Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1912-05-22
MASKED MEN MAKE RICH HAUL.
BoId Bandits Dynamite Express Car
and Get Over $4,000.

| Hattiesburg, Miss, May 15.-A
rich haul was made by two masked
bandits who early this morning held
up tho Queen and Crescent New
York Limited train, No. 2, near Okla
hola, flag station eight miles south
OF Hattiesburg, and blew open the
safe Of the Southern Express car.
The safe was destined from New
Orleans for Eastern points, and Is
said to have contained over $14O,-
600. Express officials deny that the
sum aggregated anything so great,
but admit it was very large.
The robbers disappeared on horses
after accomplishing their work.
Tho train hnd stopped at a water
tank just nortn Of Richburg, when
the men boarded tho express car.
At tho timo nearly all OF the passcn-
gers, with the exception Of few
who were to leave the train at Hat
tles''irg, were asleep in their berths.
The men first forced the engineer
and fireman to leave the engine, and
together with the conductor, flag
man and other members of the train
crew, they were lined up against
the train and covered with rcvol-
YER by one Of the men, while the
other entered the express car and
forced the express messengers and a
guard, said to be guarding the gov
crnmcnt money on the train, to get
out and join the lineup.
The messenger and guard were re-
lieved Of their weapons before they
had show to make any resistance.
After the guards and messenger had
disembarked, the robber guarding
the crew sent one Of them back
through the coaches with instruc-
tions to inform the passengers the
train was being held "for a certain
purpose and they were safe as long
as they remained inside the cars"
The conductor Of the train was in
cllned to resist, but was quickly in
formed that he would be killed if he
so much as made an outcry.
The bandits did not disturb any
car with the exception Of the ex-
press car, and, SO far as is known,
paid no attention to anything in that
except the through safe, locked at
New Orleans. The five charges Of
dynamite not only opened the safe,
but demolished the express car.
Got Over $1lO,OOO.
1t is not known how much money
was obtained from this safe, but
from the fact that a guard was ac-
companying 1t, it is believed the
amount was large. The express mes
senger stated that he was quite posi-
tive one package contained $4,000.
Other reports estimated the amount
obtained at as high as $15O,OOO.
Ollicials OF the express company
here early this morning stated they
could not tell how much money was
In the safe. They said it was a
through safe, its contents destined
to different Eastern points.
The bandits are believed to be the
pair which held up and robbed the
Mobile and Ohio train near Corinth,
Miss, in February.
In Wild West Style.
The hold-up OF the train was cf-
Iccted in true wild west manner,
but, Notwithstanding a generous
OF weapons, not shot
was fired. The passengers were not
molcstcd.
When the train was passing the |
tlag station, Okahola, the two mask
ed bandits climbed over the tender
and with drawn revolvers called out |
to Engineer Mahcr and his fireman,
'obcy orders" The engineer i'm
threw on his brakes, say
ing, "I'll stop right now
no." said one OF the bandits,
pull on around the curve and stop
when | tell YOU to stop"
Covered by Guns.
After the train had turned the
curve above Okahola. the engineer
was given the command to stop and
complied promptly.
\ Clean GETAWAY.
Except about 5000 in silver, every
thing in sight was hurriedly placed
in sack and the two men backed
on into the darkness with their re-
volverS lcvclcd at the heads Of the
train crew. After walking backward
for about 100 yards the men dashed
off and are believed to have fed on
horses which had been left in charge