Evening Star Newspaper, June 13, 1924, Page 9

.. MAIL BANDITS GAS CLERKS AND GUARDS; - STEAL $100,000 (Continued from Fjrst Page.) enty mail clerks and guards, all armed, but only those in threc cars Wwere compelled to face the guns of the robhers. Those cars carried the registered and first-class mall. The robbers forced their way into the cars by breaking windows and throwing bombs filled with chlorine Ras. The clerks and guards, nearly overcome by the deadly fumes, were forced to open the doors and allow the robbers to enter. Officials are certain that the hold- Up was arranged by men thoroughly famillar with railroad and railway mail clerks' work At least two of the robbers con- cealed themselves aboard the mall #pecial before it left Chicago. The train had just gone through Rondout and was traveling close to sixty miles an hour. Two men carrying flashlight and pistols, came from their hiding place behind the t and the first coach, crawied acrons the swaying coal tender and into the ab. The muzzle of one weapon was pushed against the neck of Engineer S. R. Waite of Milwau- heei the other bandit covered the fireman, " & Biddle, also of Mil- waukee. half-mile down the track vou'll see a red light flashed on, the west side.” the man back of & engineer said. “You'll stop the train. I you don't you're dome." Train Slackens Speed. Those, and a déep pool of blood evi- dently from the wounded bandit, were the only tangible clues the robbers left. More than 500 armed men quickly were put to work on the robbery. They included every available agent of the Milwaukee road. all the post office inspectors of the Chicago and Milwaukee offices, squads of police from Chicago and Milwaukee and a number of posses. THEFT BIG_?EET RECORDED. Forty Pouches Registered Mail Taken—Clerks Unhurt by Gas. By the Assbeiated Press. 1 MILWAUKEE, Wis., June 13.—All members of the crew of the robbed train reside in Milwaukee. They are: Steve Waite. engineer: Biddle fireman; James Sweene: nductor; Sandy McRae, flagman, and Henry Van De Lind, brakemun. Of the seventy mail clerks on the train only six were affected by the fumes of the bombs exploded in the cars. When the train pulled into Mil- waukee at midnight, one hour and fifteen minutes late, it was met by fifty detectives, United States postal agents and railroad officials. A search of the second mail car revealed that one of the bottles of colorless liquid which the robbers had flung into the car had not exploded. It is being analyzed. “This robbery Is the biggest ever made on a rallroad system.” said M. T. Thurber chief agent for the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul road. “Every federal agent and every railroad man in the northwest started on the man hunt within an hour from the time we knew of the robbery.” The train car received 1,500 mail forty-odd pouches of registersd mail. All the registered mall pouches were taken by the robbers. Post O Inspector Germer de- clared It was evident that the bandits had “inside” information, and that they took only the most valuable packages. He belleves the same men engineered the recent mail robberies at Crystal Lake, Ill, and at Indiana Harbor. He expressed the bellef that more mail robberies would follow un- less the source of the bandits’ in- formation could be locatéed. “The robbers knew exaotly what to take and what to leave,” sald the in- spector. ‘“They took only the most valuable packages. 13 is improbable that they could have done this with- out the co-operation of some one on the inside." Several days will be reguired to oheck up on the loot to determine exactly how much was taken, he sald. The police oontinued rounding up suspects, A Postal Inspector Germer was noti- fied today that one of the stolen malil potichen, ripped open and looted, had been found at Crystal Lake, Wis. In- ctors immediately were sent to that point. Engineer Obeys Orders. Engineer Waite said that the first indication he had that anything out of the ordinary was In progress was when he felt some one slide into the seat beside him. “Something hard ® prodded into my back,” he sald. “I turned to look into the face of a hard shelled fellow who ordered me to stop the