The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-24
FAIL III UPEN II
Robbers Make Five FruitIesS
Attempts to Enter Safe
In the Express Car of the Alton
Hummer.
AFTER WORKING 45 MINUTES
They Are Driven Away by
Party of Officers.
Miss Large Sum of Money and
Much JeWeIry.

Springfield, Dec. 24.-A posse start
ed early today to renew the hunt for
the four bandits who held up the cal
ton Hummer fast passenger train on
the Chicago & Alton railway, shortly
after midnight near Hes Junction four
miles south of here.
After uncoupling the engine and ex-
press car from the train and COM
pelling the engine crew to take them
more shan a mile down the track the
robbers made five unsuccessful at
tempts to blow open the express safes
with nitroglycerin and dynamite. Ac-
cording to the railroad and express of
ficials the bandits secured only a few
packages, which were of small value.
While the highwaymen were work
ing with the engineer and fireman,
Flagman Horace Smith slipped away
to lies Junction where there is a tele-
graph office and notified the railroad
officials here and at Bloomington.
The robbers worked 45 minutes in
the express car, thus giving a switch
engine, carrying officers time to reach
the scene before the highwaymen
could get away. When the robbers
heard the engine approaching they
fed, firing a few shots at the officers
as they disappeared in the darkness.
The express car safe, it is said con-
tanned a large sum of money and vaIu-
able iewelry shipped by Chicago jew
elers to Christmas purchasers. The
money safe was badly shattered but
was not opened.
The passenger coaches and sleeping
cars stood on the tracks more than
two hours until the engine and ex-
press cars were brought back and the
train started on it's way to Kansas City.
It is believed the highwaymen
boarded the train at lies Junction,
which is an outer yard of Spring gfield,
blind baggage until the train was a
short distance out of the junction when
they covered the engineer and fire
man with guns, compelling them to
engine. After a humber of shots at
passengers who ventured out to learn
the cause of the delay the robbers
compelled the engineer to run down
the road some distance where they or
dered the express messenger out of his
car and proceeded in their attempt to
blow open the safe. The safe with
stood the dynamite charge and they
were compelled to flee before securing
any booty of value.
Remain Under Cover.
A few passengers, some courageous
and some going along because they ad-
mItted they did not want to be left
alone" accompanied Conductor John
c. Boyd of Chicago when he started
to make an investigation. "Get back
there you,'' was their greeting
when they approa ched the express car.
After that the passengers were con-
tent to remain safely under cover The
pursuit was as spectacular as the hold
up. When Flagman Horace Smith ran
back and notified the operator at lies
the latter wired to the Alton offices in
Springfield, a switch engine was press
ed into service and Is deputies, police
officers and detectives We're sent to |
the scene Engineer o. o. Hanks COM
manded the switch engine. To make the
approach less noticeable he darkened |
his headlight and sped his train for |