The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-04-01
BANDIT R0bS 5. 4. |. EXPRESS
tANES PACK AGE FROM CAR AND
THEN MAKES HIS ESCAPE
IN COLUMBIA YARDS.
iioid-up of Messenger Occurred at
ElmwOOd Avenue Crossing at 6.45
Saturday-First Thought Big sum
Was StOlen-Dctcctives Fail 10
Find Clue.

man, express messenger on Seaboard
passenger train No. 2, from Jackson
vile to New York, was held up at the
point of pistol in his car last night
at C.5O, as the train was passing
through the railroad cut south Of
1Ilmw oOd avenue.
According to the report made by
the Scaboard officials in Columbia af-
ter brief investigation. the bandit
obtained two packages valued at $50
eacn.
No mail was stolen. In the car
were two iron safes The smaller one,
which he fOrcerd Messenger Freeman
10 open, contained only q few pack
ages. none of which held any money,
SO far as known. The larger safe,
which, according to the regulations in
vogue by the express company, usu.
ally holds the packages Of money, re.
mained locked from the time Of its
departure from Jacksonville
The messenger does not carry
key and had the bandit attempted to
rifle the safe, he would have been
compelled to use explosives
Train No. was in charge Of Con-
ductor Kenneth, with Engineer Bar
nett at the throttle. According to the
account Of the holdup, the man IS be-
n hn oh
either in the local yards. or in the
cut at Lincoln street
He jumped from the train, accord
inS to the account Of Messenger Free.
man, at the Elmwood avenue cross
IT'S and disappeared in the darkness
There were several persons who
| claimed to have been in the vicinity
of the place where the holdup oc.
Cured. They said they saw the man
as he jumped from the platform of
the express car. When the police ran
these stories down, they were unable
to ascertain anything tangible from
the tales.
Conductor Kennett was Informed Of
the holdup and the train was brought
to standstill. The flaginan at the
crossing, ]. NJ. Gill, was advised of
the crime and he made u report to
the SeabOard offices at the passenger
station.
| The operator in turn reported the
affair to the local police department
and Chief OF Police w. G. Cathcart
and Captain of Police Irby went to
the place where the messenger said
the robber had jumped from the
platform.
/ The chief and captain were unable
to find any clues that would indicate
the direction the lone bandit had
taken when he left the train.
The information obtainable shortly
after the report OF the robbery was
meager. When the train reached
Camden brief account of the holdup
was wired back to Columbia. BY this
means, wild rumOrs that $50 200 had
been stolen were set at rest The
real state Of affairs, accord ng to the
brief account, was to the effect that
the rObber obtained canvas bag
from the smaller safe.
Special Agents Clowney and For
tesque OF the Seaboard went to work
on the case, but at first were much
at sea, owing to n scarcity OF infor-
nation upon which to operate. They
were in a similar predicament to that
OF the local police. A later telegram
from the Seaboard officials at Hamlet
furnished a description Of the man.
who held up Messenger Freeman. 1t
was as follows
About five feet six or seven inches
tall, weight 160 to 1G5; wearing small
cap and black clothes with vest. Ap-
parently 25 or 80 years old.
The Columbia banks, as far as could
be learned last night, did not have
"'' '''o''y III tuC cNpIcSS Cttt at UnC
time of the robbery.
The place where the robber leaped
from the train is near ElmwoOd ceme-
terry. and last night the spot was ex-
ceedingly dark, showing unmistakably
that the robber had no difficulty in
disappearing from view after leapng
from the platform. West of the cross
ing and distant about half a mile is
the Columbia canal and Broad river,
the embankments Of which would Of
fer To the fugitive every convenience
for hiding himself from his pursuers
The dogs at the penitentiary were
not called into service AZ the officers
had such meagcr information immc- |
diately after the report of the robbery |
that they did not believe that the
ma IN In ,t..,.., 4 l.