Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-05-15
TRAIN ROBBER IS
SLAIN BY POLICE
INPITCHEDBATTLE

CHICAGO, May i4.-Qne Of the
most daring train robberies in the
middle west in recent years ended
this morning in the death of a
bandit who last night looted the mail
car Of the Illinois Central-New Or
leans limited Of currency estimated
to total about 100000. The money
was recovered.
One policeman, shot by the bandit,
died later in a hospital, and another
was wounded seriously.
The bandit was identified as Hor-
ace Walton. aged thirty-tw of 81.
Joseph, Mo. He fell with four bull
lets in his body after barricading
himself in his apartment and fight
ing with more than 100 police, in
Guiding several picked rife squads.
Walton boarded the train at Gil
man, a few miles from Kankakee,
last night, taking a seat in a Pull
man A pouch containing a shipment
of $1O5,O00 from Decatur bank was
taken on the train at Gilman.
AS the flyer pulled out of Kanka-
kee Walton stepped into the mail
car and announced that he was the
postal inspector. He walked toward
Elmer f. Harris, chief clerk, and his
four assistants, then suddenly drew
a p!sto. and commanded "hands up"
The clerks obeyed. Harris and three
CT the clerks were ordered to lie on
the floor. James E. Burke, another
clerk, was forced to bind their hands
behind them. Walton then tied
Burke's hands and set about in leis-
urely fashion sorting the mail
pouches.
Armed with the clerks key he
picked out and rifled the bags which
contained shipments of money, re-
marking It's easy when you have
inside information" He took a travel
ing bag from one of the clerks and
put the money into it,
After filling the bag Walton kept
up a running fire of banter with the
clerks until the train reached Engle-
wood station, in South Chicago
shortly before 1 a. m. There he
leaped out
Fifteen minutes 1atetr Policemen
William A. Roberts and John Ken
drlcks met Walton. Their suspicious
We're aroused by a bag he carried
and RobePts stepped forward to cues
ton the man. Walton. with revolver
IN his pocket, fired through his coat,
Roberts fell. shot in the head and
side.
Walton leaped into the. areaway
OF an apartment building, while Ken
bricks QrODDed behind RObarts' ho1,,
and opened fire. After an exchange
OF shots the policeman dashed for
ward and grappled with the man.
Walton dropped the bag and fled.
Police rifle squads, summoned by
nelghbors, located the man in an
They surrounded the building ana
Tor more than an hour poured hun
dreds of bullets into Walton's apart
ment. He returned the fire steadily,
USING TWO guns, then suddenly
a dash on the room. Walton was
found on the floor, dead, with four
bullets in his body.
A membership card issued by the
st. Joseph (Mo.) Young Mems Chris.
dressed to Mrs. L. V. Walton. No
523 North Seventh street, ST. Joseph,
We're found jim his pocket.
PatrolmanS Roberts was rushed to
few hours. He is survived by widow
and five children. Patrolman Thomas
Serreter also was wounded, but prob
ably not fatally.
Walton had lived in the apartment
where he was killed for several
postal inspectors badge, mail
pouch key and an Illinois Central
time table. printed in pencil on a
card, were found on the body. ,