The Oskaloosa herald., 1917-11-15
STATION FORCE HELD UP AND
LOCKED IN BOX CAR.
BURGLARS GET SMALL AMOUNT
Only Thirty Dollars Cash In Strong
Box Which Was Drilled and
Blown - Robbers Set Station
Light Against Freight.

at New Sharon about one-thirty
o'clock this morning and were re
warded by about thirty dollars cash
The station man, Guy Withers, and
a number of other parties in the de-
pot at the time were held up and at
the time made to retreat into a box
car on siding near the station
house. The robbers locked the door
of the car and then proceeded to blow
the safe.
1t was high handed and spectacu-
lar piece of business, accomplished
with dash and finish that savored of
the work of the specialist or the pro-
fessional. "
Helpless Under Guns.
That the burglars meant business
was not to be doubted and the people
at the station, although outnumber-
ing the robbers, were helpless and at
the mercy of some mighty wicked
looking guns that were poked into
their faces. The hold-up men how
ever were evidently not anxious to
have any lives charged against them
for they fired no shots and set the
station lights against a freight due
at the station at four o'clock this
morning to prevent possibility of a
wreck When the conductor enter
ed the building he found no agent and
the ticket Office ''in mess" About
this time the yells of the agent in the
box car were heard and the train
crew released the men imprisoned
in the box car.
II was some little while after the
north bound passenger train had
passed the station, or about one
o'clock, that Guy Withers was max
ing things. ready for quitting. Sew
eral people were with him in the
depot building at the time waiting to
go toward home.
Attacked Without Warning.
With a suddenness as though they
came through the floor, without a
warning of any kind. two young APP
pearing fellows. wearing masks over
a portion of their faces, popped into
the room and; guns in hand, ordered
the men to get together in bunch.
Holding the guns on them the while.
they ordered the parties TO climb into
a certain car and Withers and friends
lost no time in complying with the
orders.
The robbers are described as hav-
proceeding to the depot office, drilled
and blew the safe, the explosion TAX
ing place about half past one o'clock.
The robbers are described as hav-
ing been decidedly youthful in ap-
pearanCe. Both were fairly well
dressed. They were slender but tall
and seemed to be more boys or lads
than men. However, the manner in
which they went after their work
gave the impression that they were
practiced hands at the business. They
were quick and alert and did not hest
tate or falter in their program. They
gave commands in quick, snappy, mil
itary fashion and if any one Of the
party Jagged or hesitated he was sum-
marily reminded to hurry or take the
consequences.
Burglars FTGNGTC VVTCCk.
AS the agent was being showed into
the box car prison he stated he must
be in the depot to stop the freight
otherwise there would be a wreck on
the road. The men paid no attention
to his pleadings but made him get in
to the car.
The burglars evidently knew a
train was due, or not caring to take
chances with the assertion of the
agent, they set the lights to halt the
train. The robbers appeared to be
at home about railway station and
knew just how to operate the switch
board.
AS soon as the prisoners were re-
leased from the freight car and had
recovered their senses, officers were
informed and surrounding towns and
places communicated with.
Local Parties Suspected.
Opinion leads toward the belief
that the work was that of parties not
far from New Sharon The small
amount of the contents of the safe
MOuAu Aldht lilC JOD hdLdlhOuo W Day
the least. Saturday night would
have been a more opportune time
for the robbery, as the week end bus
mess is larger than on other days,
but the contents of the safe at no
time are of any great value
enough to warrant the rifiing of a
safe
City and state officers are inyesti-
eating the case but in the absence of
working clue they have little hope
of locating any one
Belief of the officers leans in the
direction of an early getaway for the
thieves in an automobile. If the job
was done by other than local talent
SO far as any one has been able to
discover. the men al the station
house were the only ones who knew
OF the robbery or heard the explosion
when the safe was blown.