Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-07-06
|HOLDlIP EXPRESS
in WESTERN STYLE
Gang Of Dozen Masked Men
Rob Train.
MoMENABoaRD IRAIN FAlNT.
raasenaess kept inside by FusSL
ieee q BuIists--1r4tn Noas-
y Thrown Down Em-
bankmene.

Erie PA fast mail and pas
Esenger train on the PhiIade1phia and
Erie Division of the Pennsylvania
Railroad was held mp flve miles from
this city by q band of q dozen mask
ed men.
The mail and express cars were
rihed, and three of the erew-C. II.
Block, Of Erie, mail clerk, and H. d.
Rooney, Erie, conductor. and G. r.
Bemis, brakeman - we're injured
Block was shot In the right side and
was taken to a hospital in q dying
condition. Rooney received serious
Injuries when he was hit with a
stone thrown by one of the robbers.
Bemis was shot In the arm
The train was due In this city at
1910 p. M. A few minutes before
10 o'clock, when the train was max
ing long curve, the engineer saw an
obstruction ahead He stopped the
train with all possible speed, but not
before it crashed into ties and tele-
across the track
vo.vers Cracked.
When the train hit the obstruction
Il was first believed by the passen-
gers that there had been q collision
WA@A AAOkAGA ~ AAAl L 1le9 next mo-
ment, however, the crack OF revolv-
ers acquainted them with the real
cause of the trains stop.
AS the train came to q standstill
several Of the passengers alighted to
ascertain the trouble. Their pres
ence drew the FIRE of the band of
masked men, and there was q STAN
pede to re-enter the cars.
An unknown passenger, who,
Drawer than the rest, caught hold of
one Of the robbers, was picked up
bodily and thrown over 3OO-foot
embankment. His condition is seri-
Gus. The mans head, face and body
We're badly cut and his clothing torn
from his back. He was taken to q
hospital in an unconscious condition.
The spot selected by the robbers
was ideal for their work On one
side of the railroad is large ravine
and on the other side is dense
woods. The men had hidden among
the trees 1t was from this point
that all of them made their appear
Rnce when the train came to a stop
Almost before the train had reach
ed the obstruction the masked band
had taken up their positions at prac-
'tically every entrance to the cars
When the passengers began pouring
from the train there were q few
sharp cries from the men to get back
into the cars IS
When q number of the excited
passengers failed to take this advice
the bandits opened fire. They shot
along the sides of the cars, level
with the windows and this effectively
put an end to the curiosity of the
passengers.
Within the cars there was a panic.
number of women tainted, while
the screams OF others caused much
confusion.
The train arrived in this city about
midnight. The passengers, dazed
from fright, could not give a con-
nected story of what had taken
place. Many Of the women were
hysterical and required attention.
large number of those aboard
were from Philadelphia. Buffalo and
intermediate points. The train was
made up of four day coaches and
two Pullmans It meets the through
Philadelphia and Buffalo train at
Emporium, Pa.
According to opinion here, it is
not train that expert robbers could
be expected tp attack It is believ-
ed the bandits were foreigners.
Panic In. he Tra
Within a few moments after word
of the holdup was received here
every officer in the city was called
into action. Many of them boarded
a special train for the scene, while
others were taken. there in auto
mobiles and other conveyances
Albert Carey, engineer, by making
a quick stop of the train probably
a serious disaster. Rail-
road men say had the heavy train
struck the obstruction with much
force it would have thrown the en-,
tire train from the track and down
over the embankment.