Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1901 — THE VIEW FROM INSIDE [ARTICLE]

THE VIEW FROM INSIDE

Messenger Tells the Story as It Appeared In the Car. The express car is badly shattered, but It was brought in with the train. “The first intimation I had of anything wrong," said Express Messenger Charles, “was when the train began to slow up near Walker's station. It was 2:45 o'clock as near as I remember. Shortly after that the train Came to a standstill and 1 was ordered to open the door. I refused to move. I was threatened with all sorts of things. ‘Open this car or we will blow you to hell,” commanded one of the robbers. 1 made uo resixmse and was given a salute with dynamite. “The liist charge blew open one of the door.- a.id knocked me down. My overalls wt re blown into shrisls and my legs somewhat scratched, but otherwise 1 was unhurt. Further commands to open up and threats followed, but without avail. 1 made no reply, knowing that the object of the robin rs was to locate me in the car ami then try to put me out of the way, either by dynamite or bullets. I changed :uy station to the other end of the car. "A second shot blew open the door at the end 1 had just left. The third shot failed to go off, as I had removed my shoes and quietly walked over to tlie dynamite and detached the fuse. Two more shots exploded, each of them blowing a hole In the floor of the car. AH told four shots went off in tic ear. '-vu failed to explode, and one I prevented from exploding by removing the fuse. “All efforts to compel me to open up or leave tlie ear falling, the engineer wa« «e»>t in through tlie opening blown in the side. I ordered him to get out. and fired a shot over ills head with my shotgun. The entire ceremony lasted about forty minutes. The engineer retired after I fired the shot and ordered him to leave, and I was not molested further.”