The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-03-28
ROBBERY
Of EXPRESS CAR
Men Familiar With Railroad
Operation Work Near
Marlon.

Frisco passenger traiix No, sol, from
dts between Marion and Bridge juno
tion, Ark, about nine miles from Mem
phis, Thursday night about S.l5 o'clock,
and the express messenger forced At
the point OF a gun to open the safe
and turn over the entire contents, Off,
cials of the express company refused
20 make any statement Friday morn.
ing to the loss, Special agents OF the
Frisco and the express company were
making thorough investigation OF the
robbery Friday, but no trace Of the
train robbers had been found Friday
noon
While the train was about two miles
from Bridge Junction, C Mccarthy, en-
glneer, and w, w. Stedman. fireman,
suddenly found. themselves looking
down the barrels Of revolvers IN tho
hands OF two masked men who had
entered the engine cab by climbing
over the coal tender The Rfklneer
WAS allowed, ~ prOcsea for A aiatafNe
aud was tliAn tAEssRAae eu IA Atpp and
the highland baggase coaehes, which
kere thea nncoupled from tho rest pf
the train, The engineer MAS told to
stay where lie was and The holdup men
| returned to the engine and proceeded
with the engine and baggage and mall
cars on toward Memphis, leaving the
rest OF the train where II stood.
After going less than mile they
stopped and compelled the express mes
Senger to admit them to the express
car j. II. Fassold, the messenger, and
A. G. ReddInger, his assistant were
forced to open the safe and allow the
men to seize Its contents. Resistance
| on the part OF the express m essengers
was rendered more complicated on ac-
count OF the presence In the car OF IL
critically III woman, Mrs, Lula Need
| ham, Of Manila, Ark, en- route with her
husband to a Memphis hospital for an
| operation,
In answer to Mr.. Fassolds statement
| that there was no money In the safe,
| the bandit Is said to have replied.
! None of that, for we know better, You
took on a package OF money at Blythe
Vile and another at Wilson, Now hand
| II over and be quick about IT,. Tor we
| haven't time to open the safe"
The bandits abandoned the train
where It stood and fled into the woods
| The trainmen later backed the train
to Marion, where Ed Monroe, former
sheriff OF Crittenden county, now m the
employ Of the Frisco boarded the train
| which then came on to Memphis, about
| two hours late,
Fairly good descriptions Of the mer
were obtained, although the train crew
are not sure that there were three mcr
involved in the holdup, 1t Is quite def.
nitely established that at least one o
the men was railroad man, Judging
by the manner In which he handled tht
| train The men are said to have talked
| quite freely with the engineer, They
| kept their faces covered at all times
so that the trainmen were unable I,
distinguish their features.
The man who entered the express cal
i is said to be about five feet sever
inches tall. He wore over his head {
black sack that came down to hi
shoulders, with only two small opening
TO see through. The trainmen are no
sure that he was one Of the two mel
who entered the engine cab.
One of the men who entered the cal
Ia said to be about five feet tall, rathe
stockily built and clad in blue jumpe
and cap with a brown mask. The 9th
er man who entered the car was abou
five feet six inches tall, wore blac
slouch hat, gray coat and black mask,
Every effort Is being made by tn
special agents Of the railroad and ex
press company and the civil autheritie
to run down the bandits. II Is believe
that the men We're no novices at tn
game.
The generally accepted theory Is tina
the bandits boarded the train while
was running slowly through the Har
ward yards, and after the robbery, mad
, their way to the Mississippi river levet
, which Ia not far from the scene 6
, the robbery where they had boat /
which to cross the river and compet
their escape.