straw stack
at his place the previous morning.
8Iamcs the Exprc1sman.
/ Des MONIES. Sept. 1G.-"COld feet is
| he only thing that kept Express Mes
sengcr Mcclure from preventing that
| robbery at Let's and making a hero of
nimself by killing two or three band
| it's said W. II. Quick of this city. in
discussing the hold-up with Conductor
! Ryan Of the Des Moines Valley divis-
| on on the Rock Island. Ryan had
| just given detailed account of the
robbery to Mr.. Quick as he had gath
cred it from the members Of the crew
Of the robbed train at EIdon yester-
| day.
| Messengers Are All Drilled.
All our messengers are drilled at
revolver practice until they can make
score OF - TO % at 1G paces.' con
! inued Mr. Quick They are expert
shots and are instructed what to do
! when a hold-up occurs. There is no
| 'eason in the world why a messenger
! With a level head could not Illustrate
| I hold-up. He had all the advantage
IN his side.
| AS soon as the train is stopped his
| irst move should be to cXtinguish all
! lights. When the robbers burst open
| he door then he is in absolute dark
! ness and they are unable TO see wheth-
! II he is TO the right or left of the door.
lie. on the other hand can see them
distinctly and can pick off the leader
at the first shot The death of the
| leader makes them run every time.
| Dut he might as well Kill one or two
more while he is AT it, He need not
| depend upon his revolver. He has
Winchester shotgun which is absolute
Y sure in its aim and execution.
MaSuirr Takes 10 Flight.
! Why McGuire and his assistants
| vent away and didn't show up again
| : a mystery TO me and i ineXCusable.
| they should have remembered Jack
| Harmon who broke up the gang OF
| rain robbers at Hennessey. Oklahoma.
4 few years back by shooting the lead
r and helping run the others TO earth.
When the bandits attempted 10 use the
! engineer as a shield. he quietly waited
| until the engineer was in. then shot
| he rObber behind him. He was given
4 big purse by his employers.
| Again. every one recalls what Mes
| ~enger Baxter did south OF Council
| Bluffs not long ago. He stole out of
| )ne side OF his car as the robbers en-
cred. quietly walked around the train.
| ,neaked Up from the other side. killed
lne robher and put the other TO flight.
| He was given $1,000 and other privi-
'eges by the company He is q nephew
| II mine and I wish there were more