Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1893 — IN A TRAP. [ARTICLE]

IN A TRAP.

Train Bobbers Caught and Shot Down. A •’Dummy” Train Sent Out on th* Tim* of a Regular Express Draws th* Expected Attack. Six would-be train robbers werecanght in a trap at St. Joseph. Ma, Monday morning. Two of them were killed, three captured and one escaped. The Kansas City, St. Joe <fc Council Bluffs road was the intended victim. A dummy train was sent ahead, and when the express messenger was ordered to open his car, he did so. The officers then opened fire upon, the robbers. The attempted robbery occurred on the southbound train onthe Kansas City, St. Joe & Council Bluffs road, which was stopped by six men at Schutzen Park, one mile and a half north of St. Joseph. The men who were killed were Fred Kohler and Hugo Engle, step-son of Harry Gleitz, proprietor of the Occidental Hotel. The man who escaped is supposed to be Henry Gleitz, a brother of the man who was killed. Three other men, N. A. Hearst, Charles Fredericks and William Garver, were captured, but they were decoys and were not directly connected with the attempted robbery. The officers of the road have known for some time that an attempt would be made to rob the train, and preparations were made to capture them. Detective P. H. Locke first received information about the proposed robbery, Aug. 11, and he has been in constant communication with the railway officials since then.

The regular train on the Kansas City, St. Joe & Council Bluffs road left the Union Depot at 11:40 o’clock, Sunday night. Mr. Brown got word early in the evening that Sunday night was the time fixed upon for the robbery, and his first intention was to send out the regular train and place the officers on it. He decided later that it would be unsafe to risk the passengers in a battle with the robbers, and accordingly instructed Superintendent Hohl to make up a “dummy” special and run it on the time of the regular train No. 3. This “dummy” consisted a mail car, express car and six coaches, the two latter darkened to represent the appearance of sleepers. Engineer Lee Wright and fireman Victor Wise were In the cab and conductor John Hardenstein had charge of the train. In the mat) car were Sheriff Carson, Deputy Brown and a number of police. In the express car were Chief Broder and a portion of his force while the rest of his officers were scattered through the other cars. Engineer Callfcote was pressed into service as an express man. He wore overalls, and an empty safe and some empty boxes were put in his car to give it the appearance of an express car. In the first coaches were W. C. Brown, Mr. Hohl and Mr. Sanford, superintendent of the Adams Express Company. When the train reached Schutzen Park a man stepped out on the track and swung a red lantezn. Engineer Wright stopped his engine, and he and the fireman were at once covered by a masked man with a shotgun. They were ordered to go back to the express car. When they reached the car, two of the robbers pounded on tho door with their guns and ordered the messenger to open It. After a short parley, Calicote threw open the door. Chief Broder and his men were concealed behind the safe and empty boxes when the robbers ordered the express messenger to open the door; they threatened to blow up the car with dynamite, and one of them -said:

“Open up here; be quick about it, or we will blow upthe car with dynamite. Open up or we will kill you.” Four of Ahe men leaped into the car, the other two remaining outside. One of these was Henry Gleitz and the other was Fredericks. When the men entered the car the officers raised up and, covering them with their revolvers, ordered them to throw up their hands. Instead of doing so the robbers began firing at the officers, and instantly a deadly battle was on. At the first fire Hearst, Fredericks and Carver dropped to the ground and laid down to avoid being shot. Engle leaped from the car and ran for the brush on the east side of the train, from where he continued to shoot until discovered. Kohler, whose job was to stand outside and keep the passengers from coming out of the car, was on the east side of the train also, and he poured a deadly fire into the express car and coaches. Henry Dleitz, who was on the west side of the train, fired several shots at the officers in the express and mall cars and then ran. —<—, —- Kohler proved himself to be the most desperate man. He continued to shoot until he fell over dead. Engle fell soon after Kohler was killed, and when picked up was found to be mortally wounded. He was shot twice in the back of the head, ■ and his brains were oozing out. The men i were placed on the train, which returned i to the Francis street depot at 12:35 o’clock, and the other train went on its way. The 1 passengers did not know what bad happened. It was quick work, and the train bearing the officers was back at the Francis street depot tn just forty-five minutes from the limo it left.