Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-09-23
MASKED MEN COMPEL ENGINEER
TO ESCORT THEM TO
EXPRESS CAR.
SAFE CARRIED $4,000 IN COLO
Strong Box Reslsts Repeated Charges
Of Explosives and Bandits Ride
Away on Horses Concealed
Near Scene of Hold-Up.

LeadYille, ColO.-BetOre the dawn
of day Friday morning posses
we're securing the plains in every
direction In an attempt to cap
ture five bandits who held up the
Denevar G Rio Grande passenger
train near Malta, Colo, and dyna-
mited the express car, in the effort to
procure the $4,000 in gold that was
known to be in the express cars safe.
The passenger train, No. g. was run.
ming in two sections. The first sec
ton was allowed to pass unmolested.
The second section was double head
er, and ii was to this train that the
express car bearing the treasure was
attached
The robbers we're apprised OF every
movement, for no attempt was made
to board the first section. When the
second section, "double-header,"
stopped at Malta, the robbers we're
concealed behind the shadows cast by
the large railroad tank. While the
second engine was taking water the
desperadoes were concealed beneath
the tank and when the fireman
turned to enter the engines cab the
five train robbers emerged and, IA
vored by the darkness, swung on be-
tween the tender and the express
car without being detected.
So quiet were their movements the
engineer and firemen did not suspect
their presence until they were look
ing down tn cleaning barrels of four
revolvers, one in each hand of the
two robbers.
The command of hands up was
obeyed instantly. The tone in which
the commands were given and the
look in the eyes behind the black
masks convinced the engines crew
that refusal meant instant death. The
| engineer was commanded to slow up
his engine and one robber remained
man, while two others crawled over
the first engine and repeated the per.
| Torrance.
The train was brought to a stand
still at a lonely point selected by the
robbers.
Robbers took their station at the
head of the train and fired a fusillade
down each side to terribly the pas
sengers.
Other robbers pounded on the door
| of the express car and commanded
the messenger to open it. He made no
move to comply The desperate rob-
bers were prepared for this refusal.
Dynamite, large quantity of which
they carried for the purpose, was pro-
duced and a powerful charge placed
against the door.
The robbers retreated few yards
and the fuse was lighted. 1t burned
quickly, emitting ominous flashes, and
in few moments a great explosion,
which frightened the passengers even
more than the fusillade, shook the en-
tire train and shattered the door OF
the express care into splinters.
The force of the explosion hurled
the messenger and his assistant
against the side of the car and rem.
dered them unconscious. Three rob
! bers sprang into the opening made by
the dynamite and proceeded at once
to the safe where the $4,000 in gold
reposed. They repeatedly tried tc
dynamite the safe.
By this time the passengers had re
covered from their first fright, and
headed by the conductor and traiI
crew were pouring out of the coaches
and sleeping cars.
Realizing that they would stand ne
show in a fight against such numbers
the robbers sprang from the express
car.
Mounting horses they had concealed
at the spot selected for the hold-up
and after firing another fusillade a
the passengers and train crew, thu
robbers fed in the darkness.