Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-25
BANDITS GET AWAY
WITH S133,0()O IN
HOLD-UP OF TRAIN
Band of Six Bombs Rear of
Mail Car 'and Escapes
in Waiting Auto.
CASH IN CONSIGNMENTS
FROM CHICAGO BANKS
Passengers Cowed by Shots in Air.
Two Guards and Two Clerks Sub
dued by Pair of Robbers.

CHICAGO, February 25.-Haf a
dozen masked robbers. using Wild West
tactics. held up a Grand Trunk local
mail and passenger train on the fringe
OF Chicago today, terrorized IS pas
sengers and train employees, blasted a
mail car and escaped with at least
el33, 900. and possibly more.
The holdup was staged near Ever
green Park. southwest of Chicago, at
the identical spot where s135, 900 train
robbery was executed year ago. and
the police believe the same gang ex-
ecuted the second coup.
One of the robbers boarded the train.
o local between Chicago and Port
Huron, Mich, at Chicago, with a
ticket to Evergreen Park. about Il
miles from the downtown station. The
train halted at the flag stop and the
robber got off. A quarter of a mile
down the track, five men wearing black
masks and khaki overalls, tagged the
train, consisting of two coaches. two
baggage cars and mail car.
Intimidate Passengers.
As the train stopped some Of the
robbers, armed with shotguns and
pistols. invaded the coaches, firing
promiscuously and intimldating the pas
sengers~
Others Of the band rounded up the
train crew and herded the crew with
the passengers. where part of the rob-
bers stood guard. Two OF the gang.
. carrying explosives, went to the mail
car. which was locked. They set a
charge of explosive in the vestibule OF
the car, blowing it away. then entered
and subdued two mail clerks and two
Government agents guarding the money.
One of the clerks was struck over
the head when he attempted to resist.
Otherwise. no one was injured, although
more than so shots were fired. The
two men with the explosive. after turn
tng over the guards 70 those watching
the passengers. blasted the mail car safe
and gathered up two mail pouches con-
tanning the cash consigned to two
Harvey banks, where 1t was too be used
to meet pay rolls of industries there.
Escape in Auto.
The robbers, as soon as they had
gathered up the cash. called TO their
accompIices who still neraced paSsen-
gers and crew with their weapons. as
al backed to a large touring car. The
men then clambered in and sped away
the train proceeding TO Harvey, where
the mail clerks telephoned to postal
authorities here The train then pro-
ceeded on to Port Huron.
OF the money stolen. $4,000 was
shipment from the Federal Reserve
Bank In Chicago to the First National
Bank of Harvey.
The money was TO meet a two weeks
pay roll for three or four Harvey fac
tories, said r. O. Hudson, vice president
of the Harvey Bank.
The $780, 900 did not represent loss
70 the First National OF Harvey, ne said,
since IL still was technically in the con-
tsoi Of the Chicago Reserve Bank II
probably was fully insured, Mr. Hudson
said. The Chicago Federal Reserve
Bank Immediately sent a duplicate
shipment.
Fffty-ttlree thousand dollars was con-
signed from the First National Bank OF
Chicago 10 its correspondent hank, the
Bank of Harvey.
Same Train Robbed Before.
Mail Clerk Kelley left his car at
Harvey TO report the robbery 70 the
postmaster OF that city. This done. he
proceeded with the train TO its deStina-
ton. Port Huron Kelley had big
bump on his head, where he had evi-
centiy been struck.
A previous holo-up OF the same tTaln
occurred September 10. 1925, and the
amount obtained al that time was Slso'-
600. the money being consigned TO the
game two banks at Harvey. NO trace
of the robbers was ever found They en-
tered the mail car as the train left
Chicago Lawn Station and left 1t az
Evergreen Station was reached. The
men escaped with the money In two
usaiI sacks.