The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-05-26
TRAIN ROBBED
Locked The Messenger Up and
Rob Express Car
MAKE THIER ESCAPE


No One or the Train Knew of the
Daring Robbery Until the Mes
seneer Was Gotten Out Of the
Box n Which He Had Been
Locked by the Robbers.
Train robbers on Tuesday nlsnV
overpowered Express Messenger
Thomas L. Hutto, on Southern train
No. II, which passed Branchville lit
1le before eight O'Clock and which
is due in Augusta at half-past ten
o'clock. and robbed the express safe
of about $500, all the money that
was in it. The robbers took ooth-
ing else. The following particulars
Of the robbery we take from the
Augusta Chronicle:
The robbery occurred between
Warrenyille and Augusta. Inc
thieves got the drop on the mes
senger, Knocked him senseless, tied
mis- hands behind his back, and thre"
him into and lock.I him n q cnes1.
They procured his keys and, at thelr
leisure, ransacked the car.
The messenger was liberated at
the Union Station in Augusta. Inc
blow with which be was felleo was
not severe. He was nearly sunoca1-
ed from his close confinement N the
chest. Otherwise he suffered no III
effects physically.
Southern No. II makes up at
Branchyilla. It's connections there
are with Columbia and Charleston.
It's express and mail are through.
Ordinarily the train, fer the South
ern Express Company, carries s2'oOo
to $4,000 Of currency. Tuesoa!
nights packages were the smallest
in years. AS stated, as luck had IT,
the shipments was not more tnan ap-
proximateiy $500.
Thomas L. Hutto has been an eA-
press messenger four Years. He lives
at aOS Ellis street. He tells a VerS
interesting story of the robbery.
Hutto was sitting idly on a box IN
his cara compartment car, emorac,
ing mail and express serVlce-as the
train pulled out from Warrenvllle
The end door of the car-next the
baggage car-was thrown suddenly
open and man, his face hidden Dy
shabby mask of red flannel, plsto
extended, ordered hands up!' Hut
to was dazed by the suddeness OF Il
all, and made no move. Hands up
tell vou," was ordered by another
voice, and a second man had entered
face red-fanneled, pistol EXTENDED
Before Hutto could obey the rapie
and fierce orders, and as he reached
for his gun, which was N TN ooo
but a foot or so removed from MIN
he received a blow, presumably from
the man who had entered the ca
first, and was rendered unconscious
But he regained consciousness II
"a fash-he is sure he was uncon
scious but a moment When him
self again he found his hands grasp
ed tightly behind his back. A pisto
barrel was pressed hard against hi:
spinal column. Cry out, make an!
demonstration, and I will pull thf
trigger the robber told him. :
package of baby clothing-an eS
press shipment-was cut open anc
cords taken therefrom, with whlct
the messenger was securely tied
hands behind back.
There was in the car an empt!
express chest four feet wide, five
feet long and three feet deep. The
robbers threw the helpless messenger
into this chest and clasped 1t, bu
did not lock it. They then, having
secured his keys, went through the
car and safe at their leisure.
There Hutto remained until eX
press helpers extricated him at the
station in Augusta.
The negro helpers at the Union
Station, when they proceeded to the
car, as is customary, to remove the
express to the station Office, found
the door of the car on the right
si6e-which was closed-unlocked
The end door was locked. The door
on the left side of the car was open,
Entering the car they heard vigor-
,ous talking in the express chest
and liberated Hutto, who gave the
first information of the robbery.
Conductor ]. B. Metz declares that
he and no other man on the train
had intimation Of any thing wrong
until after Hutto had been released.
The robbers left the train at Broad
street, through the downtown side
door of the car-the one found open
at the station.
From his chest prison Hutto could
hear them plainly rattle silver. He
could hear their voices, but no dis
tinctly enough to distinguish what
they were saying. He heard one of
them call the other Jim"
His experience on the run enabled
him to locate when the train reached
the Hamberg yards, when it crossed
the bridge and about when it reached
Broad. It was then that the hum Of
conversation ceased and. Hutto knew
that the men had left the car. He
kicked the chest in the hope Of at
tracting the attention Of some one
for he was about to suffocate-but
was not successful He then sum-
moned all his strength and waited
till the Union Station was reached,
when he renewed his vigorous kick
ing.
On the floor Of the express car
was found piece of rubber tubing
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