The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-01
EXPRESS CAR ROBBED.
BOOTY SUPPOSED TO BE AS
MUCH AS $4,000 FROM
MAIL AND EMPRESS
CARS.
Five Arrests Made and Police Are
Still Hunting for Three Men Who
Held up Great Southern Train and
Blew Open Safes with Explosives
Covered Fireman with Pistol and
Made Him Run Engine down
Track.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala, Sept. 2G.-Depu-
ties from Birmingham and Montgom-
cry and armed farmers Of Tuscaloosa
county have abandoned the search
for the three men who held up and
robbed the express car Of the Ala
bama Great Southern train near Bibb-
vile, last night, and the case is now
entirely in the hands Of the railroad
special Offic rs. Five men have been
arrested at Eutaw, Ala, below Tus-
caloosa, none of whom is over 80
years old. All of these men deny con-
nection with the holdup.
Mail Clerk Leander Poole tonight
said: THE robbery was committed
by three masked men, only one of
whom appeared to me to be at all
experienced. The other two were
young and nervous. One of them did
considerable promiscuOus shooting and
cursing in the mail car Bullets pass
ing through the mail car narrowly
missed four men. l am confident the
robbers doing the shooting were
drunk. While crouched under the
counter l had the presence Of mind
To save few registered letters.
THE last charge of dynamite that
blew the express safe was very heavy.
1t Jared us, 100 yards away. They
"a li.,
lights that threw rays so that they
could see us but we could not SEQ
them. AS they were marching US
back to the passenger coaches j fell
into q cattleguard and sprained my
ankle. One robber warned us of the
cattleguard just as l fell.
THE fireman stated the robbers got
off with mail sacks full 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 identity the
robber who did the shooting and curs-
ing. l got good look at him. The
smaller rObber, who guarded the rear
end of the express car, seemed ex-
perienced. The express messenger had
no chance to defend himself.
According to statements of the train
crew Engineer Daniels and his fire.
man were covered with revolvers
when the train was stopped on the |
block danger signal at Bibbville.
Fireman was forced to uncouple tho
express, mail and baggage cars, and
they were run down the track some
distance from the passenger coaches. |
There the mail clerks and express
messenger were driven from the cars
and safes blown open with nitro
glycerine. After the robbery the
three men jumped upon the engine, |
forcing the fireman to open the throt-
tie. They forced the fireman to jump
from the engine a short distance from
Bibbville.
c. c. Jinks, who was a passenger,
sengers Of the holdup and advised
them to hide their valuables. The
coaches were not entered. A negro
porter engaged in a hand-to-hand
tusstle with a rObber, but was struck
on the head by another Of the gang
Late tonight conferences were held
by Sheriff Palmer, his deputies en-
gagged in the chase, railroad detec-
tives, express company officials, pri-
vate detectives and detectives from
national agencies. 1t is estimated that
$4,000 was stolen, including a heavy
shipment Of currency from the East
to New Orleans