Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-07-04
MISSISSIPPI
. EXPRESSES
LOO 7 Ed
Masked Robbers Hold Up Illinois
Central Passenger at Lonely
Spot South Of Memphis.

MEMPHIS, TENN, July 4.--llli-
nois Central train No. /. bound from
Chicago to New Orleans, was held up
by four masked men early to-day
one and one-half miles south of
Batesville Miss.
It was believed the men obtained
$4,000, although the local officials Of
the American Express Company say
the amount was not that large.
Omcial news of the hold-up reached
Memphis offices of the Illinois Cen
trail just before noon. The message
said the bandits tagged the train at
the Tallahatchie River bridge. near
Batesville. Miss. and compelled En-
rneer A. E. Norton to abandon his
cab.
The negro fireman was kept in the
engine cab, guarded by a bandit who
kept him covered with a revolver,
while the others went back and un-
coupled the passenger coaches from
the mail, baggage and express cars.
Deny Heavy Loss.
The negro fireman ran the cars
through Batesville to a point one mile
south Of the town and stopped in a
dense river bottom forest.
Officials Of the American Express
Company said the bandits did not OBJ
tain more than $1,000. Five charges
of dynamite was exploded before the
safe was opened. Every registered
mail pouch was rifed but postal au-
thorities in Memphis said that money
shipments were small because of the
holiday.
Following the robbery the bandits
ran the engine ten miles south when
the fire under the boilers went out.
Believing the negro fireman had al
lowed the fire to die in order TO trick
them, the bandits threw him out of
the cab while the engine was moving
rapidly. He was slightly injured. The
men abandoned the engine one mile
north Of Enid, Miss, and entered the
forest.
A special train arrived from jack
son, Miss, bringing officers and blood
hounds. A party OF Deputy United
States Marshals from Memphis, left
to take up the chase for the bandits
Car Nearly Wrecked.
Sheriff w. Lemaster, of Batesville,
was the first man to reach the ex-
press car after the bandits left 1t. He
+bo ~ yK-rnplya5
by peering into a crack in the safe,
which was not completely demol-
ished," said Sheriff Lemaster, Il
could see two packages. One was
marked $4,000 and the other '$1O,-
900 Just inside the outer door of
the safe I picked up nearly $500 in
loose bills and silver"
Officials of the road say they be-
lieve the hold-up men were the same
ones who have held up several trains
in the last few months in the South.
Express Messenger r. E. Hooks of
Cairo, H., wired the authorities in
Memphis a good description Of one OF
the bandits.
He said as he jumped from the
train at the command Of the hold-up
men he trippeG and in falling caught
at one Of the bandits. His fingers
caught the mans mask and ierked it
off The rohber cursed him and
jabbed him in the ribs with a re-
Volver.
Hold up in Wild Region.
Batesville. Miss, is so miles from
Memphis, Tenn, and is the center
of billy. thickly wooded country.
Within the past year there have
been numerous train robberies in the
South
The first was in Mississippi, on the
Queen and Crescent, near Meridian,
when robbers stopped a train and
ri1ed the express car. The express
company never made an official state
ment of the amount stolen, but it
was estimated at $4,000. The rob-
tiers escaped on horseback through
c, nebrakes into the river bottom
Presumably they waded their horses
some distance up the shallow stream,
for hounds lost the scent at the river