Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-25
MAIL BANDITS
OUTWITTED BY
: CRAFTY CLERK
Robbers Fooled in Efforts by
Hiding of Large Money
Orders.
LOOT DWINDLES TO $50

ROOD HOUSE, Ill, Feb. 25.-The
1925, co., mail robbery OF Chicago q
Alton train No. 10, near here today, mad
become mere $50 loss shortly before
. noon, according to postal inspectors.
Credit was given Messenger Myers, In
charge Of the baggage car, for hlulng
money orders for large amounts when ne
heard the bandits order the door OF the
mail car opened.
Three registered letters and regis
tered package we're taken from the mail
car by the four men, who boarded the
train at Louisiana. Mo-, shortly after
midnight as the Mississippi River was
being crossed, and overpOwered En-
gineer Ed Donahue of Slater, Mo.
As Quincy. Ill, was reached three
other men Joined the quartette Of bandits
and compelled the engineer to cut Oh
the mail and baggage car, which was
hauled a mile down the track before the
robbery was staged. The bandits then
fed and the train crew, after going back
for the rest of the cars, speeded into
Pleasant Hill, where a report was made
to Government officers here.
Posses were Immediately sent out from
Pleasant Hill and Louisiana to scour
the Mississippi bottoms and today these
forces were augmented by a score OF
The robbery of the Hummer as train
No. 10 is called, is the second within, the
last three weeks. On the former occa-
sion the bandits obtained 50 from mem
bers of the train crew before they were
frightened away. 1t is believed the same
men were implicated in both. Messenger
Myers, who was In the first robbery, de-
elared one of the bandits today re-
sembIed a participant in the former
hold-uR
According to Engineer Donahue the
bandits halted the train near Louisiana
Mo-. by waving flags. As he slowed down
the three men leaped aboard the tender
of the engine, and, crawling over it, COW
cred Donahue and the fireman with their
rifles and forced them to detach the mail
coach and baggage car from the train.
The bandits then forced the engineer
to drive a mile or more ahead, which
brought them across the Mississippi
River to Sni, III. There, two robbers
guarded the train crew while the third
entered the mail. car and robbed It. The
bandits then deserted the train and dis
appeared in the darkness.
The Hummer" left Kansas City at
5:25 o'clock yesterday and is due in
Chicago at : AS o'clock this morning.
Passengers in the train were awakened
when the brakes were applied to the
frosty rails and peered out. watching
the engineer uncoupie the baggage and
mail cars from the coaches. Those in
berths hastily slipped on their garments
and left the coaches after the engine had
pulled out with the two cars. Many pas
sengers secreted their valuables in the
car, fearing the bandits would return to
stick up the passengers.
1.-The train stopped with jerk, outside
OF Louisiana, Mo-" said a. D. Sizemore,
news butcher of Kansas City, who was
in the fore coach at the time Of the
stick-up. .--.-.-.- .......
81 looked out and saw four men with
rifles boarding the cab he said.
'"Then l saw them lead Engineer Dona-
hue back to uncOuple the cars"
SizemOre said the engine and coaches
had been gone forty minutes when they
backed to the other coaches.