Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-01-25
CUT ENGINE, BAGGAGE AND MAIL
CAR LOOSE AND RUN TRAIN
TO SECLUDED SPOT, WHERE
MAIL BAGS ARE RlFLED.
BLOODHOUNDS ON
THEIR TRAIL TODAY
MORE THAN A HUNDRED DEPUTY
SHERIFFS, coNSTABLEs AND
SPECIAL SERVICE MEN IN PUR-
SUIT OF ROBBERS.

81. LOUIS, MO, Jan. 2Z.-W1tn more
than hundred deputy sheriffs, cor
stables and special service men in
pursuit, it is believed the four men
who held up Missouri Pacific train No.
last night near Eureka thirty miles
from this city, will be caught today.
Bloodhounds were put on the trail to-
day. 1t is believed the robbers are |
hiding in the foothills near Eureka.
Just how much the men got from
the mail car is unknown. twenty-five
sacks of mail were ripped open and |
hundreds Of letters rifled, while many
other letters and packages are sup
posed to have been carried away.
The safe in the express car resisted |
all efforts Of the robbers to open it |
with jimmies ana crowbars and they |
did not attempt to use explosives.
Two bandits boarded the train at |
Pacific, nine miles west of Eureka and
the other two tagged the train mile
east of Eureka in lonely spot, with |
red lanterns.
Baggageman's Hat Blown Off.
AS the train slowed down the two
on board climbed over the tender and
covered the engineer and fireman. The
engine, mail coach and combination
baggage and express cars were cut off
after the express messengers and mail
clerks had been ordered from the cars.
Baggageman Beeton hesitated about
leaving the car and bullet carried
away his hat and lock of his hair.
Engine Disabled; Crew Banished.
With one of the robbers at the
throttle the engine and two cars ran
to Castlewood, six miles distant, where
the robbers leisurely rifled the mail.
The water was let out of the boiler and
the engineer and firemen were ordered
to walk east for fifteen minutes under
threat of instant death. The quartet
then disappeared into the woods. The
three stranded passenger coaches re-
manned on the main line until o'clock
| this morning when they, together with
other portions of the train were
brought into ST. Louis by freight
train.
Conductor Made Target.
The Missouri Pacific officials say it
is impossible to determine how much
the safe contained.
/ The region of the holdup is sparse
|
not reach St. Louis until II o'clock
last night.
Conductor Butts climbed off the
train to see what was the trouble and
was met by fusillade of shots. After
the engine disappeared, Butts walked
back to a farmers home near Eureka
and telephoned to st. Louis.
Several holdups have taken place in
I'll,
Hedgepeth, recently killed as bur
glar in Chicago, and his gang took
$4,000 from Frisco train.
HoIdup at Burlington.
Burlington, Jan. pa nervy bandit
with wicked looking revolver, held
up Cashier V. A. Johnson, of the West
Burlington Savings bank yesterday
afternoon and forced the official to
hand over $50. Then the bold stick-up
man stood silent for a full minute with
the revolver levelled at the cashiers
head, while the banker had his hands
in the air. The desperate then backed
to the door still covering the bank of
fetal Upon arriving at the entrance
to the bank the bandit wheeled and
ran from the building, continuing his
!, flight into the railroad yards, where he
,, disappeared from the sight of the
!, banker.
No trace of the bandit was found
and the officers, upon arriving at Yves
Burlington, obtained further informa
ton from the banker.
. A careful search was made of the
West Burlington railroad yards, in
cludinp the strings of box cars but the
robber had made his getaway.
!, 1t is probable that the bandit took t.
i the country, avoiding the railroad
. where his capture would be more Ger
. tain.
d ROCKEFELLER FIGHTS SALOONS