Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-14
BANDITS RIFLE MAIL CAR
Denver & Rio Grande Train Held Up
Near Denver.
ABOUT $4,000 is SECURED
Bandits Line IN Crew, Throw reg
istered Packages Into sack ana
Escape-Crime Committed
Near Fort Logan.

DENVER, Feb. 1S-That the holdlp Of
the Denver & Rio Grande passenger train
No. 4 near Denver early this morning was
the work of three instead OF two robbers,
and that the robbery Of the mail car gave
them a loot OF possibly $4,000 8 indi-
Gated BY the investigation by the police and
railroad officials today. SO far. no tangible
clew to the identity or whereabouts OF the
robbers has been found, but Il seems prob
able that the men came~to Denver and
are now hiding in this city.
Eighteen packages of registered mail we're
secured. These included five from Salt
Lake. addressed to Greeley, Cofo.: George
town, Colo; Waco. Tex.; Whitewright,
Texas. and Denver; one from Pueblo to
Denver; one from Colorado Springs to
Denver; one from Taylor, Wash. to Steam
boat Springs. Colo; one from Winfield,
Wash, to- Sterlings Colo; one from Lead
Vile to Denver, and others from Glenwood
Springs and other Colorado towns. One Of
these packages is said to have contained a
large sum Of money, but until a thorough
checking up OF the missing packages is
possible, the exact amount secured by the
robbers cannot be ascertsined.-
The robbery was remarkable for its
originality and daring. 1t took place within
eight miles Of Denver, within less than two
miles of Fort Logan, the United States
military reservation, and at a spot where
habitations are plentiful. Yet so thorough
was the work OF the robbers and so we'll
were their plans laid that they had, fully.
an hour and a half start of the officers.
Search of the vicinity Of the holdup In
dicates that a third man and possibly "a
fourth were engaged in the robbery, that.
a rubbsr-tired buggy was in waiting for
the actual holdups. and that torpedoes and
red signal fires. .weEe used unsuccessfuily
In an attempt to stop the train before the
automatic revolvers of the two men on
the engine tender succeeded In doing this.
From the manner in which the holdup
was accomplished it lis thought possible
that the robbers are the ones responsible
for the holdup of the Denver & Rio Grande
last May. when Express Messenger Wright
was killed.
E~nginemen Face RevoIvers.
The train, which was behind time, was
running forty miles an hour when suddenly
Engineer Gum heard a voice behind him.
Looking around he found the muzzle OF an
automatic revolver poked into his face.
Fireman L.essig also found one within two
inches Of his cheek.
slam on the air and stop this train"
came the oruer. Is quick about 1t, or
I'll blow out your brains" This came from
the robber attending to the engineer. He
was q heavy set man with red hair and
wearing a red sweater, the collar of which
was pulled up over the lower part Of his
race, and his revolver was jammed against
Engineer Gums face as the latter hesi-
tated a moment.
The train was brought to q sudden stop
within a short distance OF the little station,
which was closed for the night.
Now, you fellows get off this engine as
quick as you can" commanded the red
haired robber Don't run or make trouble.
IL you do. this automatic will do business"
Quinn and Lessig obeyed with alacrity.
Covered by the holdups they we're marched
to the mail car, next to the engine.
call to the fellows In the mail car and
tell them to open the door, and tell them
rot to shoot, too" again commanded the
red-haired man. Engineer Gum did so.
The mail car door was opened. An instant
later the stiffness Of the night was broken
by a fusillade Of shots, fired by the hold
ups In all directions. II any passengers
had intended to come out and see about
things they did not do so after the firing
began.
Bandit Rifles Mail Car.
Mail Clerks Coulter and Taylor were or
dered to step down. They obeyed instantly.
and were lined up with the engineer and
fireman. Taking Taylor with him, the
,red-haired man than anfarnA eli. ,,.u -.