The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-08
ALL DAY SEARCH
PROVES FUTILE
No Trace Found of Bandits Who
Held Up and Robbed
Train.
AMOUNT OF LOOT is SMALL
Hold-Up SO Cleverly Executed
That No Resistance s
Offered.

Memphis, Tenn, February IAN
all-day search OF the heavily wooded
territory bordering the Mississippi
River opposite Memphis in en- effort
to locate the five mon who held up
and robbed Rock Island passenger
train No. i3. near Hubert, Ark, this
morning was barren OF results 80 far
as can be ascertaincd tonight. y
score or moro railroad and private de-
tectiVes and several posses under the
direction of local officials threshcd the
woods and underbrush to-day in the
hope OF finding the hiding place OF the
men. but up to q late hour tonight
no arrests had been made. With the
expectation that the men might at
tempt to cross to Memphis tonight a
patrol OF the local leree and along
the river with gasoieue launches Is
oeinS maintained. II was perSistcntly
reported to-day that a shipment OF
specie destined for an Oklahoma City
bank was In the safe dynamttcd. This,
however. Is denied by express com
pany oiicluls. The amount OF loot Sc
cured. they declare, Ia small. Postal
officials assert that one pouch OF mail
Is missing.
Search for the men will be renewed
Tomorrow.
The hold-up was so cleverly planned
and executed with such precision that
none of the train employees could on.r
resistance. and few OF the passengers
knew anything had happened until
they awokc to find their train stalled.
The robbers ransackad the postal
car. blasted the Wells Fargo Express
safe, apparently overlooking nothing
tnnt might add to their profit.
boarded by Two Men.
This was tho second hold-up near
Hubert within the last four months.
The train left Memphis abou, mid l.
night After II cleared the western
terminus OF the Mississippi River
bridge 1t was boarded hv vwo Tndsk,,i
men. They climbed over the tender.
covered the engine crew with guns.
then the train was matted. The cngt-
neer was bound and gagged, then
kicked on into ditch
The fireman ran the train on several
miles until 1t was slgnaled to halt at
a campfire alongside the track. where
three other bandits waited Here the
baggage and mail cars were detached
from the passenger coaches and be-
lore any of the train crew knew what
was happening. tho locomotive. with
It's light load. was RurryinE farther
Into the country
While one OF the bandits held a gun
over tho nreman. the remaining fou..
OF tho band clanbercd into the ex-
press and mall coaches and covered
inc messengers snd clerks
Blew Open Express Safe
The engine with the TWO cars mean
while proceeded 10 poirt a mile cas-,
or Hubert. Ark. Then the robbers ran
sacked the postal car, blew open the
safe In the clls-Fargo express car
gathered their plumber and made ON
In the darkness. They had obtained
a good start AT hight long before an
alarm could be given. The telegraph
wires into Memphis had been cut
The frst intimation OF danger to tho
/ train came to employees OF the Rock
island at the western terminus OF tho
Mississippi bridge. They heard heavy
detonations, apparently from point
FAR In the country. The racket was
made by explosions OF ammunition tina,
was destroyed when the combination
baggage and express car burned aftc,
the safe had been blasted Recalling
last November's hold-up. the Rock
Island employees sent In a hurry call
to tho Memphis police. Quickly n
switch engine was manned ty n poss.
| but long before they reached the hold
up scene the robbers had vanished into
the darkness OF nearby woods.