train. Fireman Dibble was covered also.” Waite said he stopped the train and obeyed orders. Fireman Dibble said he was inclin- +d to fight until he heard shots. He said that the robbers took the en- gine crew to a point in front of one of their automobiles and guarded them there. of the train and was met by a rob- ber who had been hiding in the rear . “He confronted me,” McRae said, “and ordered me to the ground. and then he escorted me to the side of the train and lined me up with the rest of the boys.” Gas Attack Demeribed. B. W. Jeftery, mail clerk, declared that the men in his car intended to Protect, their mail pouches, und did 22,until the robbers let go their as We turned out the lights and con- cealed ou ves,” Jeffery said. “Some one pounded on the door and said, Come out or we'll shoot’ They did begin firing, but that falied to bring us. Then something crashed through one of the windows and a voice from the outside announced, ‘Now, you'll come out’ The air in the car be- came stifiing_and tears rolled down our face We had to unbolt the door and get out, as we could not stand {t. 'he robbers promised not to shoot it we camte out without re- sistance. We were not in much shape (o resist after the gas at- ck. Clerka Carry Out Ma R. M. Peterson, another mail clerk, told how the robbers looted the maii cars. “After we had been lined up against the side of the car.” he said, “a middie-aged fellow, wearing a white cap. who seemed to be the lead- er. ordered one of our men into the middle car with him and made him point out the registered mail sacks and threw them from the car. When this was done we were required to load them into automobiles. When the sacks were loaded into the ma- chines the robbers, after warning us not to follow them, turned their cars toward Chicago.” A large shipment of gold from Chi- ?od to & local dank, was y_the robbers, it devel- oped today. Much of the loot, ac- cording to postal men after a hurried check, consisted of forelgn merchan- dise, as well as cash. ocago, cons! overiooked BELIEVE PLANE USED. By the Asseciated Press. WAUKEGAN, Ill, June 13.—A man giving the name of Charles Allen was held by the police teday for ques- tioning_in connection with the rob- bery of a Chicago, Milwautee and St. Paul mall train last night. Belief that the loot may have been carried away in an airplane was ex- pressed by some .local authoritie: day when it was learned tha n unidentified plane was seen to land this morning in a fleld two miles north of the scene of the robbery. Two men were seen working hur- riedly about the plane, and five min- utes ‘later it took off and after at- taining a height of about 4,000 feet started toward Chicago. SR TRal R In parts of rural England there are still men who entertain a supersti- tious belief that they will improve their children’s health by eating raisins and placing the stones on the baby's stomach. TI707 77 2070 I00r 2 T I LI I TSI LTI LS E LI r L, DURANT “Just a Real Good Car” F/1777770277727077 7772222112 1E7 1211111100222 7 17772 WEDDING UPSETS TOWN. Resignation of Bride Vacates Six Important Jobs. PETERBOROUGH, England, 13.—~Rev. John H. Trott, s nty-six years old, really cannot continue to manage his vicarage and village of Newborough now that his daughter has married. He will have to resign and has told the bishop so. Dr. Trott's daughter was organist, choirmaster, district visitor, Sunday school superintendent, deputy sex- ton and churchwarden, and the pros- pect of all these duties falling on to his own shoulders is too much for the ed vicar. Polished Floors of Hard Wood New floors Iaid. Old omea refinished. The beat of work- manship and materials. In Washington sinee 1904, Tele- phone North 6538. J. M. ADAMS 1503 Connecticut Ave. A Very Special Offering of Summer Frocks (Sizes 6 to 14 Years) Sandy McRea, flagman, Was sur- The train roared on with slacken- prised when he walked to the rear INg speed, as the bandit had ordered & slow applicatfon of the brakes, Just where the Buckley road. a pop- ular auto route between Chicago and Libertyville, cut the track, a red ight flared close to the west rail oW, jerk it,” the bandit yelled Into the engineer's ear. i Before the train cas