The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-05-28
Picked Men After Robbers.

Picked Men After Robbers.
Washington, May 24.-Stirred as 1t
has not Deen over train holdup in
years, the officials OF the postoffice de-
parument have taken prompt and Wig
orous steps to capture the robbers and
secure the booty taken by the men
VINO held up and robbed the Union
Pacific Overland Limited train near
Omaha Saturday night.
The office OF Chief Inspector Nc
MILAN of the postoffice department TO-
day is one of unusual activity over the
daring robbery and the greatest in
terest is being manifested in the case.
force of postal inspectors, men
picked for their known bravery and
nerve, are already on the scene of
the holdup working in cooperation
with the Union Pacific inspectors and
authorities in an effort to round up the
robbers. This force will be increased
by tomorrow with several more men
in whom the chief inspector has every
confidence for their nerve and ability.
the chief inspector here.
Omaha, May 24.-In spite of the
vigorous search for the Lane cutoff
train robbers, the authorities have yet
secured no tangible clews.
John p. Maurer of New York city,
a passenger, had not retired when the
train stopped. Expecting that the
robbers would go through the cars
and rob the passengers, Mr.. Maurer
jumped to the ground and hid in the
weeds by the side of the track. He
witnessed the robbery of the mail car.
He remained in the weeds until the
sheriff's posse reached the place, after
daylight. Mr.. Maurer heard an auto
mobile soon after the robbers disap.
peared, but did not see it.. He sup
posed it belonged to the robbers, but
this theory is not now accepted by
the authorities 1t is the one in which
the police made their first search for
the bandits.
Four Men in Wagon.
John Tavelle, an employee of stove
| factory at Ralston, was walking to
his home in South Omaha and about
midnight was passed by four men in
an express wagon headed for South
Omaha and driving rapidly. 1t is the
general belief that these were the
train robbers. Tavelle was unable to
furnish any definite description of the
men.
| Four masked bandits held up and
robbed Union Pacific passenger train
No. 2, known as the Overland Limited,
mile west of the city just before
midnight Saturday night and secured
seven mail sacks, and they are be-
lieved to have contained a large sum.
The robbers evidently got on the
train at some town west OF here. The
holdup occurred about mile west of
the city limits in a deep cut along the
recently constructed Lane cutoff. The
robbers climbed over the tank and
forced the engineer to stop his train
and then proceeded to the mail car.
The clerks were forced to open the
door and hand out a number of
pouches of registered mail. Once they
secured the bags they hurried away
in a southerly direction and permitted
the train to proceed.
The passengers were not molested
and as soon as the robbers left the
scene of the holdup the train proceed
ed to this city. A big squad of police
hurried to the scene and quickly start
ed in pursuit of the bandits.
The train was detained but fifteen
minutes, and left Omaha for Chicago
on time.
Robbery Near City Limits.
The robbery occurred within mile
of the city limits. Two of the robbers
climbed into the engine with drawn
revolvers and forced the engineer to
stop the train. The engine crew was
ordered out of the cab and two of the
robbers stood guard while the other
two escorted the engineer and fire.
man TO the rear. The quartette were
apparently acquainted with the
ground, as they forced the train to
stop in deep cut
There were eight clerks in the mail
car and they were forced to open the
door. The chief clerk was singled out
and asked to point out the registered
mail.
Fusillade of Shots.
A continuous fusillade OF shooting
rrnr liant I'm during the robbery. evil