Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-01
LONE DESPERATE
HOLDS UP TRAIN;
CONDUCTORSHOT
HIGHWAYMAN SECURES THOU
SANDS OF DOLLARS
COMPELS TRAINMEN TO CARRY
LOOT FOR HIM
Robber Carries Bag of 10000 Lincoln
Pennies, Thinking They Are Gold
Coins, and Leaves Behind
yellow Bullion
tBy Associated Press. J

7 EWISTOWN, Pa. Aug. 31-An au-
dacious and startling holdup of a
IA railroad train occurred on the
eastern slope of the Allegheny noun
tains early today.
A lone highwayman, with a dynamite
cartridge, stopped Pennsylvania ral'-
road express train, and at the point OF
a, revolver compelled the crew to carry
thousands of dollars from an express
car to a spot in the wilderness
When the conductor attempted to IN
terfere he was shot in the hand, and
the bandit escaped.
In the darkness, however, he mis-
took a bag containing 10000 new LIN
coin pennies for gold coin and stag
gered away with it, leaving the real
gold bullion to be recovered.
When the news of the robbery
reached the railroad and express COM
pany officials they ordered every avail
able detective from the east and west
to the scene. Bloodhounds were also
put on his track, but UP to late hour
tonight no trace of the man had been
found
Dynamite Cap Explodes
The looted train was running through
LeWistoWn narroWs, a wild and lonely
mountain gorge through which runs
the Juniata river. when suddenly
dynamite cap exploded, and the engl-
neer stopped the train. He was con-
fronted by a masked man holding re-
volver in each hand.
The engine crew then was forced 10
accompany the robber to the first eX-
press car where the messenger was
looking out to learn the cause of the
sudden stopping.
Threatening to dynamite the car, the
robber forced the messenger of the two
pnpina TO
carry all the gold and bullion stacked
in the first car to the side of the tracks.
The robber then calmly ordered the
crew back on the train and told them
to pull out, leaving the bullion beside
the track. 1t was recovered later by
a posse sent on a special train.
1t was reported tonight that in addi-
ton to the missing pennies several
thousand dollars in currency was miss
ing, but the express company officials
refused to announce the exact amount
of the loss.
Agent Hamaker of Lewistown sent a
safe to the scene of the robbery to re-
cover six bags of pennies on which the
seals had not been broken, but which
had been cut open with a knife to as
certain the contents, and abandoned by
the robber in disgust.
Robber Is Alone
Single handed, the daring robber
stopped the westbound express at
Lewistown narrows, eight miles east
of here. at O'Clock this morning,
robbed the express car of $1,000 in gold
and escaped to the mountains.
The robber was compelled to leave
$4,000 in bullion on the mountain side,
where the fireman of the train had
been forced to carry it, passengers
having appeared armed and ready to
give battle to the holdup man.
The train consisted of two engines,
three express cars and two slepers. A
signal cap placed on the track brought
the train to a stop. Engineers John
Long and Balzer Beahm, both of AL
toona, on alighting from the engines,
were confronted by a masked man
with two reVolVers, who ordered
hands up.
Conductor I. r. Poffenberger of Har-
risburg 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.
The robber then ordered the express
car opened, threatening to blow it up
with dynamite if not obeyed. The
car was opened and at the direction
of the robber the money bags were
carried to the side of the tracks.
1t is thought about $1,000 was OBJ
tanned. Several of the bags contained
pennies which were found later near
the scene of the holdup.
Only one robber was seen by the
trainmen. later investigation dis
closed six sticks of dynamite between
the tracks at the point where the cap
exploded. This is accepted as evil
dence that it was the intention of the
robber to blow up the train,