Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-01
LONE R0BBER
HOLDS UP TRAIN
Pittsburg and Northern Express on
Pennsylvania Railroad is Robbed
y Near Lewiston, Pa.
ONE MAN DOES THE WORK
Train is Stopped by Signal Cap
Placed on Track.
EXPRESS CAR Is ? BED
Booty Said to Consist of e in
Lincoln Pennies.
DYNAMITE BETWEEN THE
It Was Evidently the Intent
Blew Up the Train-Firei
Made to Help Carry
Money to woods.
Train is Stopped by Signal Cap
Placed on Track.
EXPRESS CAR IS
Booty Said to Consist of
Lincoln Pennies.
DYNAMITE BETWEEN THE

LEWIsTowN, Pa, Aug. si.--A lone
robber, believed to be a foreigner, held
up the Pittsburg & Northern express on
Narrows, one OF the loneliest places on the
line, at o'clock this morning intimida-
ting the train crew. and robbed the ex-
press car In a daring manner.
While there were thousands of dol
lars in the express car. the robber is be-
lleved to have obtained only $110 With
this he escaped and is believed to be hid
ing in the mountains. But the railroad
company is using a pack Of bloodhounds
from Chillicothe, o., and the capture Of
the desperate is believed to be almost a
certainty.
The robber who was masked and pos
sessed of remarkable coolness. cowed the
railroad men completely, the only show
Of resistance being made by the con-
ductOr. Isaac r. Poffenberger. one Of the
oldest men in service of the company.
When Poffenberger interfered he was
Ihot through the hand
The train consisted Of two engines, three
express cars and two sleepers The signal
cap on the track brought the train to
stop. Engineers John Long and Balzer
Beahm. both Of Altoona, on alghting from
their cabs were confronted by a masked
man with two revolvers who ordered
hands upi"
Conductor 1. r. Poffenberger of Harris
burg came up and, taking in the situation,
started to run for the rear Of the train
The robber fired five shots at him, one
taking effect In the right hand He then
ordered the express car opened, threaten
ing to blow 1t with dynamite IL not obeyed.
The car was opened and at the direction
Of the robber the money bags were carried
to the side of the track. When much
money was stacked up as one man could
carry the train men were ordered back 10
their positions and the train moved on.
1t is thought about $1,000 was obtained
Several of the bags contained pennies.
which were found this morning near the
scene OF the hold-up.
Only one man was seen by the trainmen.
Later investigation disclosed six sticks Of
dynamite between the tracks at the points
where the cap exploded. This is accepted
as evidence that it was the intention OF
the robber to blow up the train.
one RObber Does Work.
PHILADELPHIA. Aug. H.-Reports to
the Pennsylvania railroad in this city say
that one robber accomplished the hold-up.
When the train was brought to stand
still, a masked man stepped out OF the
bushes along the tracks and covered the
engineer and fireman with a revolver
The highwayman moved along to th'
baggage car, but could not open it. He theI
went 20 the next car, which was the ex
press car. and ordered the messenger t.
open the door. The messenger obeyed
The safe in the car contained t25,0OO II
money and bullion. Realizing the need o
assistance In getting away with the money
the robbsr OOoly called to the fireman o
the train for help. and, still wearing hi
mask, gathered up some bags of none!
and with the fireman in the lead. ais
carrying bags Of coin, started up tn
mountain side.
At a point about 800 yards up the in
cline the two men laid down their burden
ana the fireman was ordered back to hi
train.
1t looked as though one Of the most dar
ing train Tobberies ever attempted in thu
eastern country had been successfully ac
compushed as the highwayman apparently
had everything his own way.
Passengers Offer Resistance.
At this juncture. however, two or thre'
of the passengers who had been srouseS
by the unusual stop came on the seem
and their presence encouraged the trail
men 70 ofter resistance.
The robber opened fire, but the onl!
damage he inflicted was to send a bulle
through the hand OF Conductor Isaac r
Poffenberger one of the oldest and bes
known conductors In the service of tn
company.
The highwayman then grabbed a bag o
money and fled up the mountain, leaving
practically all Of his booty where the fire
man had deposited 1t for him, The none!
is not yet checked up. but II is believe,
about 500 was taken. Some OF the bag
containing 500 each in Lincoln pennies
and it is thought IL is one OF these tn
robber had.
As soon as the railroad officials were in
formed OF the robbery the company's de
tective force was put to work. In addition
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad compan
was called upon and its detective force
on it's way to the scene with a pack o
bloOdhounds.