Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 August 1895 — EXPRESS IS HELD UP. [ARTICLE]

EXPRESS IS HELD UP.

Chicago Limited on the Lake Shore Boarded by Bobbers. Masked men boarded a west-bound Lake Shore and Michigan Southern express train at Iteece Siding, Ind., at 12:35 Wednesday morning, forced open an express car and at the point of revolvers compelled the messenger to unlock the safe. It is known that at least SB,OOO was taken. The train is a heavy one, made up of several express cars, baggage and mail cars, two coaches and three Pullmans. Reece Siding is a lonely spot in the woods, between Archbold and Stryker, about ten miles west of Wauseon. A blind sliding is used by this train nightly to allow the western express to pass. This usual stop is well known to those familiar with the locality. L’or a mile in each direction the woods are dense close to the railroad right of way. The noise of the coming western express was ringing louder and louder when Conductor Darling, who stood by a coach, saw three masked men ride out of a road' from the woods which led directly to an express car which crossed it. He was ordered inside the coach and at the same time three men, approaching the other side, joined their companions in demanding admission to the express car. This was gained at revolvers’ points, and the express messenger, under threats of instant death, was compelled to open the safe. The entrance to the express car was made quickly and no commotion was created in the other cars. The robbers seemed to know just how to handle the railroad men and to board the cars. Their evident familiarity with cars and the time the trains met give rise to suspicions that they are railroad men. Express and qailroad officials at Toledo were at once notified when the train reached Bryan. Superintendent Blodgett and Manager Caniff left at once on a special train- for the scene of the robbery notifying the police officials of all ad jaccnt towns to be on the lookout for the robbers. Officials express the opinion that the robbery was committed by persons in close touch with the road and its methods, or at least the express company, for that night an unusually large sum of money was, express officials say, carried in the express safe. This admission gives rise to the belief that a much larger sum than SB,OOO was carried off.