Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-26

Three Men Steal n Railroad Passenger
Train at Union Csty-They Take it n
Mile, 0yerpowcr an Express Messen-
ger and Rife His Safe. 1al aal nt
Prom the Memphis Avalanche, Oct. "a.
The robbery of express messengers has
long been regarded as one of the finer
branches of thieving. Usually one or more
masked men suddenly appear in the car and
with cooked pistol leyeled at the head of
the messenger, rifle his safe and then jump
from the train. An instance of this kind,
with slight exceptions, occurred on the
Mobile and Ohio railroad last Saturday
evening. The train going north at that time
stops at Union City for supper. As another
train usually passes down at the same time,
the passenger train is
BACKED DOWN THE ROAD
a short distance and run on a switch.
Saturday night the train arrived on time
and was duly switched. after which both
the engineer and fireman repaired to the
eating-house for their supper. Since the
late robbery of the express Car at Moscow,
only few miles from Union City, the ex-
presSmen on this road have been doubled,
two men remaining with each car. One of
the men is the regular messenger, while the
other is merely a guard. At Union City
that evening, the regular messenger went
TO his supper and left the guard to watch
the car. In this way there was at the time
really but one man about the train.
A PASSENGER TRAIN STOLEN.
After finishing their suppers, the engineer
and fireman lighted their cigars and started
for the train. To their great surprise, they
discovered that it was al least a mile down
the road. Starting in rapid run, they soon
arrived there, and upon examination found
everything about the engine all right
Knowing that guard had been left in the
cypress car, they went back to question him
in reference to the strange proceeding. The
guard was found sitting almost speeches.
with terror in one corner of his car, while
his safes were open and the contents strewn
over the floor. When asked what was the
matter, he finally managed to make state
ment to the following effect:
Soon after all bad left the train for sup
per, and whilst he was ..l.
EATING A COLD LUNCH,
he noticed the train start off, backing down
from the station. Before he could even
arise to ascertain the cause, two men en-
tered the car and with drawn pistols de-
mande3 his keys. Thinking more of his
life THAI of the property entrusted to his
care, and being likewise frightened nearly
to death he hastily complied with the
brusque demand. With a cooked pistol,
the mHzzle of which was but very few
inches from his ear, az
THE GUARD SAT VERY STILL,
while one of the men rummaged the safe.
After running a short distance, the train
gradually slackened, and the guard heard
a rough, gruff voice coming from the en-
CINE, which wanted to know if they were
not about through. As they were, the
engineer pro TEN was so informed, and
after kindly telling the guard that they
would kill him if he moved, the two men
took their departure, carrying with them all
the money that had been in the safes.
Three men were all the guard thought
were connected with the affair. He said
he would have given an alarm, but he was
afraid that the men would kill him.
EXTENT OF THE LOSS.
The amount taken from the safe was be-
tween 81, 500 and s., OOO, principally in small
packages. There seems to be a regular or
ganized band of robbers in that portion of
the country, similar to the Reno thieves, of
Seymour, Indiana fame. Hunting them
down, convicting and hanging them would
have good effect.