The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-05-16
Four Men Suspected in Hattiesburg, But Not
 Located
VARIOUS ESTIMATES
 OF MONEY SECURED
Some Place It at $s5. .0OO, Some at S200, ,0O0-Officials Are Reticent. The Hold-Up Was in True
 Wild West Style

Hattiesburg. Miss, May 15.-Posses with bloodhounds are tonight continuing their search for the two highwaymen who held up and robbed the express caa of the New Orleans-New York passen- ger train No 2, on the New Orleans and Northeastern railroad early today near Okohala, eight miles south of Hatties- burg. When Sheriff Bennett of Perry county reached the scene of the hoidup with blood hounds this morning the treii of the robbers was taken up by the dogs This led them to the Junction of the and tap line road. where the trail WAS lost. It Is believed the men boarded a freight train at this junction. Four men are reported to have been seen leaving the freight train when 1t arrived at Hattiesburg a few hours after the holdup, but the authorities here have been un- able to locate the suspected auartette.
 Various Estimates of Loot
 As to the loot the robbers secured re- ports vary all the way from ss5Ooo to S2oo,OOo The southern Express officials are exercised over the robbery more than usual but today declined to give an ap- proximate estimate of the loss.
 The safe in the express car was locked with time lock when the train left New Orleans during the night and there was guard in the car in addition to tEe regular messenger.
 IL is said there was one package of money representing the payroll of the and ViclSsburg railroad at Me ridian, and about 25 packages of money representing the remittances of agents of the express company at points along the Vieksburg, Shreveport and Pacific 
 In addition to these there were two or more sacks of silver containing $l0A each; other packages of currency and several packages of iewelry. valuable stock certificates and honds-
 Hold-Up Was Spectacular
 The hold up of the train was effected in true wild west manner, Notwith- standing a generous fourishing of weapons not shot was fired The were not molested.
 When the train was passing the flag station the two masked bandits climbed over the tender and with drawn re- volvers called out to Engineer Maher and his fireman: "Obey orders.'
 The engineer Immediately threw on his brakes, saying
 "I'll stop right now if the tires hold"
 No, said one of the robbers, pull on around the curve and stop when l tell you"
 After this colloquy. and the train had turned the curve about Okahola, the engineer was given the command to stand and "oil around" He complied promptly.
 With guns pointed at their heads, the engineer and fireman were marched lack to the baggage car. and the for mer was ordered to call out the postal and express messenger. When Mes senger D. A. Gray of Chattanooga stepped to the door of his car he looked into the barrel of a pistol and did not hesitate to obey the command 10 get down.
 All Trainmen Covered
 Other trainmen were promptly alighted in one side of the train for safe-keepins under a single bandit. The man in tho car at once began work on the through safe. After applying a charge of nitro gly cerine he got down and waited for the explosion. It was ineffective. Sue cessively five charges of the high ex- plcsive were set off before he accom- plished his design.
 The sixth charge blew off the door and scattered silver coin and packages of stocks and bonds in every direction. All but about s300 left in the safe was hastily placed in a sack and the two men backed away into the forest After walking backward for about 100 yards in the trees the men dashed off down tho steel rails and are believed to have fled oil horses which had been left in charge of third robber.
 When the train reached Hattiesburg at 2 o'clock Express Agent Rosseau and Night Clerk Parker made an inspection of the express car. They picked up from the floor of the car about 300 silver dol lars and found several silver dollars stuck to the sides of the safe They also found In fhe safe about S70O In currency.