The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-11-01
Half Million Dollars In Cold Cash
Missed From Rock Island Train
In Tennessee This
Morning.
SENSATIONAL HOLD UP
Train Was Tagged, Bandits Climb on
Board and Try for Money
From Mall and Express
Cars.

MEMPHIS. Tenn, Nov. 1-One OF
the boldest train robberies ever at
tempted in the history OF the south
west occurred here early today when
two men held UP the express train on
the Oklahoma and Gulf division OF the
Rock Island railroad and after sue
cessfully gaining entrance to the ex-
press car sought to blow the safe
which was known to contain nearly q
half million dollars. The robbers
however, blew smaller safe contain
ing nothing and then fled without
tampering with the strong box con-
tanning fortune.
After the first alarm had been sent
out stating that the express car had
been looted, the crew returned to the
train, released the bound messenger
and then discovered that the robbers
had bown the wrong safe. Posses
| started in pursuit but failed to find
any trace of the robbers. They found
several persons who claimed to have
seen some strange men crossing the
river early this morning. 1t Is hoped
that the robbers will be located be-
fore night.
The attempt to rob the train de-
| layed traffic for more than an hour,
for the entire car was wrecked by
the explosion.
The man on guard at the safe was
easily oyerpowered, bound and gagged
by the robbers who then skillfully
blew open the safe, forced s,a engi-s
neer to back the train down a siding
and dropped off. disappearing before
pursuit could be organized.
/ The holdtip was one Of the most
sensational that has occurred In this
section for years. Just as the big
! train rounded the curve on the op-
posite side Of the river the engineer
: saw a man waving red flag In front
of the engine Thinking that there
might have been washout on one
of the bridges, the engineer brought
> the train to sudden stop, only to be
met with the sharp command up
with your hands!"
without the loss Of a moment
time, the robbers, who are variousiy
= estimated at from two to six, made
: their way to the mail car where they
forced the clerks to show them where
the registered mall was kept. One OF
the men kept the clerks covered while
! the other rifled the mail, securing a
small amount of money and valuables
Then marshalling the clerks In
p front Of them so there might be no
chance of attacks from the rear they
entered the express car, tied the mes
senger and blew open the safe Hav
!, ing blown the safe. one of the rob
= bers remained in the car covering the
> clerks and messenger while the 9th
! ers made their way forward to the
engine, forced the engineer to bacH
> the express to siding and all the
= men made their escape almost before
the sleepy conductor and porter knew
a robbery had taken place.
: Several mail clerks, securing revol
! vers, gave chase but their delay has
: been too great and no clue was fount
;, to their whereabouts. A posse wa
formed here and hunt commences
9 for the men Up to late hour, how
ever, no trace to the daring bandit
had been discovered. 1t is though
the railroad will offer a large rewar
= for their capture and as the countr
= is fairly we'll populated it is not cor
sidered possible that they can evad
II capture long.