The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-08
MAIL BANDITS
Got ONLY S4OO
FOR THEIR HAUL
Gang of Seven Wounded Five
Holding Up Train.
100000 in Pouch.
BIG MAN HUNT NOW ON
BIG MAN HUNT NOW ON
Bandits Made Getaway Loaded
With Love Letters.
Are Now Five Hundred Officials
on Their Trail.

Champaign, Ill. Nov S.-A pouch
supposed to contain 100000 cash was
the object of the ten train robbers
who held up the Illinois Central New
Orleans limited near Paxton, last
night according to railroad men, here
today. The robbers had the pouch
and lost it. the railroad men said.
Bandits Got Only S4OO.
Chicago, Nov. Sc. A. Germer,
chief postal inspector, at noon an
nounced the loot obtained by ro,.. ers
who held up an Illinois Central train
near Paxton, Ill, last night. fought
orty-five-minute battle with the train
crew and passengers wounding five
men, dynamited and burned the mail
car will total approximately four hun
dred dollars.
They got two pouches of registered
mail.
And in them" Mr.. Germer said.
there was nothing but the ordinary
run of registered letters-no bank
shipments or other packages of espe-
cial value. 1t will take a week to see
each individual sender and check up
the exact loss, but 1 estimate it at
about $500"
Five Are Injured.
The injured are:
porter, two wounds in abdomen.
Ben Bovinette, Mattoon, mail clerk,
shot in the shoulder and abdomen and
wrist, slugged on head.
Thomas Baker, Carbondale, mail
clerk, beaten over the head with a
H. H. Bangs, Chicago, fireman,
slightly wounded three times in left
shoulder.
Kenneth Knowlton, University of
Illinois student, slightly wounded in
right arm in fight with bandits after
they had completed their work.
Dynamite Was Used.
Paxton, H., Nov. S.-PostaI in
spectors and railroad officials, arriv-
ing shortly before noon on a special
train at the scene of a daring holdup
Of an Illinois Central passenger train
near here by seven masked bandits,
were amazed at the boldness of the
robbers. They were unable to say
how much the bandits obtained.
According to Sheriff Nelson of Ford
county, the robbers used dynamite,
nitro-glycerin, gasoline and Odor
bombs and kerosene in the execution
of the robbery.
"One of the bandits was armed with
a rifle and fired at every passenger
who stepped off a coach to learn what
was going on or who poked head
out of a window" said Sheriff Nelson.
train intent on shooting at passengers,
while another of the gang, using an
automatic pistol, guarded the otner
side"
Gassed Mail Clerks.
The robbers, according to the sher-
if, poured both gasoline and kerosene
on the mail car and set fire to it after
dropping odor bombs thru a ventila-
tor blowing off one door with eXplo-
sions of dynamite and nitro -glycertn.
The mail clerks had defied them, re-
fusing to open the mail car.
While the flames were cracking
three robbers forced the fireman into
the blazing car with them and made
him assist them in finding pouches
marked with red seals.
The flames wrecked the car, con-
sumed tons of mail left behind by the
bandits. and the trucks Of the car
were all that remained.
F. o. Smith, vice president of the IL
linois Central. in, charge of operations,
said the road had no idea of the ex-
tent of tho loss.
Paxton authorities say the robbers
used a motor truck as well as a tour
ing car in making their getaway.
Big Man Hunt Is On.
One of the greatest man hunts ever
held in central Illinois is in progress
today as the result of the daring hold
up OF an Illinois Central passenger
train near here. Seven masked ban
dts who participated in the robbery
are being sought by posses numbering
more than 500 deputy sheriffs, rail-
road detectives and citizens volun-
teers.
Postal authorities. meanwhile. are
endeavoring to learn the amount of
loot obtained by the bandits. The
robbers shot and siugged five men.
set fire to the car and escaped with
several sacks of mail.
Early today, the robbers had been
traced on a road running west be- !
tween Paxton and Ludlow. This road
would lead them to Bloomington and |
police of that city have been notified. |
CONTINUED on page Three)
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