The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-16
They Hold Up Limited
Train on Queen and
Crescent.
SAFE is BL WIN
IN EXPRESS CAR
Their Loot Is Estimated at From
$4,000 to $2oo,ooo-Robbers
Garry Out Affair in Real
Wild West Style, and
Make Good Their
Escape.

hattiesburg, Miss. May ia rich
maui. variousiy estimated at from $685.
goo to 100000. was made by two
mashed bandits. who early this morn
Ing held up the Queen and Crescent
New York limited train No. near
/ Okahola, flag station eight miles
south OF Hat,iesburg. and blew open
the safe OF the Southern Express car
Express officials tonight deny that
the sum obtained aggregated anything
like the latter figure, but declined TO
make any estimate OF the loss.
The bandits. who are believed to
be the same that held up the Mobile
and Ohio train a; Corinth. Miss. in
February, made their escape. and to-
night were SIN at large.
Dogs Take Trail.
When Sheriff Bennett, of Perry
county, reached the scene of the hold
UP with bloodhounds about dawn. the
trail OF the robbers was taken up By
the dogs. This led ;hem TO the june
ton Of the New Orleans and North
eastern Railway and q tap line road
where the tra, was lost. 1t is be-
llcvcd the men boarded frcigh, train
at this Junction. Four men are re-
ported 10 have been seen leaving the
freight train when II arrived at Hat
tesbUrg few hours after the hold
UP. but the authorities here ii ve been
unable TO locate the suspected quar-
tettc
The safe in the express car was
locked with time signal lock when
the train left New Orleans last night
and there was n guard In the car be
sides the regular messenger.
II is said there was one package
OF money representing the pay rols
OF the Alabama and Vicksburg Rail-
I'D oil,
I'VE packages OF money representing
the remittanccs of agents OF the eH-
press company at points along the
Vicksburg. Shreveport and PACING
Railroad. In addition to these. there
were two or more sacks of silver. con-
tanning $1,000 each. other packages OF
currency and several packages OF
jewelry, valuable STOCK certhcatcs anu
bonds.
Real wild West Style.
The holdup OF the train was effected
In a true wild West manner, but not
wtthstanding 3 generous iiourishing oil
weapons. not a shot was nrec. Inc
passengers were not iho1esl eu, a.
When the ;rain was passing the nag
station, Okohala, the two masked
bandits climbed over the tender and
with drawn revolvcrs called out /"
Engineer Maher AMI his fireman.
obey orders" The engineer i'm
mcdiately threw on his brakes. say
ing. I'm stop right now"
No" said one of the bandits "luil
on around the curve and stop when
| tell YOU to stop"
After the train had turned the
curve above Oklahala the engineer
was given the command to stop. and
compiled promptly.
With guns pointed at their heads
the engineer and fireman were march
ed back to the baggage car. and the
former was ordered 10 call the eX-
press messenger When Messenger
d. A Gray. OF Chattanooga. stepped
TO the door OF the car he looked into
the muzzls OF a pistol, and did not
hesitate to obey the order TO get
down Other trainmen We're promptly
lined up alongside the train and leav-
ing them in charge of his partner. the
commanding bandit jumped into the
express car. and at once began work
on the large through safe. After APP
plying a charge OF nitroslycerine he
got down and awaited the explosion.
1t was ineffective and successfully
five other charges OF high explosive
were set off before he accomplished
his purpose. The sixth charge blew
OFF the safe door and scattered silver
and packages of currency and other
valuables in every direction.
Except about $500 in silver. every
thing in sight was hurriediy plac d
in sack. and the two men bzcAed
off into the darkness with thei. re-
volvers leveilei at the heads OF the
train crew. After walking backwards
Tor about 100 yards the men dashed
off and are believed to have fled on
horses which had been left in charge
OF n third robber.
When the train reached here AT .
o'clock y. NJ. Express Agent Rosseau
and Sight Clerk Parker made an in
spcct!on of the express car. Thev
picked UP from he floor of the car
about 300 silver dollars. They also
found in the safe about 5000 in cur
rency
cOMEEpcMnr hoounr