The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1912-10-31
TRAIN ROBBERY IN OKLA.
YOUTHFUL BANDITS CARRY OUT
SPECTACULAR HOLD-UP.
Force Engineer to Take Express and
Baggage Cars Down Track,
Where Safe is Dynamited.

souri,, Kansas and Texas train No. 9
early to-day at Wirth, Okla, six
miles south of Eufaula.
The bandits tagged the train as
it rounded a curve on to a small
trestle, which they had set on fire.
Uncoupling the engine, express car
and baggage car from the other
coaches, they ordered the engineer to
run a half miles further south, where
the express safe was blown and ran
sacked.
Express officials declared to-day
that they could not tell the amount
of loot, but expressed the belief that
it will amount to several thousand
dollars.
The robbery was one of the most
spectacular hold-ups committed in
Oklahoma in recent years.
The robbers had timed their work
almost to the minute. No. 9 was
running on time and as the train
made the curve the bridge was in
flames. Three masked men, stand
ing nearby, tagged it.
Robbers in No Hurry.
The locomotive had run on to the
burning bridge before the brakes
could bring the train to a standstill.
Although the flames threatened to
destroy the trestle before the work
was accomplished, the bandits NOV
ed deliberately. Covering the en-
gineer and fireman with their revol-
vers, they ordered them from the
cab. Conductor J. A. Dolan leaped
from a coach to ascertain why the
train had stopped so suddenly. He
was lined up beside the other two.
The porter also fell victim to his
curiosity, and was made to stand be-
side the conductor.
While one robber held the line,
the other two uncoupled the engine,
baggage and express cars from the
coaches. They then forced the train
men into the cab and ordered the
engineer to open the throttle. The
engine pulling the two cars shot
ahead over the burning bridge. What
remained Of the trestle fell into the
water a minute or so after the cars
had passed. The passenger coaches
were left standing by the brink of
the stream.
Half a mile on the other side of
the bridge they ordered the engineer
to stop. The safe in the express car
was dynamited and ransacked. Four
charges were necessary to wreck the
safe. The express car was badly
damaged by the explosions.
Their work completed, the men
put their loot into sacks and fled to
the wood-covered hills. The coun-
try is heavily timbered.
Hold-up Reported.
A few minutes after the robbers
had fled Conductor Dolan ordered
the engineer to proceed to Crowder,
about six miles south, and there
gave the first report of the robbery.
Posses were at once sent out from
Crowder and Eufaula. Other pos
ses left an hour later on special
trains from McAlester and Musko-
gee. According to the description
given, all three of the bandits are
under 25 years of age.
With the baggage and express cars
cut from the main train, the bandits
also took the Jim Crow car, in which
there were number of negroes, all
of who were guarded while the safe
was being dynapited. The negroes
spent most of the time on their knees
praying.
One of the robbers made Conduc-
tor Dolan turn over his papers and
purse, which contained $40. Later
the money was turned back to the
conductor with the statement, 1--WE
do not wish to harm any of you train
boys.'
Witnesses claim to have seen one
of the robbers twice make trips from
the express safe, each time with his
arms piled high with sealed packages
of currency.
Half a mile away from the scene
of the robbery the outer wrapper OF
one of these packages was found. IN
that package there had been $4,000,
which was consigned by the South
western National Bank of Commerce,
of Kansas City, to the National
Bank, of Greenville, Tex. There was
double armful of such packages.
The robbers were armed with
Winchester rifles and made their es-
cape in a double-seated hack, which
was in waiting with driver holding
the horses.