Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-07-23
Train Attacked by
Robbers.
Engine thrown from the Track and
Engineer Killed.
Lives of Passengers Threatened.
TRAIN ROBBED.

Chicago, %. 4 despatch from Des Moines
giyes'the following account of an attack on a
train of the Rock Island and Pacific Railroad
! last night. The train left Council Bluffs at
. o'clock with four coaches and two sleeping
cars in the rear-the sleeping cars being
filled with company Of aristocratic Chinese
on their way to the New England colleges.
There were also two baggage express cars in
which there was a through California mail
and express matter, consisting Of nearly $1,000
in the express safe and three tons of bullion.
About sixty five miles west of this city, about
30 o'clock, at sharp curve on the road and
an isolated spot, with no house for several
miles in any direction, the train moving about
twenty-five miles an hour. The engineer,
John Rafferty,, suddenly saw one of the rails
moved from its place about sixty feet ahead
of the engine. He instantly reversed the en-.
CINE and applied the air brake, and while in
the act bullets came pelting into the engine
like hail. The engine ran into the bank and
turned over, throwing out the engineer and
fireman, the former falling on the latter dead
1t Is supposed Rafferty, was killed by the con-
cussion, as no bullet wounds were found on
the body. The fireman was unhurt. The
train being very heavy, it ran about one hun
dred feet and stopped. The baggage csrs
doubled and were badly smashed As soon
as the train stopped large, atheletic men,
masked in full Ku-Klux style, appeared at
the express car, in which were conductor
VIM. Smith, superintendent Royce, express
messenger John Burgess and three other per-
sons, and commenced firing rapidly into the
car, yelling sect out of there, damn you get
out of there" Two bullets passed through
the clothes of the conductor, one grazed the
skull of the baggage man, and one the side of
the head of the express messenger. The in
mates jumped out when they were ordered,
their rear covered by half dozen navy re-
volvers. Two of the robbers marched up and
down the train threatening to shoot any per-
son who showed their heads on the train,
saying Get down ont of sight, damn you. or
We will shoot you The robbers then took
about So 900 from the express safe, cut open
the mail sacks, but took no letters, and
mount, d each horse and rode off across the
prairie in a southerly directions the whole be-
ing done in less than ten minutes. They for
tunately did not cut the telegraph wires, and
superintendent Royce at once fastened to the
nearest station and telegraphed in all drec-
tions. Engines and posse of men were sent
out from Council Bluffs on the Burlington
and other roads to intercept the robbers in
southerly direction.
Their dress and voices indicated that they
were regular bushwhackers. They evidently
intended to get the usual valuable express
matter on this route on Mondays, but which
went through on an extra train Sunday night.
The robbers during the day stole spike, bar
and hammer from the hand car house at the
station. They drew the spikes from one end
of the rail, and secreted themselves several
rods away, and as the engine approached
pulled the rail out of place.
The promptness of the engineer in revers-
ing the engine, and the use OF the air brakes,
saved the passengers from harm, as not one
was injured. A track was at once laid around
the wrecked cars and the train resumed its
trip, arriving here at $50 o'clock this morn
ing, bringing the dead body of the engineer,
Who resided here, and who leaves wife and
three children.