The New York herald., 1922-04-03
BANDITS LOOT TRAIN
IN DARING HOLDUP
Grew Lined Up and Freight
Cars Emptied at Chelsea,
Near Poughkeepsie.
WAITED ON HEAVY GRADE
Made Engineer Stop at Gun
Point and Drive LOcomO-
tive a Mile Away.

oUGHKEEpsIE, April "A fast freight
train of the New York Central Rail-
road was held up at O'clock this
morning at Chelsea. twelve miles from
here, by seven armed bandits who
clambered on to the locomotive and
heavy grade near the Chelsea brick
yards, one Of tie loneliest sections on
the road from New York to Albany
Seven cars were broken into and
looted by the bandits, after they had
lined up the train crew, forced them
to the tender and compelled the en-
gineer. III. Crannagc,.to drive the loco
motive mile down the track.
Railroad officials here said tonight
that while the quantity Of goods
stolen was probably large, they would
not be able to tell how much the loss
was until an inventory of the ship
ments and the cargo Of tie train had
been made. 1t Is believed that the
bandits had intended to hold up the
train which leaves New York every
night laden with valuable shipments
of raw and finished silk. and which
should have passed the Chelsea sta
ton only a few minutes before the
one that was held up. This train was
late, however. and the mixed freight
known as the NJ. d. ). passed it.
1f ~. q 4, IN IA vs
reached Poughkeepsjc because every
official of the Sheriffs office, headed
BY Sheriff Everett Il. Davis. is at Chel-
sea helping 70 hunt far the robbers
and railroad officials are reticent. Sc
far as the authorities here have re-
ceivcd word. the bandits did not shoot
any of the train crew, none of whom
| offered resistance when the bandits
suddenly appeared on the tender and
In the caboose and pointed pistols a,
L them.
Brakeman Between Fires.
One of the brakcmen OF this train. II
is said, was on top of u freight car neat
the tender when the bandits appeared
and began shooting 10 frighten the engl.
started on run back toward the ca.
4 boose, pursued by one OF the bandits
who had .clambered onto the top Of the
train from the engine. This man fired
one shot into the air, and then tw,
more in quick succession. Apparently
II was "a signal, because bandit Inn
mediately climbed 10 tho top o. the
freight car nearest the caboose and the
brakeman. caught between two fires
surrendered and was led back to join
the others on the tender.
Sheriff Davis and a posse of seventeen
deputies left for Chelsea as soon az
word was received here Of the holdup
and tonight they are sweeping the
country in au usomobies. Detachments
OF State police are also securing the
district IN the vicinity of the brclsyards
and ranging up and down the river for
several miles. So far no word has been
received hero of trace of the bandits
The Sheriff believes that they escaped
IN automobiles, lights OF which were seen
ABOUT the stalled train by the men OF
the crew mile or more away. 1t is
possible that they had a boat moored
alongside the Chelsea docks.
The holdup apparently was elaborate
ly planned and as elaborately sta ged.
Before the bandits boarded the train
when IL slowed up down the briclsyard
grade. they cut the telephone and tele-
graph wires within a radius of several
miles. When they left the train crew.
the engineer and his men had to go TO
Beacon and Poughkeepsie before they
could telephone an alarm.
six Arrested, Then Freed.
There is not much life in the Chelsea
section during the winter, when tho
brickyards are shut down. and In all
the stretch OF track from New York 10
Albany the bandits could hardly have
picked out better spot for the holdup.
They came with caution. apparently. and
were successful In keeping out OF sight.
because the authorities have not been
able to find any one who saw them or
heard them before they began shooting
about the train 10 frighten the crew.
Once this morning the Sheriff and his
posse thought they might have some OF
the men concerned IN the crime. They
picked up four negroes and two white
men who were driving rapidly along tho
river road near Chelsea, but these men,
It was said here tonight. had an slibi
and were released
The bandits must have been at Chel-
soa some time before the train came
along The wires were cut with nippers
Tho bandits even found time TO break
open the telephone pay station and rob
the coin box of the few nickels II con-
tanned. Then they strung out along the
tracks. hiding In the brickyard behind
piles Of brick and crouching under the
embankment at the side OF the rails
There they waited. knowing that when
the heavy train reached the grade II
would have TO slow UP almost 10 . stop
and that II would be easy for them to
board IT,
Shortly before 2 o'clock the lights oi
the locomotive appeared around the
bend. the engine putting and straining tc
get the long train of ears up the grade
The bandits. strung In sort OF thir
slSlrmish line M and down the track
waited until the locomotive had almost
reached the top OF the grade. In an.
other two minutes Il would have topped
the crest OF the hill and the train would
have begun TO gather speed for the rur
doNn the grade. But the locomotive
N l..t.,u.f ~ t,.r, xsx