Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1865-05-09
.ailg Gmpirf.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer, May 7th
GuerrlIIRs near North Rcnd-The
Ohio and Mississippi Train At
taCked-Passengers and Adj
AIMS Express Safe Robbed.

taCked-Passengers and Ad-
ANS Express Safe Robbed.
Our city yesterday morning was thrown in.
70 a state OF excitement by the announcement
that during Friday night party of guerri-
las from Kentucky had crossed the Ohio river
and made raid on the Ohio and Mississippi
Railroad near North Bend.
The regular eight p M. express train Oh
the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, left the
depot in this city at the usual hour, bound for
st. Louis 1t was composed of four passen-
ger coaches, baggage car, and the Adams
express car. The train was heavily loaded
with passengers, quite number Of them be-
Ing ladies, About seventeen miles and
half from Cincinnati, and between the sta
tons known as Gravel Pit and North Bend,
the locomotive ran from the track, and tipped
over on one side, the cars following in pro.
miscuous smash up. The Adams express car
and the baggage car were capslzed with the
engine, and both badly damaged. The first
passenger coach stove through the end OF the
baggage car, produeing considerable havoc.
The remainder OF the train WAS not severely
injured and kept the track. The first shock
OF the crash OF course awakened in the minds
OF the passengers the idea that it was an ordi-
nary railroad accident, but the volley of fire.
arms, aud the shouts outside, which followed
Immediately after, undeceived them, and the
nature and cause of the mishap became pal.
pably evident when TWO desperadoes made
their appearance at each car, and backed by
two more who kept guard outside, eommenc-
ed pillaging the passengers. t....t
Subsequent Developments have revealed the
plan pursued by the guerrilas in capturing the
the train, and show that considerable skill was
manifested in its design. The band, number.
ing about twenty, crossed in skffs from the
Kentucky shore, some iii me during the day,
and made their arrangements to attack the
night express train 10 ST. Louis, probably, as
being the one which might best repay them,
robbery being their only object.
They selected a spot where the track of
the road runs in close proximity to the river,
and simply displaced one OF the rails, not
tearing up ten or dozen as one of our morn
ing contemporaries has it. The advancing
train, when it reached the place, was, as we
have seen, thrown yioleRtly from the track
and as soon as the first crash was over, the
guerrillas, who were armed with navy revo-
vers, fired yolley over the cars, and with
oaths, warned the passengers not to make
any demonstrations or they would have their
brains blown out.
While everything was wild with confusion
in the passenger coaches, the desperadoes
entered, and with the vilest oaths, demanded
the money and vsluabes Of the passengers.
One of the party delivered himself of tue fol.
lowing chivalrous sentence as he entered one
of the cars "Rob every id man, but don't
hurt the ladies'" The plundering was very
general and thorough Few, save the coolest,
succeeded in saving any thing in the line
of money and valuabes. Gold watches,
pocketbooks, diamond pins, and money pack
ages changed hands in remarkably quick
time. One soldier returning home, was rob-
bed Of three hundred dollars; and although
he begged haed TO be permitted to retain
portion of the money, the williams took all.
Another individual was relieved OF a gold
watch, and five hundred dollars in greenbacks.
Still another lost two hundred dollars, besides
a watch and valuable breastpin. The con-
ductor, Mr., Sheppard, had forty dollars taken
from him; but, by cutting the lining OF his
coat pocket and allowing the contents TO drop
into the skirt, succeeded IN saving 1920 The
engineer likewise lost valuable watch. We
are unable to give any statement of the ag-
gregate loss OF passengers, but it was heavy.
While the work of robbing was going on in
the passenger coaches, five Of the villains
plundered the express car. This car, as we
have stated, was cspsized aud badly smashed
up, and in such way as to completely mpris-
on the messenger, Mr.. Pierce, who, after the
accident thrustiug out his bead from small
opening, to see what was going on outside,
was greeted by a lond oath from desperado
standing near, who threatened to blow of the
top Of his head Il ne did not get back. The
party with the aid of an ak, soon cut their way
into the car, and drew out the money safes,
three in number. They demanded the keys
from the messenger under pain Of death, but
two of the safes being through from Cncin-
natl to St Louis, he WAS only able to open for
them the local safe, The others they blew
open with gunpowder, having vainly endeav-
ored, to force the doors with the AK. The
amount lost by the Express can not be ac-
carately stated, but il was not very large. |
There Is known to have been some seven-thir- |
" bonds aud other valuables. The mail and
baggage, we understand were not molested,
and are consequently safe.
The gserrillas we're all, save one, dressed
in citizens clothes, and were remarkably
gilalnous In bearing and action. One Of the
party they addressed as Lieutenant, and an.
other as Captain. They carried no arms but
reVolvers, and these they were constantly
around in the most threatening
manner. |
Que Of .he desperalos shot at the con-
ductor, who showed signs OF resistance, but
fortunately missed him. They also fred at
the baggage-master, who attempted to escape
up the bank after the train had been thrown
from the track. All OF them seemed anx.
,ous to get through the business as soon as
possible
After pillaging the train, the party made
for the river, aAd II is supposed crossed i'm
n,ad,ataIy 10 ,ha Kantnckv . aida