The Sentinel=record. (Hot Springs, Ark.) 1900-current, 1911-07-01
HIGHWAYMEN
LOOT TRAIN
FAST MAIL TRAIN ON THE PHIL
ApELPHiA AND ERIE is
HELD UP.
Mail and Express Cars Rihed, Mail
Clerk and Conductor Wounded and
Robbers Make Good Their
Escape.

Erie, Pa, June 30.-A fast mail
and passenger train on the Philadel-
phia and Erie Railroad was held up
tonight five miles from here by
band of dozen masked men. The
mail and express cars were rifled and
two of the crew, C.. H. Block, OF Erie,
mail clerk, and II. ID. Rooney, OF
Erie, conducted, were injured.
Block was shot in the right side
and was taken TO hospital In dying
condition. Rooney received serious
injuries when he was hit with stone
thrown by one of the robbers.
According to opinion, here. 1t was
not a train that expert robbers could
be expected to attack. 1t Is be-
lieyed the bandits were foreigners.
Within few moments after word
of the hold-up was received here
every officer in the city was called in
to action. Many OF them boarded
a special train for the scene, while
Others were taken there in autos.
Late tonight the surrounding coun-
try was dotted with officers searching
for the bandits and contents of mail
bags and valuable packages taken
from the train.
A few minutes before 10 O'Clock
when the train was making large
curve, the engineer saw an obstruc-
|tio1 ahead. He applied the brakes
but could not stop the train before the
engine crashed into it, ties and tele-
graph poles placed across the track,
none of the cars were derailed.
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.
Almost before the train had reached
the obstruction the masked band
had taken up their positions at prac-
tically every entrance to the cars.
When the train stopped, Engineer
Carey and his fireman climbed down
to investigate. They were immedi-
ately seized by masked men who, with
repolvers made them get back into
the cab. Two of the robbers then
climbed aboard and kept guard.
BY this time passengers were begin
ming to leave the train and part OF
the band began firing their revolvers
close to the heads OF the frightened
men and women. Meanwhile two or
three of the robbers paid strict at
tention to the mail and express cars.
Block, the mail clerk, thrust his
head from the door of his car and be-
gan firing. He was met with vol
ley from the robbers and was snot
through the side. In moment sew
eral masked men were in the car RIP
ping open his mail bags.
G. #. Bemis, brakeman, rushed
from one of the coaches into the mail
car. He had no more than reached
the door when he fell with bullet
through the arm. The robbers then
kicked Bemis out of the car. Con-
ductor Rooney fired four shots at the
men, all the cartridges he had in his
revolver. without any apparent ef-
feet. One Of the bandits hurled p.
stone at Rooney. II struck him ans
he dropped. Later he recovered and
made his way to telephone, one mile
from the robbery where he reported
the hold-up to the Erie officials. A
passenger was hurled down an en-
bankment 300 feet and badly hurt.
With all of the members of the
crew either injured or Under guar,
the robbers rified the cars.
Efforts to obtain some estimate of
the value of loot secured by the ban
dts were unsuccessful. The amount.
however. is believed to be consider
able. The mail and express cars
were stripped OF their contents.
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