The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-05-17
OUTLAWS MAKE ESCAPE
Detached Engine and Mall Car Sent
Running Wild and colldes
With Coaches Causing
smash-up.

hold-up of the Great Northern passen-
ger train No. 3. between Colbert and
Mead shortly before midnight Satur-
day night, twelve persons were injured
when the engine and mail car were
sent running wild down the track by
the bandits after they had rifled the
mails, and collided with the remaining
cars of the train.
The bandits detached the engine
and mail car from the train. ran them,
down the track a considerable distance
and then, after the registered mail had
been opened, they sent the engine
back to collide with the cars standing
on the track.
The conductor saw the wild cars
coming down the track at a rate of
twenty-five miles an hour and he and
one of the trainmen placed tie on
the track in an effort to stop their
wild flight The engine and car were
partly stopped by this means, but
plunged into the coaches.
There was crash, and passengers
were thrown from their seats, most OF
the injured being hurt by glass from
the broken windows.
Force Trainmen To Obey.
When the train reached Colbert
some switching had to be done. While
the engine crew was busy at this work
two men suddenly appeared in the en-
gine cab and thrust revolver against
the body of the engineer. William Mil
Ter ordering Kim to do as commanded.
The engineer and Fireman John
Fall obeyed.
The car was coupled on to the train
and pulled out. After the train had
proceeded few miles the engineer was
ordered to stop and he and his fireman
| were forced t, leave the cab.
Two robbers went to the door of the
mail car and ordered it opened. Their
command was obeyed by Benjamin F.
Stumpf, the mail clerk.
Meanwhile two bandits were with
the engineer and fireman, who were
uncoupling the mail car and locomo-
tive.
Soon after the train stopped Conduc-
tor c. L. Robertson jumped from the
car, but was driven back by dozen
revolver shots.
Hastily climbing intoJthe cab, the
outlaws sent the engine hurrying down
the track--how far is not known.
AS soon as the conductor was aware
that there was a hold up he ordered a
brakeman, ta sthssrerfM the train to
prevent collision and had another
brakeman cut in the telephone wire to
send word to Spokane.
A third member of the train crew
was hurried to the station with the
news.
Officers Quick on Trail.
About half an hour after the engine
and mail car had disappeared they
we're seen coming down the track, and
hurried preparations were made to
ditch the runaways.
Two special train loads of deputies
were hurried from Spokane when the
word of the hold-up was received.
Doctors also were taken out on the
train to care for the injured
Chief O'Brien of MiIlard went out
with a posse and surrounded all the
roads leading to Spokane.
No trace of the robbers was found.
1t is reported that the bandits OBJ
tanned large sum of money from the
registered mail, the amount being rlac-
ed at 100000.
The two bandits who climbed into
the cab are described as follows: One
more than 6 feet tall, weight 100
pounds, face wrinkled, about 35 years
old, evidently an experienced engln-
eer.
One of the others is about 5 feet 9
inches tall and weighing about ITO
pounds.
AS they entered the cab the tall man
said to the engineer:
"You have heard of us BEFORE In
dicating that they had been involved
in other similar train hold-ups in the
vicinity of Spokane within the last
few months.
T. N. Wilson and wife of Spokane
were seriously injured. He suffered
fractures of two ribs.
Mrs. Wilson is badly bruised.
Same Old Gang.
Chief Of Police Ryan Hillyard IN
vestigating the train robbery which