Westmoreland-Allegheny-Fayette County PA Archives News.....Train Bandits Rob P.&L.E. Express June 17, 1922
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Dan Cupper cupper@att.net March 22, 2011, 11:42 pm

Monessen (Pa.) Daily Independent June 17, 1922
TRAIN BANDITS ROB P. & L.E. EXPRESS

TWO MEN BIND AND GAG
BAGGAGE MASTER AND MES-
SENGER AND ESCAPE WITH LOOT

A daring train robbery was committed this morning on the P. & L. E. passenger 
train known as the Fairmont Express which arrives in this city at 10:10 
(Standard Time) from Fairmont. Full particulars of the bold robbery were not 
available at the time of going to press, but it was learned that two men had 
entered the baggage car on the train after it had left this city and at the 
point of revolvers, bound and gagged the baggage master, Michael Amber, and 
the express messenger whose name could not be learned.

After they had been bound, one of the robbers took the keys from the pocket of 
the express messenger and rifled the safe in the car.

When the train arrived at Webster a few minutes after, leaving Monessen. The 
station agent, Mr. Jack H. Staib noticed that the door of the baggage car on 
the side facing the station was closed, whereas it should have been opened.
He rapped on the door and, not receiving any response, then realized that 
something unusual was wrong. He opened the door and found the messenger lying 
in a corner bound and gagged, while the baggage master, Mike Amber, had just 
released himself from the ropes which he had been bound with. Mr. Staib 
promptly notified the trainmen and the messenger was released and the story of 
the holdup told.

Reports reaching this office are to the effect that the two bandits were 
seated in the smoking car when the train left Monessen. After it left this 
city both men arose and slowly walked out of the smoking car.
No suspicion was aroused among the passengers and no one was aware that the 
robbery had taken place until the alarm was given when the train reached 
Webster.

About the same time the passenger train arrived in Webster, two men were seen 
jumping from the baggage car on the river side of the tracks.  They hurried up 
an alley to the main road leading from this city to Webster and entered a 
waiting automobile in which two other men were seated. Before the alarm could 
be given the quartette had sped away, going up Turkey Hollow. Persons who 
witnessed the flight of the bandits described the car as being a seven-
passenger Buick.

No estimate of the amount of loot secured by the bandits could be learned, but 
it is estimated that they secured a large in the amount of cash and other 
important registered mail, as the train is known to carry large amounts of 
money at various times. Railroad detectives and county officials were notified 
and started in pursuit of the bandits.

When the train arrived in Monessen everything was alright and both express 
messenger and the baggage master were in their car and attending to their 
respective duties.

After some delay, the train continued on its way to Pittsburgh.


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