The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1909-09-09
A Lone R0BBER HOLDS
UP AN EXPRESS TRAIN
Gets 10000 Lincoln Pennies Instead
of Bags Of Gold.
THE TRAIN CREW WAITS ON HIM.

Pennsylvania Express Halted AT
Midnight In Lewistown Narrows.
Highwayman Forces Crew OF The
Train To Pour Gold Into A Bag
For Him-Escapes, But Drops The
Gold During The Pursuit-Biood-
hounds To start On His Trail
Across The Mountains.
Lewistown, Pa. Especially One OF
the most audacious hold ups OF
railroad train in the East for
years occurred on the eastern slope
of the Allegheny Mountains, when a
lone highwayman stopped a Penn
sylvania railroad express train with
a dynamite cartridge, and, at the
point of a revolver, compelled the
crew to carry thousands of dollars
in coin and bullion from an express
car to a spot in the wilderness.
When the conductor of the train
attempted to interfere with the rob
ber's plans he was shot in the hand
and the bandit succeeded in making
good his escape. In the darkness
however, he mistook a bag contain
ing 10000 new Lincoln pennies for
gold coin, and staggered away with
1t, leaving the real gold bullion to
be recovered by the railroaders.
When the news of the robbery
reached the railroad and express
company officials, they were deeply
concerned at its boldness, and i'm
mediately ordered every available
detective from the East and West
to the scene. Bloodhounds were also
put on his track, but no trace of the
man had been found.
Superintendent Preston and other
officials of the Middle Division of the
Pennsylvania Railroad have estab-
lished headquarters at the signal
tower near the scene, to make as
thorough an investigation of the
crime as possible. The general super
intendent and general manager Of
the Adams Express Company are also
on the ground.
The looted train was made up of
an engine, three express cars and
two sleeping coaches filled with
passengers. At about 100 A. NJ,
it was running through Lewistown
Narrows, a wild and lonely noun
tain gorge through which flows the
Iuniata River, when suddenly a dy-,
hoiilbC zap tAplONCu, anu Iht th6
driver brought the train to a stand1
still. When he looked out to seeI
what the trouble was, he was con-
fronted by masked figure holding al
revolver in either hand.
Are there any mail cars on this
train?" demanded the highwaymanl !
mo" was the reply of the startled
engineer.
The engine crew was then forced /
at the point of the gun, to accom-
pany the robber to the first express
car, where the messenger was look1
ing out to discover the cause of thei
sudden stopping of the train. A re-
volver was pointed at the messengers
head, and, threatening to blow up
the car with dynamite, the robber
forced the messengers of the two
express cars and the engine crew to
carry all the gold and bullion stack
ed in the first car to the side of the
tracks.
Conductor I. r. Poffenberger, of
Harrisburg, Pa, who came up while
this work was being accomplished,
was ordered back by the bandit, who
emptied one of his revolvers at him,
one of the shots penetrating his
hand and the others grazing his
body.
Despite the appearance of three
passengers, who mad been awakened
by the shooting. the robber calmly
ordered the crew back on the train
and compelled them to steam away,
leaving the bullion beside the track.
1t was recovered by posse sent on
special train. When the train was
leaving, the bandit called out: Good
by and good luck; hope to see you
again"
1t was reported tonight that in
addition to the missing pennies sew
eral thousand dollars in currency
was missing, but the express COM
pany officials refuse to announce the
exact amount of their loss.
The robber is described as being
about 5 feet 8 inches in height, and
was dressed in dark clothing and
wore a slouch hat. pulled we'll down
over his eyes. He used excellent
English. but had slight foreign ac-
cent.
Agent Hamaker, of Lewistown,
sent a safe to the scene of the rob-
berry to receive six bags of pennies
on which the seals had not been
broken.