Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-09-28
OFFICERS KEEP
AF TER BANDITS;
SUSPECTSHEL
Five Eutaw Young Men in Tusca-
Ioosa Jail and Five Others
Are Arrested.

TUSCALOOSA, Sept. 27-Five
young men, all residents Of Tusca-
Ioosa, were arrested in the woods
near Eutaw. Ala, last night sus-
pected of being the robBers who neld
up the Alabama Great Southern train
at Bihbviue and robbed the express
car Of $50. 900 They We're all more
or less under the influence OF whisky.
None appears 10 be more than 25
years Of age. Four Of them gave
their names as John Rearing, Patton
q. Watkins, Robert Vaughn and Robert
Packs. Vaughn is not more than 10
years Or The prisoners were brought
to Tuscaloosa on "A special train.
There are now ten suspects being
held by the authorities but just what
evidence has been secured could not
be asceTtained.
Detectives Keep Up Hunt.
The posses, composed Of farmers
and officers in the country precincts,
have abandoned the chase and the
case is now in the hands of the
railroad detectives, with Sheriffs and
deputies lending their assistance
wherever needed.
While the robbers had every mod
ern appliance to facilitate their work
i'm blowing the safe and lighting their
way. it is certain from descriptions
given and the manner 81 the men
that they were all amateurs. The
three men were in a more or less
intoxicated condition the younger
ones INDUCING In numerous out
bursts of profanity during the rob
berry They were. however, deter
mined. as shown by their actions dur
ing the robbery. A negro porter Crap
90
the gang struck him on the head with
his revolver. and the negro beat a
hasty retreat under the coach.
Eye Witness Description.
Details Of the holdup are given by
members Of the crew and mail clerks.
one by Mail Clerk Poole follows;
The robbery was committed by
three masked men, only one of whom
appeared to me 10 be at all eXpe
rienced. The other two were young
and nervous. one Of them did con
siderable promiscuous shooting and
cursing In the mail car. Bullets
passing through the mail car mar
rowly missed four men. / am con
fident the robbers doing the shoot
ing were drunk. While crouched I'M
der the counter / had the presence
Of mind 70 save a few registered let
tiers.
"The last charge of dynamite that
blew the express safe was very heavy.
It Jared us. 100 yards away They
had modern appliances equipped with
lights that threw rays so they could
see us. but we could not see them. As
they were marching us back to the
passenger coaches I fell into cattle
guard "a sprained my ankle. one
robber warned us Of the cattle guard
just as ] fell
''The fireman stated the robbers got
Off with mail sacks fun of booty. My
Impression is they left the car before
we reached Vance. letting the engine
run wild to throw the posses off the
track. l believe ! can identify the
robber who did the shooting and
cursing ] got a good look at him.
The smaller robber, who guarded the
rear end of the express car seemed
experienced, The express messenger
had no chanc 10 defend himself"
Engineer Forced to Jump.
Engineer Daniels and his fireman
We're forced 20 leave the engine at
the point OF pistols. The fireman was
ordered to uncouple the mail, express
and baggage cars and mount the en-
CINE After going a short distance
from the block at Bhbville, the eX-
press and mail cars were rifled Then
the fireman was forced to open the
throttle OF the engine and jump.
The entire train held up by the
bandits was run to Meridian. Miss
The baggage car had a large hole torn
through the roof from the eXplo-
sion, which blew the safes. and the
mail car showed many holes caused
by bullets fired by the robbers.