Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-22
z MASKED men
HOLD UP GOLDEN
STATE SLEEPER
Seven Passengers Are Relieved
of Money aud Jewelry on
Speeding Train.
JOB EXECUTED QUIETLY
People Weakened by Porter, Lined Up
in Aisle and Deliver Possessions
bandits Escape.

While train No. 3, the westbound |
Golden State Limited, on the Rock Is
land road, was racing across the prair- |
les at 1910 Sunday morning, two
masked men, operating so rapidly and
quietly as not to alarm other than
those occupying the single sleeper that
they entered, took $65l and two gold
watches and diamond ring from sew
en- passengers, ordered the negro por-
ter 10 give the engineer the stop sig
nal, dropped off the slowly-moving
train and disappeared in the darkness.
Not until the train was halted were
the members OF the crew, other than
the porter in charge Of the robbed
sleeper, aware that there had been
holdup.
The robbery was Immediately re-
ported to the Office Of H. L. Reed, sup
erintendent of the Illinois division, in
this city, and the train proceeded on
its way west.
VICTIMS AND LOSSES.
The victims of the bandits and what
they lost were:
W. A. LABLANC, New York, s1s5.
MARY HERON, Chicago, S96.
MAUDE HEBRON, aged II; daugh-
ter of Mary Heron.
OTIS /. BENTON AND WIFE,
oberlin. Kan, $3.50. gold watch and
diamond ring.
]. B. COMMAND, Phoenix, Ariz., SIS.
B. A. MACFULLER AND WIFE.
Fort Wayne. Ind, S95 and two watches.
At what point the bandits boarded
the train is a mystery to members OF
the Golden States crew, although it is
more than likely that Chey secreted
themselves in the yards at Bureau,
where there was stop for water, and
climbed on when the train was pulling
away from that station. The observa-
ton car is the trailer on the Golden
State, and IL is possible that the hold
up men, taking a chance on the brake
man being in another part of the train
at that time. climbed over the gates
at the rear of the observation car and
hurried forward. for it was the next
sleeper that they selected for their
job.
SILENCE FROM THE PORTER.
When the men walked into the
sleeper both were masked, and each
armed with a large revolver. All &C.
cupants Of the car. with the exception
of the porter, were asleep in their
bcrths The porter was facing the
door entered by the desperate pair
and the first command he received
was 10 not make an cutlery, at the
same time being told 70 hoist his
hands high enough to be out Of dan
gerous contiguity with his pistol OF
razor pockets.
No time was wasted in preliminar
les, and as one OF the masked fellows
gave the porter instructions on arous
ing the passengers without making
any unnecessary noise his confederate
prepared to receive the swag The por
ter with "a gun at his head, stopped
IN front Of each occupied berth, shool
the sleeper and informed him or he
that there were two men on the trail
who were demanding money and val
tables
PASSENGERS LINED UP.
AS the passengers lined up in tn
aisle, with two ugly weapons STARING
them in the faces, and shut of from
all means OF alarming people In othe
sections OF the train. they saw the NJ
ter foolhardiness OF attempting to dis
sent or resist, and forked over withou
any manifest reluctance. AS each wa
relieved OF his or her money or Walt
ables. the command was 10 renal
standing in the aisle until the masl
ed visitors had completed their inveI
tory.
When the bandits had satisfied then
selves they had secured eyerythin
from the passengers in the car in III
way of cash and jewelry they ordere
the porter to jerk the bell cord sigma
ing the pilot TO bring the train to
stop. They backed out Of the ca
with their revolvers drawn, and whe
the train slowed down so they coul
alight conveniently they disappearet
The train was about five miles east {
Sheffield. passing through farm coul
try, when the bandits alighted.
WORK LIKE PROFESSIONALS.
The holdup men, who worked wit
a GOODNESS and precision that shove
them 10 be professionals. as describe
in the report received by the oficia