The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-10-13
A DARING ROBBERY.
Two Boys and Three Men Hold up 8
Railroad Train.
No One Was Killed, but tho Express
McssenGer Was Seriously
Injured by Explosion.

One OF the most daring hold ups In
the history Of railroad robbery took
place at about nvo miles from Ballards
in Washington Wednesday night.
The selected by the bandits for
their operation was the Great North
ern's Overland, one OF the most popular
and richest trains in the west. This
train loft Seattle early Wednesday,
evening and everything was running
smoothly when sudden halt ard a
terrible explosion Shocked the passen,
gers and crew.
Before the passengers could realize
what had happened they were looking
down the barrels OF two large pistols
hold In the hands Of boy, while an
other boy relieved them Of every thing
! in the shape OF valuablcs that they
had about them.
The very peculiar feature Of the
robbery was, however, that the two
boys had not bton c)ncsrn3d ia tho
planning OF 1T at all, bnt had merely
taken advantage Of the plans laid by
three men, that the boys heard talk
ing over the whole sffair They were
villianous young fellows merely hoboo
ing their way about tho country when
this opportunity to be real bad was
presented TO them and imm odiateiy
taken advantage Of by them.
The real robbers we're three men
who devoted their time and attention
to the baggage and express cara which
were dynamitGd and badly wrecked,
when the meSscOgats refused to open
the doors at tho demand OF the men
The boys wore captured in .nediately
after tho robbery and gave q complete
story Of the flair. They said that
they bad nouutod the "blind b4g.
gage" to beat their way and found tive
men already on 1T When the train
arrived at Ballards another man joined
the other two mHn. This third man
reported every thing to be ready 70,
the hold up aud general c )nversatior
took plAce as to the ways and means.
The boys learning then for the first
time OF the intentions of the men
decided to enrich themselves at the
same time.
When one Of the three men craWled
over NE engine tender ard command
ed the engineer to stop at the point
of a pistol, the boys dropped IF the
blind baggage and mada their way
back to the sleeping car. AS soon as
the explosion from the dynamtting OF
| the cars In front sounded and the pas.
sengers were IN panic the boys with
the nerve Of old bandits began their
| forsay, which was successful as far as
securing a lot OF pluuder was concern.
cd, but which ended In their capture
for the lack OF experience in getting
away.
The three men who dyna ~nited the
express car got the contents Of the
safe and MAIDS their escape, going In
an easterly direction.
Reports from the scene of the rob
berry are IN Eager as yet, owing to the
fact that the telegraph WI were
blown down by the force of the ex
plosiOn. No one Is reported ktlled,
but tho express messenger, Charles
Anderson, is reported badly injured.
Manager Waring OF the Great North
ern is hopeful that the safe did not
contain a great deal Of money, but
whatever 1t did hold the robbers got
1t all.
Every effort Is being oxerted at
this time to ovcrtake the robbers.
The men are unknown so far as the
descriptions given by the boys are
concerned.