The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-12-17
THE ROCK ISLAND EXPRESS


NoiLipahy. This sum had been sent by
Chicago bank 10 be delivered at the
principal bank in Davenport. Ia. In
ADDITION 10 the usual passenger
coaches, the train drew two EXPRESS
ears-the first. for express only. lust
behind the engine: and, following, this
one Tor express and baggage. These
SaFs had end doors, which offer the
pSst opportunity 10 train robbers Mes
eehger Nicholas was Ia the first car,
ana was duly at his work when the
tram stopped at Joliet a town about
lorty miles west of Chicago But at
me next stop. which was made at Nor
us Harry Schwartz. a brakeman.
.ahle running from Nichols car, cry
ing; The messenger is dead"
The messengers lifeless body was
Found lying on the floor of the car The
mead had been crushed by some heavy
weapon. aud there was pistol-wound
~ the right shoulder Apparently he
had been overcome only after d hard
hght. His face was set with fierce de-
termination. His fists were clenched.
Hnd the hands and fingers cut and
scratched in a curious way. while I'M
der the nails were found what proved
10 be bits of human flesh. The pistol
wound was from a weapon of .33 cal
ibcr, but il was not the cause of the
mans death. This, Enthusiastically, was
ufte TO the blow, or blows, on the head.
Yrobably after The shot was fired. All
~ no knew Messenger Nichols We're
fkurpriSed at the desperate resistance
he seemed 10 have made, for he was a
small, light man, not more than five
feet i've in height nor Weighing over
$50 pounds, and of no great credit
smong his fellows for pluck and cOur-
age
The express car was Immediately de-
|tached from the train and left at Nor
Iris. guarded by all the train crew eX-
ICept Schwartz, who was sent on with
i the train TO Davenport After the first
|cursory inspection no one was allowed
20 enter the car where Nichols lay, and
.pOthing was known precisely as 10 the
extent of the robbery. The safe door
had been found open and the floor OF
i the car Uttered with the contents of
1.-THE safe.
An urgent telegram was at once sent
ITO Chicago. and "a force Of detectives
arrived at Morris on a special train
few hours later. Search parties were
IHt once sent out i'm all directions along
|the country roads and up ana down the
tracks. Hundreds of people Joined IN
=the search. for the news or the murder
.EpTead rapidly through the whole re-
i iOn. and not a square yard of terri
Itory for miles between Morris and Mi
7nooka station was left uneNplored. II
happened that the ground was covered
with snow. but the keeuCSt scrutiny
ziailed TO reveal any significant foot
sprints, and the search parties returned
|afeU many hours, having made only
L. single discovery. This was a mask
an. l..
q mask made Of black cloth. with
white strings fastened ar either side
zone of which had been torn out OF the
sCioth as 10 i'm a struggle.
Meantime. Mr.. PinkeUtou himself en-
&tcred the car and made a careful i'm
p resignation. His first discovery was
zheavy poker. bearing STAINS Of blood
band bits of matted hair. II was hang
4ng ia its usual place. behind the stove
3rhe significance Of this last fact was
sereat in AR Pmkerton'S opinion, from
ait he concluded that the crime had
been committed by a railroad man, his
reas oning being that the poker could
Shave been restored 10 its usual place
2aftcr such a use only mechanically
land from force Of habit. and that an
.bssailant who was not a railroad man
would have left 1t on the floor or
i hrown IL away.
coming 10 the safe, Mr.. PmReTtOn
8 ound that the SO 900 We're missing, and
. hat other papers had Deen hastily
aTched over, but left behind as value
-'mong these was bundle of can
s cled drafts that had been roughly
orn open and then thrown aside. Mr.
zPinkerton scarcely noticed at the mo-
Sncnt. but had occasion 10 remember
subsequently, that a small piece of one
S of these drafts was missing. as if
srorner had been torn Oft.
3 Al the train hands We're immedi-
ately questioned, but none Of their
stories was i'm any way significant, eN-
! rept that of Newton Watt. the man
8 IN charge Of the second car. He said
s. hat while busy counting over his way
xhills and receipts he had been startled
~ the crash Of broken glass in the
VentHator overhead, ana that az the
Eame moment a heavily built man.
! Wearing a black mask. had entered the
rar and said; If you move the man
8 10 there viii bore you Looking up,
Watt said further, he saw hand
hrust through the broken glass and
8 holding revolver Thus inundated
sle made no attempt to give an alarm.
s Ind the masked man presently left him
Under guard of the pistol overhead.
ne train reached Morris, when 10 was
8 withdrawn. He was able to locate the
place where the crime must have been
committed. as he remembered that the
Engine was whistling for MiuOoka
when the stranger entered the ear
aThis left about thirty minutes for the
murder, robbery and escape,
Returning 10 Chicago. Mr. Pinkerton
investigated the character Of the man
Il.
s record. was regarded as a trusty and
dcient man. and had three brothers
Who had been railroad men for years
4 nd had always given perfect s3tislac-
ion Watts good reputation and
zhraightfoTwaTd manner were strong
bonts i'm his favor, and yet there was
0mething questionable IN his story of
~ mysterious hand. For one thing.
10 footprints were found in the snow
D. the ton of the car.
brakeman Schwartz. the only man on
z ne train who had not yet been ques-
s. ioned. ''deadheaded" his way, i'm rail-
s yav parlance. back from Davenport
s he following night on Conductor Dam
orth's train. and reported % NJ. Pink
s rton the next morning. He was
s III fine-loOking young fellow, about
- with thin lips and a face that
bowed determination. lie WAS rather
apper in dress. and kept on his
loves during the conversation. Mr..
& 'inkerton received him pleasantly,
nd. after they had been smoking and
s hating for an hour or so, he suggest
4 i 10 schwartz that he would be more
z.omforta with his gloves OF.
8 chwartz accordingly removed them,
! nd revealed red marks on the backs
his hands, such as might have been
lade by fngernaHs digging into them
How did YOU hurt your hands,
s chwartz?" asked Mr.. Pmkerton.