New-York tribune., 1909-09-01
2. Il. R. TRAIN HELD UP
BANDIT TAKES LINCOLN
PENNIES FOR GOLD.
Conductor Shot by Lone RobbCr,
Who OUCrlOokcd 500 Blood
hounds on TrmH-LOOf OHly !SGJ.

Lewiston. Pom. Aug 31-Ouo Of tie most
audacious bold-ups of a railroad train fin thc
East for years took place ou the eastern SLOPE
~ 40" Alleshau, Mountains early To-day. when
"a sinEl" LighNaymsu stopped Pennsylvania
express train with dynamite cap and ~
tho point ~ revolver compelled the .crew IN
carry bags Of coins and thousands of dollars
worth Of gold bullion from an express car To-
a spot in the wilderness.
When Isaac Potfenherger. the conductor ~
tho train. Of tie oldest in the service % the
company. attempted 20 interfere with the rob
hers plans he was shot in tho hand. and the
bandit succeeded iu making good his escape. In
the darkness. however. he mistook n bag con-
tanning ten thousand new Lincoln pennies for
gold coin and staggered away with g. leaving
the real gold bullion 10 he recovered by the rail-
rad men
According to a dispatch from st. Louis tho
robber missed chance 20 acquire $4,000
moro IN government funds oscar I. Whitelaw.
Sub-Treasurer ~ the United states at ST Louis
said tonight that i've iron safes In the looted
car We're filled with currency. and that their
contents total SInoUno n the shipment VAS con-
fined TO 81 So and s. bills He added That bills
~ greater denomination might be included.
and in that case tHe total would run into tho
millions. Tie safes are due IN 81 Louis To-
The amount can bc given.
when the news 81 tho robbery reached the
railroad and express company officials they
were deeply concerned AZ SIS boldncss and inn
uedistely ordered every available detective
from the East and West 20 the scene In an effort
10 capture the bandit Bloodhounds from chill
licothe. onto. were put on mis- track Tho dogs
are owned by THE Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
and are kept for ara emergency Of this kind.
TRACKED RY TRAIL or PENNIES
He was tracked short distance up the noun
tain side adjacent 20 tho scene OF the hold-up,
currency dropped I'm his flight serving as a
guide for the posse Of officers ON his trail
Some of the railroad and Adams Express OIL
GERS said that the loot has dwndcd To- about
S65 The robber was compelled Co diyest himself |
II all unnecessary weight TO facilitate his eight
up the mountain side. which is steep and COW
cred with bowldcrs
The highwayman it is said. took $4,000 in
bullion and S20G in pennies from the car. and
an of this has been found along the trail except
ss5 II is said that there was large "f
rarcr money In the express car designed for
"A Pittsburg payroll and it is an" opinion ~ the
railroad officers that the robbcr was aware of
this fact hut by mistake took She packages " !
bullion.
Tho looted train mad" up of engine. |
three express cars and two sleeping coaches !
oued with Messengers II left Philadelphia at !
a0e O'Clock last night and Harrisburg AT mid |
night At about l.:!o a. m. il was running !
through Lewiston Narrows. 4 Wild and lonely /
mountain gorge. through which flows the Juni- |
alta River. when suddenly a dynamite cap eX- |
pIoded and the engine driver brought the train |
to u standstfu When he looked out "a see what |
the trouble was he was confronted by masked |
a. t,,t,4fps, revolver i'm either hand
ASKS FOR NAL. CARS.
~. there any mail cars ON this train?- de-
manded the highway man.
'',lo - was the reply of the startled engineer.
fnauiring further and learning that there were |
express cars the bandit forced the engine crew |
p, the point ~ his reyolvers TO accompany him |
Ia tr, first express where the messenger |
was looking ont to discover tho cause Of the |
sudden stopping Of the train revolver was /
roinfed nj the messengers head, and threaten
ing To blow mp the car with dynamite the rob
ler forced the messengers Of the two express
rar. and the engine crew to carry all the bullion
stacked i'm the first car To the side Of the tracks
I II Poffenberger Of Harrisburg. Penn. the |
who came up while this work was /
being accomplished, was ordered back by the |
bandit who emptied one Of his revolvers at him.
,ne Of the shots penetrating his hand and others !
grazing his body.
Despite the appearance OF three passengers.
who had been awakened by the shooting the
robber calmly ordered the back on the
train and compelled them to steam away. leav-
ing the buIon beside the track. 1t was recov-
cred later by posse sent ON special train.
Continued on third page
50 NIAGARA FALLS AND RETURN