The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-10-12
HOldup Occurred as No. 4 Was
Leaving Kansas City.
Seven Persons Are Relieved OF
Valuables and Money
REPORT $500 AMOUNT TAKEN
Believe the Negro Was Former
Pullman Porter. )
After Making Way Thru Two
Cars the Bandit Escaped.


Kansas City. Mo, Oct. 12.-Speciai
agents of the Santa Fe railroad were
rushed to Fort Madison Ia. this morn
ing to meet the California limited of
the road which was robbed in the
yards here late last night by Ions
negro bandit when seven passengers
were forced to give up approximately
$500.
Meanwhile, no trace of the bandit,
whoss pulled what road officials de-
scribe as one of the boldest robberies
ever committed here, has been found.
Authorities believe the bandit is
former Pullman porter. They assert
that his apparent familiarity with the
conditions surrounding the train and
its route indicate that he had a know1-
edge of these details probably secured
from experience.
Boarded Last Car.
According to members of the train
crew, the negro swung aboard the
rear Pullman just as the train. run
ming late, pulled out of the station at
10:45 o'clock last night. Drawing
revolver, they say, he directed the
place their money and yaluabfes In
| pile on a chair. He next made his
way into the next Pullman, where he
| held up three men, after which he
/ jumped from the as ueAIeh
| the Fifteenth street viaduct
| Instead of stopping the train. II is
| stated, the conductor waited until the
| train reached Lexington Junction.
from where he wired into the Santa
Fe offices here. thus giving the bandit
two hours leeway before authorities
| began to hunt for him.
According to descriptions given OF
the negro, he was apparently 25 years
old, weighed about $50 pounds and
was light in color.
Got Only 5000, Officials say.
Railroad officials here this after
moon declared that the bandit secured
only $500 from seven passengers on
the train, overlooking, in his haste,
several thousands of dollars in cash
and large quantity of jewels carried
by the passengers Previous estimates
were that he secured $500.
Names of the victims of the holdup,
six men and one woman, were made
public. as follows:
Mrs. S. B. Sweet, Detroit, Mich.
Donald Long. Washington, ID. C.
C. E. Hays, Johnstown, Pa.
James S. Day, Brooklyn, N. Y.
| John j. Moore, Chicago.
w. ]. Paulson and Michael Mueller.
both of Chiffon. Wis.
Men Aided Woman.
Chicago, Oct. 12.-Gal!antry. OF the
| men passengers when a negro bandit
invaded the Santa Fe railroads Cali
fornia limited train in Kansas City
last night was revealed today when
the train reached Chicago. Mrs. s. b.
Sweet of Detroit, the only woman in
I the car the robber appeared. told how
six men had gone to her aid when the
negro entered
The robbery occurred within the
city limits of Kansas City shortly after
the train had pulled out OF the station.
He evidently climbed into the vestf-
| bule as the train was feaving the sta
ton, according to the train conductor,
and robbed only the passengers In the
1 third car from the rear. He escaped
| with only about $500. FfFz
Mrs. Sweet as she left the train here
told how the men had protected her.
Forced To Drop Bag.
II was walking toward the observa-
hon platform while the porter was
making up my berth" she said. II
heard a cry Drop your bag 1 did not
see any one and gave no significance
to the words, but as approa ched the
door they were repeated. and a negro
with a revolver appeared in the door
way. .That revolver looked like II was
a mile long. 1 dropped the bag. The
six men in the car jumped up as the
negro yelled Hands up The men sur
rounded me and threw out their
pocketbooks. They pushed me back
toward the wall, and stood between
me and the negro. 1t was all over in
few minutes. The robber did not go
into the other cars. but jumped off
the train
The men who protected Mrs. Sweet
were William J. Paulsen and Michael
Mueller, both of Chiffon, Wis: James
s. Day, Brooklyn, N. Y: John j.
Moore, of Chicago; c. z. Hays. Johns
town, Pa. and Donald +. Long. of
Washington, D. C. They had little to
say of the holdup and all said they
had lost only small sums. They placed
the total amount obtained by the rob-
Der at 5000. Mr.. Day was robbed Of
$50; Moore of $40 and the others of
lesser sums.
I'VE did not lose much" Mr.
Paulsen said. I'VE pushed Mrs. Sweet
back against the wall and out of the
way. That's about all there was to
lit"
Few Knew of HoIdup.
J The negro found the men in the
smoking compartment as Mrs. Sweet
was passing thru the doorway, accord
ing to c. F. Sargent, conductor of the
train. No attempt was made by the
NEGRO to enter other cars the con-
ductor said. and few of the passengers
5 were aware of the hoIdup until after
3, ward. 1t probably would be impos-
j sibie to identify the robber If he were
4 captured. the conductor said. a the
passengers were unable to give a de-
3 tailed description of him. The negro
$ dropped off the train in the city
T. yards.
o