Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-11-15
REPORT MILLION IN
GOLD STOLEN FROM
BURLINGTON TRAIN.
BANDITS SAID 70 HAVE SEIZED
BIG SHIPMENT OF GOVERN
MENT MAiL-RAlLW WAY OFF,
GALS DENY HUGE HAUL.

Chicago. Nov l5,--Reports fror
Omaha that a government shipmea
of 81 900, 900 gold was stolen from Bur
lngton train No s, between Oman,
and Council Bluffs. Iowa, early yester
day We're denied by railroad, expires.
and government officials here hast
night.
II was admitted however, that ter
sacks OF registered mail, containing
probably many thousands IN currency
and jewelry, were taken.
Omaha officials called il the BIZ;
gest robbery in the history Of Ameri-
can railroads and more than 40 de
tectiyeS, police. railroad detectives
and volunteers are searching for the
robbers.
The car containing the registered
mail from san Francisco WAS carried
into Omaha over the Union Pacific
railroad and delivered to the hur!in3-
ton IN Omaha intact.
As the train moved slowly toward
the outskirts of Council Bluffs Il
switchman on the train saw a mail
sack beside the tracks. He raised an
alarm and when mail clerks tried "a
enter the car they found the door
chained from the inside TAe door
was broken down and smashed win
dow in the side car ,old the story
Three men, ii is believed, were IN
volved One jumped on the side step
as the train drew ont OF the Union
Pacific mail transfer station across
the river from Omaha.
He knew the car was empty and
locked on both sides. but that an open
door led from it to the mail car be-,
hind
He smashed the glass in the upper
half OF the side door Reaching
through. he opened the side door, ta,-
tened the rear door with a chain 70
that the clerk in the car behind could
not enter
1t is mile and quarter from the
transfer station in Council Bluffs II
commenced throwing mail pouches Oat
OF the door at once. An automobile |
ran parallel to the train and slowed |
down as the frs pouch hit the Ground !
\ man jumped from the auto, graz, |
bed the pouch and jumped back IN The
car. The driver let 'er go. Every
time pouch was thrown out the pr
eedure was repeated.
When the train slowed down at
Council Bluffs the thief Jumped of .
and is believed to have Joined his com .
panions in the automobile.
Questioned regarding the possbil- 7
itv that the train robbers got 5 003- /
900 of government gold, Hale Holden /
president of the Burlington railroad. I
said:
Il have been unable to learn Of any !
gold shipment on the train If there /
were any l. would have been in charge |
of the American Railway Express |
Nv. E. Riggs, special agent here for
the express company, said:
There was no shipmnet Of gold on
he train"
Chicago, San Francisco and Wash
ng,on federal officials also denied
hat there was gold shipment on
he train. Postal officials here, huH-
,yer. admitted the loss Of the zen reg
stored mail sacks
The ten pouches We're; one from :
Nan Francisco to New York, one from
Salt Lake to Washington. and one
rom san Francisco to Washington.
me to Chicago and Pittsburgh iron
omaha and ogden, two to Chicaeo
rom Omaha and ogden, one % Chi
ago from Salt Lake, aud one to Chi
ago from Pocatello Idaho, and Baker
0iiy. Oregon, and two to Chicago from
San Francisco