Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-07-23
THE CRIMINAL CALENDAR.
Daring Robbery of an Express Train
The Engineer Killed at his Post.
The Train Ditched and the Safe
RObbed by Masked Men,

The Train Ditched and the Safe
Robbed by Masked Men.
DIES MONIES, Iowa, July 22-Ap extra
Ordinary and daring robbery of railroad
train was committed last right, four miles
west Of Adair, on the Chicago, Rock Island
and Pacific Railroad. Atthis point there is
| a sharp urve 10 the road, aud here the rob
bers had placed heavy timbers across the i
track to throw the east bound passenger
train off the track. The engineer, John
Rafferty,, saw the Instructions in time to
reverse bis engine and apply the ai- brake,
but the robbers observing the movement
fred at him from ambush and shot him
dead. The engine struck the logs and went
off the track into ditch, and was followed
by one OF the baggage cars, the Others,
with the passenger train, remaining on the
track. Several passengers were bruised but
none seriously hurt. The robbers, who
were n asked, after opening and emptYiDg
the safe of the Express Messenger of its
contents, rode off on horseback. Among
the passengers were thirty Chinese students
en- route to Springfield. Mass.
Particulars OF the Robbery.
3 CHICAGO, July 22.--The EUening Jour
ndpS spacih from DssMoines to-day gives
the following account of the attack on the
train on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pa
eific Railroad last night. From Supsrinisn-
dent Royce, who was on the train, get the
particulars of the ROBBERY of the night ex-
press train on the Chicago, Rock Island and
Pacific Railroad last night: The train left
Council Bluff at O'Clock, with four coaches
and two sleeBers, the rear sleeper being
flied with company of
AristrOcratic Chinese
on their way to New England colleges.
There were also two baggage express cars,
in which was the through California m all
| and express matter, consisting in short OF
near two thousand dollars in the express
safe aud three tons of baggage. When about
Is miles west of this city, about $50, at
sharp curve on the read and an isolated
spot, with no house in several miles in any
direction, the train moving about twenty
five miles an hoVr, the engineer, John Raj
| ferty, suddenly saw one rail move
from its place about sixty feet
ahead of the engine. he instantly
Reversed His Engine,
and applied the air brake, and while in the
act of doing it, bullets came peltiDg tito
the engine like hail, The engine ran into
the bank and turned over, throwing out the
engineer, John Rafferty,, and the fireman,
the former falling on the latter, dead. 1t is
supposed be was
| Killed By C0ncussiOD.
as no bullet wounds are found on his body.
| The fireman escaped unhuyt. The train be-
ng very heavy, ran about one hundred
| feet and stopped. The engine ran up into
the bank and turned over, and the two bag
gage cars doubled up and were badly
smashed. As soon as the train stopped, six
large, athletic men,
Masked In Full Ku-Klux Style,
appeared at the express car; in which were
| the Conductor, VIM. Smith, Superintendent
Royce, the Express Messenger, John Bur-
CESS, and three other persons, and COM
| me ced
Firing Rapidly into the Car,
yelling sect out Of there, d-n We, get out
| of there" Two bullets passed through the
clothes Of the conductor, and grazed the
skull f the baggage master, and one, the
side Of the head o: ti;5 express messenger.
The inmates jumped out, when they were
ordered to the rear ander cover Of half .
dozen navy revolvers. Two of the robbers
marched up and down the train, threaten
| ing to shoot any person whe showed their
|
81 BIT, d-n ye, or we will shoot y ~ Th3
robbers then took about two thousand dol
| lars from the express safe, cut open the
mail sacks, but took no letters, and mount
ed eSnh hos0o enc rodo OF aoross tue
| prairie in q southeasterly direc ion, the
whole being done in less than ten minutes.
| They fortunately did not cut the telegraph
wires, and Superintendent Royce a. once
fastened 10 the nearest station and
TeIegraphed in all Directions.
Engines and posse of men were sent
out from Council Bluff, the Burlington and
other roads, to intercept the robbers in
sou'herly direction. Their dress and voice
| indicated they were reg lar bushV hackers,
and they evidently intended to get the usual
valuable express matter by his route on
Monday, but which went through on al
extra train on Sunday night. The robbers
during the day stole 8 spike-5aT and ham,
me- from hand Car house at the nearest sta
ton. They drew the pixies from one end of
The rail and fastened small cord to the end
| of the rail and secreted themselves several
r)ds away and as the engine approached, they
PuIIed the Rail Dat of Place.
The promptness of the engineer and the air
brakes saved the passengers from harm, as
| "a
laid sro-nd the W.T. cked cars and the train
resumed its tri~, arriving here at 7:30 this
morning, bringing the dead body of the en-
gineer, who resided here, and who leaves a
wife and three children.
RumOrs and COniectures.
DE5 MONIES, Iowa, July % "A thou
sand cori3ctuTes are current here in regard
to the persons who robbed the train on the
Rock Island Railroad last night. The most
probable one is that the robbery was COM
mitted by persons living near where the
robbery took place. The valse in which
thsy carried off the money from the Ex-
press CompaDy's safe was found five miles
south Of the wrecked train to-day. VigilanS
parties are securing Southwest Iowa, and it
is confidently believed the robbers will be
caught if they remain within the Sta,e.
A telegram received here lac tonight, says
they crossed B. ard II. R. r. last nj: ht at
midnight.
Testimony Of the Conductor.
VIM. A. Smith, conductor OF the fated
train, testified to-day at the Coroner's iu-
quest on the body of John Rafferty,, The
engineer, that the train was wrecked two
and half or three miles west of Adair
Station, and 600 or 100 feet east OF Turkey
| creek prl1go. i was IN Ino snlOKlHS AT
near the front end. | was thrown un1er 5
seat in front of me; don't remember
which side of the car got out or; know
reached the engine on the north side;
went forward to see who was hurt; the
first person 1 met was one of
the masked map, near the baggage
car door, who pointed a revolver
in each hand toward me, and told ne to get
back, firing a. me at the same time.
backed do Rn as far as the sleeping coach,
before felt was out of bis way; there
met Dennis Foley, the fireman; he says,
BILLY, Jack is dead" Passengers were in
hu6bub, and the women and children
were crying, and told the passengers that
thought the masked men were trying to rob
the baggage car, and tried to borrow a re-
volver but fsiled. 1 could still see man
from where l was, and another walking up
and down on the opposite side of the train;
think he was firing at me also; some of the
passengers asked me to get into the
train, as the men we're firing at me,
and would be the cause of some Of them
being killed. then went into the sleeping
Car at he rear, still ,rying to get revolver,
urging passengers TO keep quiet as these
: men we q rOhhinU the bappaca ear | went