The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-04-29
TIIh MISSOURI B!TSHERY.
Newspaper Accounts Of the
Massacre.
lnlamma.0ry Newspaper Articles at the
BOttom Of the Tragedy.
THRILLING PARTICULARS.


One OF the most terrible and atrocious massacres
OF the nineteenth century was perpetrated by q
party OF masked ruans not far from this city about
six O'Clock last evening Ii surpasses in its en0rmi-
ties and bloody details anything that has ever been
charged upon the yandal Jennison or any OF the
most terrible scenes Of the late war. The Chicot
massacre, In Mississippi, and the dsgraceful lynch
ing scenes at ana Seymour, Ind, respect
able, compared with the horrid details Of this most
disgraceful and cowardly affair The particulars, as
RELATED BY AN EYEWITNESS,
are as follows About half-past six O'Clock last
evening the passenger train on the Missouri, Ran
sas and Texas Railroad left Harrisonyille, In Cass
county, bound eastward. At this place party Of
gentlemen, connected with the Memphis and Kan
sas City Railroad, and several prominent citizens Of
Kansas City got upon the train. When they lett
Harrisonville there appeared to be no excitement
in the village-no symptoms or indications Of the
terrible disgrace so to be perpetrated so near
its borders.
THE TRAIN
consisted of a locomotive, q baggage car and two
passenger cars. There were about thirty passen-
gers on the train, among them Judge Stevenson,
one OF the County Judges, and ]. r. Cline, promi-
nent attorney both more or less connected with the
late bond funding operation In Cass county, and
Mr.. Thomas Dctroe, ono of ClInes bondsmen, Gen
eral Joe Shelby and others Of more or less note.
These parties were
ON THEIR WAY 10 CLINTON
upon business connected with the Memphis Rail-
fully and undsturbed, ana had reached place
called Guntown, about ten miles from larrisonye,
When the engineer discovered
DISTRACTIONS PILED UPON TnB TRACK.
These were rails logs and rocks piled up IN sort
of breastworE, similar TO those used and and
adopted by the savages upon the line OF the Pacific
Railroad FOR the same purposes. Before the engi-
neer could shut the throttle lever and throw back
his reverse lever and whistle down brakes"
Itrv
OF bullets and shot was poured in and around the
locomotive. The cab was fairly riddled but fortu
natcly no one was seriously Injured. The train
came to a stand not far from the barricade, where
seventy OF eighty armed men,
EACH WEARING MASK,
rushed towards the locomotive, and with loud
oatls and threatening gestures, In which the cold
muzzles OF pistols played prominent part, COM
PEELED the engineer and fireman to hold up their
hands and step back into the tank OF the loco
motive, where they were placed under close guard
WHILE THE TRAGEDY WAS ENACTED.
The crowd by this time had increased to about
two hundred, many OF whom We're unmasked and
were recognized as residents OF Harrisonville and
and reckless usilade into and around the captured
train. Loud cries were made for Cline
WHERE'S CLINE SEND OUT CLINE;
we want Cline bring him out we won't hurt him;
oh, no, of course not. Amid this discordant noise
Mr.. Cline stepped to the door OF the baggage car,
and then down from the platform into the midst OF
the yelling shriekIng mass around tie train.
cooILY AND CALMLy HE FACED HIS MCRDERERs,
this young man, single and alone. what would
render myself to you. Take me, am unarmed,
and willing to be tried before any tribunal if
have done any man wrong.n lie threw up his arms
while he spoke to show that ne was delenceless.
While In that position
HE FELL RrDDLED ny FORTY BULLETS,
q quivefing manged mass OF mortality; and there,
where he Icy upon the bloody ground, the fiendish
throng stood, and, In wanten sport, emptied into
his mangled remains the undischarged chambers OF
their revolyers Not yet satiated with blood or,
Ikc pack OF wild beasts hungering after the first
sickIy syv2t OF blood that has deed The air, these
RUSHED INTO THE TRAIN,
breaking In the DOORS smashing the windows,
threatening to burn the train they pounced into
the cars among the terrified passengers. where's
the bond robbers - Turn out the bond thievesr
teyIng fudge steycnson, one OF the county judges
DRAGGED HIM BY THE HAIR
and collar ont into the grass, where they vented
Thomas Dctroc was the next victim. He was found
In the mali car, ,eqd shot and severely wounded,
ana IN that condition was dragged ont ami thrown
into the roadside, where he was allowed to bleed 20
death, his death iour lighted by the blood red hues
OF the setting sun. The gang then
That tried and true soldier sat coolly Ia his seat,
aud replied, Here am, II you want me come and
net NO. The rltiians concluded they did not want
him. They then generously offered TO shoot any in
di,idual who sympathlzcd with the murdered men.
Finding no one generous enough to give them OK.
cusc for shedding more blood they proceeded
TO SWEAR TIFF TRAIN MEN
TO secrecy threatening them tina: Il they diyulgci
the name Of any man they might have recognized
they would be shot from the trains as they passed
through the county. The distractions were then
taken from the track and the train allowed to pro-
coed on its way east. The gang notified the people
upon the train
THAT rHEY uAD But JUST COMMENCED
their work OF blood and violence that they would
XIII every man connected with sympat hizing with
the late fraudulent issue OF bonds Tic train then
giided away from the scene OF the tragedy.
TnE LEADER OF THE GANG
was recognized as citizen OF Harrisouville. About
twenty others were recognized, ana will doubtless
be brought TO justice and punished for this, tho
blacklist ana f0lest massacre OF the age. The
county OF Cass IL In state OF open revolt and
anarchy The ruilanism of these lawless men now
innamed ond melted by the infammatory teachings
gratultously hundreds OF copies filed with sediiious
articles among them, Il new merely whotted for
more blood. the strong arm OF the state authori-
ties Will no doubt be invoked and this terrible dis
graco wiped from the fair fame OF western Missouri.