Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-09-03
TRA|L TRAIN BANDIT
SCORES or DETECTIVES HUNT
LONE RossER or PENNsYL-
WANNA EXPRESS.
$4,000 PENNIES IN LOOT
Lincoln Cents Mistaken for Gold ~
Highwayman. Who Shoots condac
tor. Wishes Crew Good Luck Anc
Elees In Mountains.

Lewistown, Pa--Detectives by the
score Wednesday began running down
every ciew that may lead to the cap
ture OF the lone bandit who early Tues.
day morning stopped Pennsylvania
express train with dynamite and at
the point OF revolvers robbed 1t oil sev,
eral thousands of dollars. including q
great big bag OF Lincoln pennies which
he thought were gold coins.
When the conductor OF the tram at
tempted to interfere with the robbers
plans he was shot in the hand and the
bandit succeeded on escaping
In the darkness, however. he mis-
took a bag containing 10000 new Lin
coin pennies for gold coin and stag.
eered away with II, leaving the reai
gold bullion to be recovered by the
railroaders.
When the train was leaving, ne
called out. "Good-by and good luck:
hope to see you again.
1t is reported that in addition 70
the missing pennies several thousand
dollars In currency was missing, put
the express company officials refuse
to announce the exact amount OF their
loss
When the news of the robbery
reached the railroad and express COM
pany officials they were deeply con-
cerned at its holiness ana immediate
" ordered every available detective
from the east and west to the scene
In an effort to capture the audacious
bandit. Bloodhounds were also put on
his track.
The looted train was made up OF an
engine, three express cars and two
sleeping coaches filled with passen-
gers. At about 1880 a. M. 1t was
running through Lewistown narrows,
wild and lonely mountain gorge
through which flows the Juniata river.
when suddenly a dynamite cap explod-
ed and the engine driver. brought the
rain to standstill. When he looked
out to see what the trouble was he
was confronted by masked figure
holding revolver in either hand.
Are there any mail cars on this
:rain?" demanded the highwayman.
No was the reply of the startled
engineer.
The engine crew then was forced at
The point of the gun to accompany the
.obber to the first express car, where
The messenger was looking out to dis.
:cver the cause Of the sudden stop
Ding of the train. A revolver was
pointed at the messengers head and,
threatening to blow up the car with
dynamite, the robber forced the mes.
senkers OF the two express cars and
engine crew to carry all the gold and
bullion stacked n the first car to the
side OF the tracks.
Conductor J. 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 hana
and the others grazing his body.
The express messenger of the train
says there were five large iron safes
in his car, each containing consider.
able sum Of money, but he did not
know how much, as they had been
locked at Washington and could only
be opened by sub-treasury officials at
st. Louis. He had two rifles at the
end Of his car but could not get at
them after he had opened the door
and had been covered by the robbers
revolver.