The San Francisco call., 1909-05-24
PURSU[RS BAFFLFD
BY TRAIN BANDITS
Little Progress Made, Although
Police and Sheriffs Scour
Nebraska
Fire Burning on Bank Near the
Scene of Robbery Thought
to Be Signal
Especial Dis,,eh 10 The Calll

~
OMAHA. May 2a.-The United States
government, state of Nebraska, Union
Pacific railroad and the city of Omaha
are seeking to capture the four men
who late last night held up and robbed
the foreign mail car on the overland
limited, the magnificent train that runs
between Chicago and San Francisco.
procuring booty estimated at between
500, 600 and 100000. Dozens OF men
are being shadowed.
tically every foot of Nebraska western
Iowa and northern Kansas Is covered.
Inspired by the $1,000 reward for the
capture, dead or alive, of each OF the
four robbers, every sheriff, United
States marshal and policeman in the
region is on the alert. The Union Pa
cifc sent word to every county and
town in Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas
giving notice OF the robbery and the
reward.
While none of he postal officials will
attempt to express an official opinion
they all say it may run as low as $780,
900 or may be double that sum. They
believe the pounches contained a large
sum of currency being shipped east.
FIND SAN FRANCISCO POUCH
One of the stolen pouches was found
in the vicinity of Forty third street and
the Union Pacific tracks. The tag at the
top showed that it had come from San
Francisco.
Two empty mail pounches taken from
the train were found some distance
from where the robbery occurred. They
had been cut open and their contents
removed, the outlaws overlooking only
one package. The highwaymen dropped
from sight go completely that not a
single person has been able to give a
clew.
1t is thought the robbers rode in an
automobile to the scene of the holdup.
1t has been learned that a fire was
burning on the bank near where the
robbery occurred, and it is believed to
have been used as signal for the
robbers on the train in order that they
might know where 70 start things.
POLICE HUNT RENDEZVOUS
The police believe the outlaws went
to a rendezvous already selected.
either in Omaha or South Omaha,
and devoted Sunday to dividing their
loot. Their principal efforts, therefore,
are being put forth in the two cities,
where the robbers are believed to be
in hiding.
CONDUCTOR FIRED AT
Conductor Wallace says he was
more surprised at the holiness of the
robbers than anything else.
II got out of the sleeper at the rear
of the train when l heard the shoot
ing" said Wallace, "and the robbers
promptly began using my lantern as
a target. I walked forward to the
next car when one of the robbers
yelled at me: Get inside there before
you get your head shot on 1t did
not take me long to obey"
SECRET SERVICE MEN JOIN
A number of secret service men ar
rived in Omaha from Kansas City to-
night to join in the hunt. Sheriff
Bauman of Fremont has notified the
local police that three men had hur-
riedly left saloon near the depot at
that place just as the overland limited
was getting ready to leave, and he
believes they boarded the train. He
has furnished a good description of
the men, and the local authorities are
hunting for strangers who mt their
descriptions.
None of the trainmen are able to
describe the men, as their masks and
raincoats covered them completely.
John P. Maurer, representative of
New York firm who had not gone to
his berth when the train stopped, sur
missed a holdup was taking place. and
having a large sum of money in his
possession started for the brush at
once and crouched in a bunch of weeds.
where he watched the proceedings.
After the train started he heard the
robbers make off. but it was several
hours before he left his hiding place.
Just as he did so he came in contact
with the sheriff's automobile. That Of
fetal promptly told Maurer to hold up
his hands or he would be shot. After
explanations satisfactory to the sheriff
were made Maurer was brought to the
city. He left for the east tonight.
- ~s~ eeagr TN