Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1888 — ATTEMPTED TRAIN ROBBERY. [ARTICLE]

ATTEMPTED TRAIN ROBBERY.

Five Masked Robbers Attempt to Capture a Passenger Train. The Baggage Mister Killed. 4 An attempt was made to rob the passenger train due at Cincinnati at 11 o’clock p. m., on the “Big Four” road (C. I. St. L. AC.) near Delhi, a few miles from Cincinnati, Friday night. The express messenger, J. H. Zimmerman and baggage master, Joe Ketchum ,were alone in the express car. When the train left Delhi, Zimmerman called Ketchum’s attention to some tramps he saw through the glass window of the car door leading to the front platform. Both men rose and went toward the door. When within a few feet of it, the tramps began firing through the front window. Ketchum fell, shot in four places, two balls entering his abdomen, one his breast and one his left shoulder. Zimmerman tried to draw his pistol, but it stuck in his hip pocket and he retreated to the rear platform‘of the car where he met the conductor. The latter pulled the bell rope and stopped the train. »- While this was going on one of the tramps climbed on the tender, where he was met by the engineer and fireman and knocked stiff by two blows from a monkey-wrench. The engineer and fireman then rolled him off the tender while the train was at full speed. Before he was thrown overboard, however, a second robber attempted to climb on the tender, but he weakened and dodged back at the sight of the prostrate form of his companion. Before the train stopped more than one robber was seen to jump off and disappear in the darkness. All of them wore masks completely covering their faces. Not a word was spoken by the robbers during the entire affray, and not a shot was fired at them. Indeed, that was not possible under the circumstances. The night was very dark, and Zimmerman and Ketchum, supposing them to be tramps, went with a lantern to the front door and gave the miscreants every advantage. Had they waited, instead of firing the men would have opened the door and would have been entirely in their power. They fired, Mr. Zimmerman and the conductor think, not less than fifteen shots. Zimmerman says he saw four men distinctly and that all Of them wore masks. A large force of police from Cincinnati were sent in pursuit of the robbers. Two suspects were arrested but the man thrown off the tender could not be found. —; .... ... „ Ketchem cannot live. One of the balls penetrated his bladder.