Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-12-23


thieves, after getting the train, or at
least that portion Of it which they had I'M
der their control going. turned their atten-
%tention to the express messenger, Ihos. II.
Harkins. They beat him in a terrible
manner, and left him for dead. The
thieves broke open the safe and secured
bonds and money to the amount Of $780,
900. They ran the train to within half a
mile of Seymour, and there deserted it
The man who ran the engine was evident
ly an engineer, as she was all right when
found. As soon as the passengers of the
train learned the nature of the outrage per-
petrated, and having no other recourse,
they walked to the nearest telegraph sta
ton, a distance Of six miles, and tele-
graphed to Seymour for a locomotive and
car, to hasten them to the latter place.
For weeks no clue to the perpetrators Of
the bold deed could be obtained, but finally
a despatch was received by the agent Of
the company, in Cincinnati, stating that
some of the bonds had been offered for
sale in Syracuse, New York, and that the
individual offering them had been arrested.
This person gave MS name as Geo. Gamer
on, and stated to the officers who made the
arrest that he had purchased them from
Frank Reno and Charles Anderson. Steps
were at once taken to arrest these men,
and they were finally arrested at Sandwich
Canada, and lodged in Jail. Simeon Reno
was shortly afterward arrested, and was
identified by Harkins, as were also the
other two. Bill Reno, another brother,
was arrested in Indiana, and lodged in the
New Albany jail. where he remained until
yesterday. L. c. Weir, Esq. agent Of
the company, went to Canada to attend to
the case, and after months Of delay sue
ceeded in getting a warrant of extradition
issued by Chief Justice Draper, at Tor
onto. This order was issued on October
%, and on the following day Mr.. Weir,
who had been deputized to bring the
prisoners to the United States, started in
a tug from Detroit, bound for Cleveland.
When a few miles below Detroit, the tug
was run into by the propeller Phil Sheri-
dan, and sunk. The two prisoners were,
after great exertions, finally saveG, and ia
ken to Cleveland. from whence they were
brought to this city. They were kept here
for u few days, and Were then taken to
New Albany, where Simeon and Bill were
already in custody. \ number Of the
bonds, 1000 each, were recovered by
the United States detectives in Toronto.
While endeavoring to clear up the robbery
Of May -, the authorities apparently
lost sight Of the balance of the Reno gang.
This party Of outlaws. after keeping quiet
for a short time, determined to make
another raid, which they did on the night
Of July 10. Fortunately the attempt
proved a failure. The particulars, as pub
lished at the time. are as follows \ train
on the Ohio and Mississippi Road. bound
eastward, was selected, upon which To
perpetrate the robbery, and Brownstown.
ten miles below Seymour, was selected a
the spot. Mr.. James Flanders. a sort oil
freight conductor and engineer on the
road, made up his mind that an attempt
would be made to rob the express car
He lodged what information he was able to
obtain with the company. and asked tina,
time might be allowed him to determine
the matter, which was agreed to. and hs
remained off for a while. Absenting him
self from the train for i while, he loungeD
.about Seymour, where he became acqualnt
cd with five men, named Vol. Elliott
Frank Sparks. John Moore. Charlie.
Roseberry, and Henry Jarrel 1t wa.
I, not long before they impaired to him III,
/ important secret that they would Morgan
the train leaving st. Louis at > Z. NJ
Vt once informing the express officers o
the knowledge gained, a strong guar,
was placed in the car. and Flanders hav
ing left Seymour. took his place as the Gu
ginccr of the train, making an uuuSUa
stop at Brownstown, the place designate,
: Tor the robbery. " soon as the TRAIN
stopped, Flanders jumped down ana com
menced his usual examination Of the ma
chine, for the ostensible purpose to Sc
e that it was all right after which h. 90
e up, and was almost instantly confronted b,
: three of the gang with cooked revOiyer-
which they placed in close proximity to hi
head, one being jammed against the ey
! hard enough to make a severe confusion
He surrendered at discretion, but betor
jumping off, requested to be allowed t
I start the pumps, so that the engine woul,
! not be burned up, which was granted
When the locomotive and car started off
t the thieves pushed the fireman overheard
u and then fired several pistol shots up int
the air as a sigma OF victory. After NOV
ing three or four miles the engine wa
y stopped, and the villains started to examin
r the booty in the car, which they suppose
/ to be already theirs, when, to their amaze
} ment, they were confronted with the arme
guard heretofore sccreted behind some BAG
: gage. This was the signal for 4 genera
battle, both sides firing with great rapid
itv, and the battle seemed about even, un
n til Vol. Elliott, the most darin@, as well a
e the acknowledged leader of the gang. wa
Z seen to fall, when the rest beat a haSty re
treat. In the affray Flanders was shot i
c the knee, and, it will be remembered
; died from the effects of the injuries 4 fe'
days since. Elliott, Clifton, and Jarr(
were arrested a day or two after the occur
n renee, and brought to Cincinnati for sal
: keeping. They were kept there until tn
night of July 30, when they were put o
a the train bound for Brownstown, the cour
u ty seat of Jackson County, Indiana. o
the arrival of the train two or three mile
s west of Seymour, 1t was stopped by a lar9
l body of armed men, the guard in charge
the prisoners being overpowered. The sui
terfuge resorted to by the mob was til
exhibition of n signal of distress-a re
d light-upon the track, upon seeing whic
the engineer whistled down brakes. y
sooner had the train come to a stand sti
than the bulk of the so-called Nigilant
rs Committee, who were concealed in a thick
near by, boarded and took possession
the train, overpowered the guards, and I
moved the prisoners to terra firma. III
moor wretches too fully comprehended VIII;