e me to a full'sto ] £,ibird bandit cut the air line. Of the Saght cars of the train only one con- dlr:::}-dre(l:«zered mail. The bandits {irected _ that train be slowly aacked so that the car wus stopped ACross the auto road. Clerks in the Sur *aw two automobiles on the east © of the train and two on the west sensed ‘something was. wrong ccording to thei ; Sulsieg Tiing to their orders. extin: e Forced Out by Bombs. Vhen they refused to open th 3 doors ::: l:;\"d(;‘l)uwhurlfig gas bombse fl:rn‘:fizrh s, and against 3 fumes the courage of memm.c:ea-dli‘l their pistols were ineffectual - enpitzide ghey were lined up with the Tmsineer, fireman. conductor and flag- e SR TR An extensive selection 6f dainty models in Fine Voiles, Dotted Swise, Dimity, Imported Linens and Pongee, in light summer colors, also white. Many have clever touches of exquisite handwork. Also included are Panty Frocks. IEsrllebacher Exclusively Different TWELVE-TEN TWELVE-TWELVE F STREET We Solicit Charge Accounts Ry Pennsylvania Ave. at 8th N.W. 1K You Can Buy a BETTER COAT, SUIT OR DRESS Than We Are Offering Saturday for ‘10 Bring It Back and We Will Gladly Refund Your Money other cars likewise W bombed with gas and the occupane + hands above their heads, WEAR WHITE AND BE RIGHT On Fifth Avenue, all-white is the vogue in Footwear. The pounches sou, s sought oaly in the middle coac 12th and G Sts. N.W. :‘err found fellow Wwearing a gray s ¥ suit, d Eas magk and forced one o the chief 1 cler “I want the federa - serve shipments to Milwaukee. M. Deapolis. St Paul. Helena and Spa- 'l.no. the ;: announced. “I also ¥n_special pury a lc‘:oz"‘:q' have consigned to Howna: | Offering for Saturday SUMMER FROCKS $6 to $10 Values Special 5.95 FREE TO THE FIRST FIFTY customers we will give absolutely FREE one HOUSE DRESS with each purchase. . the mystery by, 1 | Roundup. Mont," was © obtaors As the bandit leader and the chief elerk flung the Pouches to th :‘h: koth?r bandits forced TKS to carry them to Vi g &utomobiles e Sponsors of this vogue, the Stetson Shop offers alluring novelties in white kid and reignskin that are beautiful, distinctive and exclusive. Several discarded ma: Ritrogiycerin and a quantity of dy- | namite were found discarded at the | ald f = . . T Pictured is one of these we are featur- ing at $10 = McCallum White Silk Hostery, $3.00 222 Boys' and Girls' Shoes From the Family Shoe Store for e oung,%raduate The young graduate deserves the best— and all the best in footwear for boys and girls is here in greatest variety. For more than fifty years parents have brought their children to the Family Shoe Store’s Chil dren’s Department for reasonably priced and stylish footwear. The Children’s Shoe De- partment is conducted by experts in the fit- ting of growing children’s shoes and offers a value and a service beyond compare. STETSON SHOE SHOP THIRTEEN FIVE. F STREET DO DDA D DD DDDD DD DD VD DO DDDD DD DD S oL DO DDIDDDI DO D DD DTED DD DD DO DD 50 HATS $7.50 to $10 NEW POTATOES ARE LOWER White Canvas Kid Trim 1175 to 2......$4.50 235 to 8.......$5.00 White Canvas 8% to 11......83.30 1% t0 2.00...$4.00 2V5 10 8. ae a .$4.50 White Kid Turn or Weit Sole 2); to 8. Large.quantities purchased by us today at ma- terially reduced prices-enable us-to quote the follow- ing: prices. : Effective at once — these prices are:good both for tomorrow and Monday: | 5 1bs. for 35° ‘ 10 Ibs. for 25¢; 5 Ibs. for 13c Original Barrels, Each $3.40 At these reduced prices you should feel like buy- ing potatoes more freely. Hlack snd tan caifskin, i » e 9 to 13}, $3.00 to $4.00 1t0 6....53.50 to $6.00 2% to 8...$5.50 and $6 “DI.I:“ For the rie Bouquets of artistic charm for bride and attendants—effec- tive floral arrangements for church and house. {Estimates gladly furnished. Moccasins for Play —high and low, boys and girls; tan, smoked elk and two-tone “Eorry Krome,” $350 to $6.00 Hosiery Famous Cadet brand; trinle knee, heel and toes. 50c and 60c a pr. Siik hesiery for givia. Popular shades— popular prices. —for boys.and girls. High ead low styles white or $1.00-to $250 F MILY SHOE STORE - Joseph Strasburger Co., Inc. 310-12 Seventh St. N.W. Over Fifty Years' Satisfactory Service I4th & H