Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1915-10-13
ROBBERS GET HALF MILLION ?
West Virginia Hold-Up Evidently
Work of Experienced Engineer.

" "hSSllhS, w. va, Oct. S.-IWO
masked men early to-day held up and
robbed Baltimore and Ohio express
train from New York to St. Louis,
two miles west of Central, w. Va.
Their booty was taken from mail
cars, according to reports received
here, and was believed to be large.
The train was due at Parkersburg
al l a. m, and it was nearly an hour
later when Grant Helms, the engi-
neer, was attracted by a noise from
the tender. Looking over his shoul-
der he saw two masked men climb
ing over the coach, each carrying an
automatic shotgun They ordered
i'm not 10 move, and moment later
he and the fireman were facing the
guns.
Robbcr Ran the Train.
One of the men ordered Helms to
cut off the engine and mail car after
he ran the locomotive two miles
westward under the cover Of guns.
Helms was ordered TO stop and climb
down. The fireman was also COM
PEELED to quit his post. The other
masked man then took the throttle
and ran the train mile or two far
ther west. The robbers then went
through the mail car, looting the reg
istered mail. They afterwards fled
over the hills in the direction OF the
Ohio river. A short time later the
engine and mail car were found by a
track walker.
Meantime the crew left with the
remainder of the train had been try
ing to find the engine. Men were
sent forward and soon located the
fireman Fastening back to give the
alarm. Engineer Helms having gone
on in search of his engine. Helms
found the locomotive, with the fire
drawn and the valves SO arranged as
to prevent any accident because Of
increasing steam pressure.
Special Train is Sent.
More than two hours elapsed from
the time of the robbery, about 2
o'clock, until the news could be sent
to division headquarters at Parkers-
burg and Grafton, but Immediately
railroad and county officers were ac-
tive. Messages vert sent in all di-
rections. A special train carrying
detectives was sent to the scene, and
posses aggregating more than hun
dred men were searching the county
before daybreak in Harrison, Dod-
ridge and Pleasant counties.
Engineer Helms said he could not
give a good description of the men
except that they were fairly we'll
dressed and seemed to be experienced
in the handling Of locomotive.
Railroad authorities believe that
the men hurried over the hills to a
road near Central Station. where
they had an automobile and hasten
ed in the direction OF st. Mary's, on
the Ohio river, above Wheeling and
Parkersburg.
The train left New York yesterday
morning at 10 o'clock. Usually il
carried large numbers Of through
passengers and important mail and
express. The amount Of booty Sc
cured is not known here.
Central Station is in Dodridge
county, midway between Parkersburg
and Clarksburg, w. Va. 1t is a water
stop for through-trains.
$500,0OO i'm Currency.
Clarksburg, w. Va, Oct S.-Bal-
timore and Ohio railroad officials
here quickly took up the hunt when
they were informed Of the train rob-
berry at Central Station and a thor
ough search for the robbers was
made. The county officials were in
formed that the robbers secured
about 100 registered packages and
90 packages of unsigned bank notes
being sent from Washington to banks
in the Middle West.
The value Of the currency was esti-
mated at 100000.
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