The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-07-01
Wild WEST
HOLD-UP IS
PULLED OFF
Ties Piled on Track at 100
Foot Embankment
Engineer Saw 1t In Time to
Avert Fearful Disaster
Robbers Fired Many Shots and
Looted Two Cars

Erie, Pa. July Hundreds Of farm
ers, every available police officer in
the county and the state police are
searching today for the train robbers
that last night held up and robbed
train No. Al on the Philadelphia and
Erie branch of the Pennsylvania lines
in the most approved style Of the wild
west.
The train was bound from Philadel-
phia to Chicago and was brought to a
stop shortly after 10 o'clock against a
mass Of ties and telephone poles piled
on the track at Wesleyville. about FIVE
miles from this city. The bandits RI
fed the mail and express cars before
they escaped.
A mail clerk was shot and seriously
wounded, the conductor was stoned and
many passengers had narrow escapes
from death or wounds by bullets.
The men who are searching for the
robbers are heavily armed and an en-
counter with any OF the bandits viii
result in bloodshed. The panic stricken
passengers tell conflicting stories as to
the number of robbers, but all agree
that they were masked. Some say
there were six, others say ten. 10
accurate information is obtained.
Reports that they got $4,000 which
was being shipped to this city by
the Adams Express Co. were denied
by the express company as well as by
railroad officials.
The train was rounding a five mile
curve at reduced speed when En-
gineer Carey saw an obstruction on
the track. The locomotive crashed into
the pile of timber and came TO a stop.
Detectives are of the opinion that
the highway men intended the train
to hit the obstruction and go over the
embankment to the bed of -Four Mile
creek, nearly 200 feet below.
Engineer Carey struggled with one
robber until another came up and
threw Carey over the embankment.
He escaped with a wrenched back.
C. II. Block of this city was shot
through his hip and is now at a
hospital I'm serious condition.
Conductor ID. II. Rooney was felled
with stones by the bandits. He
erawled to farm house and was
chased by posse farmers who thought
him one of the robbers and he sought
refuge in tree. The farmers discov-
ering their mistake telephoned the
railroad officials here who dispatched
officers on a switch engine to the
scene.
Passengers in Panic.
The passengers, when they learned
they were participating in a hold up
became panic stricken. Women
screamed Historically and fainte1.
None of the passengers were hit by
bullets.
The express agent on the train.
James H-rt received a bullet in the
side.
Carl o. Anderson Of Renova, Pa. q
salesman grappled with one OF the
holdup men and was hurled over the
steep embankment. He received Sc
we're ruises and cuts.
II is said over 100 shots were nrea.
May Have Been italians.
Philadelphia. July according to
official report received today at the
Pennsylvania railroad Offices. no mail
or express matter was taken by the
men who held up the train near Eric
last night. The company has a large
force Of its own police on the trail
OF the gang. The officials say the
holdup was the work Of gang of
Italians who may have been drinking.
and suddenly conceived the idea of
robbing the train.