The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1866-11-16

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press Treasures burned.
We are again called upon to chroni-
Gle the daring and reckless exploits of
a band of thieves and outlaws, whose
operations on the Louisville and Nash
Vile Railroad during the last few
months have been the source of griev-
Gus annoyance and heavy losses, not
only to the Company, but to private
individuals. In the midst otpeace, we
arc experiencing again the attrocious
excuses of the guerilla days of the
war. Trains are thrown from the
track, the lives Of unoffending. men
and helpless m and children are
pcrilIed with the same atrocious aban-
don, and the property of the victims
pillaged with equal banditti cruelty rs
during the last year of the war. That
some extraordinary efforts should be
made to apprehend these villains and
bring them to Justice must be manifest
to every one. We give below the par
tculars of the daring outrage ofThurs-
day morning:
1t was a little after two o'clock yes
terday morning that the tram from
| Louisville to Nashville, due here at
$3.50 A. NJ, was speeding at q rapid
rate through the wild, lonely country,
about five miles from the little town of
Franklin, aud q trifle over fifty miles
from this city. Suddenly the watch
full eye Of the engineer, Jim Stewart,
discovered an obstruction ahead on the
track. 10 whistle down brakes and
reverse the engine was but the work
of an instant. On sped thetrain, how
ever, and ere its momentum was half
reduced, the engine plunged intoa pile
of cross-ties and rails which had been
placed upon the track by the band OF
demons in human shape, who waited
coolly by to the work of
pillage and plumber. Thcre:was a wild
crash of breaking iron, and the loco
motive leaping from the track and
followed by the express car, shot down
the forty foot embankment, making
two complete turns, and finally stop
ping with It's head pointing directly
back to Louisville. The baggage car
followed the express a partly down
the embankment and butting back in.
to the smoking car, which likewise
plunged to n side from the rail, left
the ladies car and sleeping car On the
track. There was about one hundred
passengers-on board the train, among
them six ladies and n number Of chill
drcn, all asleep or doing in the weari
ness of night travel, but the first shocl
aroused them IN an instant to disagI &C
able consciousness. The firing Of
volley from the party of banditti out
side intimated to every one the caus
oftheir sudden stoppage and the prob
able fate before them.
The robbers had selected q poin
where the road runs through a drear,
: and almost uninhabited country, wit
. thick woods on each side, and pilin
upon the track. u mass of rails an
I crossties, they sent three or four me
: u short distance back with other OF
: structions on hand to throw acros
in case the engineer should be able [
: bring his tram to a halt before coll
: ding with the mass ahead, and by pu
y ting the train back escapetheir clutche
: These having performed their worl
rendered unnecessary, however, by t!
train running from the track, joine
y their companions at the wreck, andtl
work OF pillage commenced. The pa
ty consisted of ten or twelve me
roughly dressed, armed with nav
l. ~revolvers, and with their faces blacI
IT ened after the most approved style
y the burnt-cork artists. Sentinels we
IS placed at the ends Of the cars, and Il
y remainder went through the coaehC
demanding the money and watches
ID the passengers. The moduS Operdn
IN was ms follows; The passengers in L
y sleeping car we're aroused and march
~ into the next car, being searched
r. the entrance. After the car had be
ed vacated, the villains commenced a sJ
tematic search for secreted money a
~valuables, but were stopped by t
burning ofthe express car, which,
he the meantime, had caught fire, and
is this time was sending up lurid fam
lighting up the surrounding prosp'
with a ruddy glare. Fearful Of losi
the chief booty, for which they h
,r. dared to jeopardize scores of liv
mt after u hurried search ofthe passenge
an the robbers sprang to the express
Dr. to secure the money safe, but it v
m. too late. The fire had already Rri
,as ped the treasure box in its cmbra
Nv. and the contents were speedily burr
al TO crisp with the entire lading Of
le- car, which consisted in part of throu
he packages from New York, Cincinn
,ty and other points.
From the express car the fire '
rat communicated to the baggage {
The from which meanwhile the bagg
vas master and man agent had thrown
mt. baggage and mail bags, andi it, toget
with the smoking car, were reduced
md ashes. The robbers fearing, Doubt
led to remain longer at the train, colleC