The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1921-11-10
Four People Shot When
Ten Bandits Hold Up
Train at Paxton.
CARS ARE DYNAMITED
Engineer Is Forced to Signal
to Aids of Bandits and Run
ming Battle Follows Attack.
(By Associated Press Leased wirel

@NSooCl0NSu
Paxton, I'll. = Posses early today
were searching for ten bandits who
last night held up the Illinois Central
New Orleans Limited two miles south
of here, wounded four train EMPLOYEES.
stole two pouches of registered mail
and escaped after setting fire to the
mail car.
No clue to the men had been found
early today, the only aid in the search
OF the robbers being statement by
members of the train crew that they
headed west in two automobiles after
robbing the mail car. The passengers
were not molested although one got
three bullet holes in his coat when he
and three companions went up to the
mail car and fred on the bandits while
they were fighting the engine crew
and two mail clerks, barricaded in the
mail car
A colored train porter was the only
man seriously injured by the robbers.
He was shot in the chest and groin as
he stood on the vestibule of a smoker.
The fireman was wounded in the shout
der, mail clerk was shot in the hand
and shoulder and another was dubbed
over the head with a revolver.
Two of the robbers boarded the train
at some point between Chicago and
Paxton and covered the engine crew
with their guns as the train was pass
ing through here, according to the re-
port of Division Superintendent j. R.
Hevron.
They ordered the train to proceed to
small bridge over a stream two
miles farther south where the train
was stopped in such manner that the
passengers could not come forward
Ordering the crew to cut the train
the engineer and fireman were forced
to pull the mail car farther up the
tracks and about eight other men ap-
peared from automobiles.
On threat of shooting the engineer
and fireman of the train went to the
mail car. 1t was not open, the rob-
bers forced the mail clerks to open
the door but when the engineer and
fireman had clambered inside the door
was slammed shut
Several charges of dynamite and
firing from revolvers and shotguns
finally forced the door in and hand
to hand battle ensued which only
stopped after the robbers had thrown
two bombs into the car and a fire
brand which smoked out the four men
in the car.
During the fight the mail clerks and
fireman were injured.
These men were forced to throw out
the red striped sacks, containing reg
istered mail and then jumped to save
themselves from being burned. The
bandits jumped in their machines and
left.
The train crew hooked up the train
again without the mail car and pro-
ceeded to Champaign where the injur-
ed were sent to hospital.
Engineer Tells Story.
Champaign, Ill. - J. E. Fogerty. en-
gineer of the Illinois Central limited
train which was held up near Paxton
last night, and the only member of
the train crew who took part in the
ARRAY and escaped uninjured, told of
how the bullets flew past him, how he
saw two Of his companions shot and
his other experiences here this morn
ing.
"The first intimation I had of the
robbery came shortly after | had left
Paxton" he said. II was reaching
down to pick up glove when I heard
grunt. turned around A masked
man was beside me and thrust a re-
volver against my ribs. Another had
the fireman covered.
"'Stick 'em up he shouted.
Before / could reply he had me
slow down and run on down to the
bridge across the Vermillion river.
Forced to Give Signal.
Chow many mail coaches are there ?"
he asked.
81 told him there were four and
he made me take them down. He had
a bunch of men waiting at the river
and had me flash the headlight twice
to let them know all was well with
him. The bandit allowed me to send
man back to flag other trains. Then
he forced me to climb down and go
back to the mail car.
I'm front of me the mail clerks or
dered us to halt They ware arned !.