New-York tribune., 1922-04-03
HoldUp Sugar Freight for
$2,000,OOO Silk Special
Near Poughkeepsie; ;F1ee
With so Posses at Heels
Boob Break OF the
Century, Chief Says
Part of Band Hid Aboard
Here and Were Met by 6
Autos to Carry Off Loot

Ten armed bandits held up the Yonk-
ers Sugar Special fast freight on
the New York Central Railroad, three
miles south of Poughkeepsie early yes
tcrday, forced the engineer to uncouple
and back up three miles, and, holding
the crew under an armed guard,
searched every car of the train. What
they stole was not known last night.
The special held up is known as
M. No. 5. 1t left New York at 11:15
p. m., fifteen minutes after the famous
silk train. A member Of the bandit
gang boarded the last car in New York
and cut the air when it reached
Chelsea, forcing Engineer Grannage
to bring the train to a halt. Two men
then boarded the engine and sat in
the tender with pistols guarding Gran
mage and the fireman as they backed
to New Hamburg.
Held Up Wrong Train
Automobiles in which the robbers
had been driven to the spot waited near
the track, Il masked man at the wheel
of each. From remark made by one
Of the men to Grannage he realized
that the gang had intended to stop the
silk train, which carried merchandise
valued at $2,000000. When the en-
gineer told a man who appeared to be
leader of the robbers that the wrong
train had been held up he replied
"Shut your trap; we know what's on
the train"
Two men worked on each car, break
ing seals and searching for loot. After
seven cars had been searched the
leader called his gang together. They
held consultation and three were dis
patched to search two more cars in the
front end of the special. They re-
turned shortly, reporting all they could
find was sugar, whereupon the leader
remarked with a curse that they had
"pulled the boob break of the century"
Firing volley with apparent intention
off inIirnidating the train crew, the
bandits swarmed on their automobiles
and disappeared.
Hundreds in Pursuit
Conductor James Stuart made for a
telephone and gave an alarm which
brought a special engine and car con-
tanning twenty New York Central de-
tectives and a squad of special police,
who began an effort to trail the rob-
hers. Posses were organized and with
in two hours several hundred armed
men were securing the country in all
directions. Up to a late hour last
night no arrests had been made, but
evidence was obtained that the robbers
fled into Orange County and by use
4lN toln ,1y y1-r
formed throughout that county. More
than a score of separate posses began a
criss-cross search that is still in prog
ress.
Fifty men turned out from Beacon,
alarm and as many more from Chel-
sea. Every village in the county
formed it's own squad of armed men.
Chief of Detectives Frederick Rozelle,
of the Central New England Railroad,
is directing the search. More than
twenty-fiv men were taken into Gus
tody within three hours and released
when it was found they had nothing
to do with the holdup.
Sheriff Davis. in charge Of a large
armed party of special deputies, said
last night the gang had been on the
train when it left New York and their
intention had undoubtedly been to loot
the silk special.
Silk Train Heavily Guarded
From descriptions of these men,
said Sheriff Davis, ct appears they
were not masked. The fact that they
boarded the sugar special instead of
the silk train saved a heavy loss and
has provided us with valuable defen-
sive material. The silk train has been
heavily guarded for some time. There
are armed guards on every car. il the
other train had been held up there
would have been q spectacular gun
fight"
Officials of the New York Central
said last night it had been impossible
so far to check up on possible losses
sustained in the hold-up. After the cars
opened had been resealed the train
was ordered to proceed to Chicago.
Investigation has shown that fifty tele-
phone wires were cut in an effort to
block communication, but the bandits
overlooked telephone cable contain
ing many wires.
Telephone wires at Chelsea station
had been cut close to the building. The
police believe that. while most of the