The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1912-05-17
TRAIN ROBBERS SEEM TO HAVE
COMPLETELY DISAPPEARED
AND NO CLUES DEVELOP.
SHERIFF Went TO BROOKLYN
URGE LOOKOUT FOR BANDITS
Detective Forces Increased BY Arrival
OF Other sleuths-opnion Now That
Four Men Were in the Band as That
Number Left Freight Train.

e. M. Williams, General Manager Of
the Southern Express Co., arrived in
Hattiesburg on No. 2, over the N. O..
& N. E. railroad, Thursday and at once
assumed personal charge in directing
the plans for the apprehension of the
robbers who relieved the Southern Elk.
press Co. of the custody of a sum of
money, said by authorities to be the
largest ever gotten by bandits in the
history of "hold-ups."
The coming and goings last night of
strangers as the filed In and
out Of their rooms at the
Hotel Hattiesburg, where the
officials of the express company
and the high officers of the Pinkerton
National Detective Agency are quarter
ed. indicated that large number are
at work trying to find clue that will
lead to discovery of the robbers.
Shortly after arriving in Hatties-
burg Manager Williams announced an
Increase of the reward offered by the
express company to $4,000 for the ar
rest Of both men, or $1,000 for the ar
rest of one.
The dogs were not carried intoBlack
Creek swamp as reported yesterday
Sheriff Bennett returned late yester-
day afternoon from the vicinity of
Brooklyn where he went in company
with Mr.. Williams. He spread the news
OF the robbery with additional infor-
nation to all residents in the territory
covered and gave instructions for all
to keep a close watch and notify him
Immediately of any clue that might be
obtained.
The Pinkerton people representing
the Southern Express Co. in all detec-
tive work have full charge of the serv-
ice in this case. They are directing
the men from the other agencies as
, well as their own, notably among them
being the rival agency, the Burns d.
! tective Agency. They are getting the
cooperation of sheriffs, town marshals
and constables in every town and couh-
ty in South Mississippi.
Two more Pinkerton detectives ar
rived in the city last night and we're in
conference with Sheriff Bennett at an
early hour this morning. Another rep
resentative of the Burns Agency also
arrived last night.
Route Agent Terry of the Southern
Express Co., is here, as 1t private De-
tective Gray, of Chattanooga. Other
Pinkerton men who are now In the vi
cinity are Detective Smith, Robinson
and Miller
With all the vigorous work of detec-
tives, county officials and amateur
sleuths, made yesterday, not trace OF
the fugitives has been discovered SO
far as can be learned. If the "earth
had opened up and swallowed them"
as the saying goes, they could not have
disappeared more completely.
There have been expressions from
people in various walks of life who
have stated "what they would have
DONE" If they had been passengers on
the robbed train. 1t is generally
thought now that there we're four men
connected with the hold-up. Two OF
the men did the work while two others
were stationed on either side Of the
train. who no doubt would have riddled
with bullets any man who had volun-
: teered to get off and attempt to pre-
\ vent the ROBBERS from completing their
3xork. The theory that there were
four men is borne out by the fact that
four men got of of No. 40 at Rich
burg shortly pfter the hold-up and were
seen by the trainmen, even asking one
Of the brakemen for a match. That
these four we're the bandits is the opin-
lon Of a great many officers.
..I ch.a No and q a. III