Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-07-23
Successful Attempt to Throw Passen-
ger-Train0fr the Track for the Pur.
pose Of Murder and Robbery.
The Engine and Baggage-Car Run Of
The Engineer Shot Dead and Ex-
press Messenger Robbed.
Statement Of the Superintendent-Sev.
eral YOIleys Fired and S20OO Stolen
r.- -Amazement Of Chinese
Passengers.
FfRsr prspArcH


Dies MONIES, Iowa, July 22.-An ex.
traordinary and daring robbery of a rail
road train was committed last night foul
miles west of Adair, on the Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific railroad. AT
this point there is a sharp curve in the
road, and here the robbers had placed
heavy timbers across the rack to throw
the east bound passenger train off. The
engineer, John Rafferty,, saw the OBJ
structiOn in time to reverse his engine
and apply the air-brakes, but the robbers
observing the movement fired at him
/ from ambush and shot him dead. The
engine struck the logs and went off the
/ track into the ditch, and was followed
by one Of the bsggage-cars, the others,
with the passenger train, remaining on
the track. Several passengers were
bruised, but none seriously hurt. The
robbers, who were masked, after OPEN
ing and emptying the safe Of the express
messenger of its con tents, rode Off on
horseback. Among the passengers were
thirty Chinese students, en- route to
Spring gfeld, Massachusetts.
THE sUPERINTENDENT's STATEMENT.
CHICAGO, July 22.-TheE EUeniag Jorar-
1lGl's special from Des Moines to-day,
gives the following account Of an attack
on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific
railrcal lasfnight: "From Superintend-
ent Royce, who was on the train, l get
the following particulars Of the robbery
of the night-express train on the Chi
csgo, Rock Island and Pacific railroad
last night: The train left Council
Bluffs at five o'clock with four coaches
and two sleepers, the rear sleeper being
filed with a company Of aristOcratic
Chinese on their way TO New England
colleges. There We're also two baggage
express cars, in which was the through
California mail and express matter, con-
sisting, in short, Of near two thousand
dollars in the express safe and three tons
Of bullion. When about sixty-five miles
west Of this city, about halfpast eight
O'Clock, at a sharp curve in the road,
and on an isolated spot, with no house in
any direction, and while the train was
moving at the rate Of about twenty-five
miles an hour, the engineer, John Raf-
ferty, suddenly
SAW ONE RAIL MOVE
from its place about sixty yards ahead
Of the engine. He instantly reversed his |
engine and applied the air-brskes, and
while in the act of doing it the bullets |
came pelting into the engine like hail. |
The engine ran into the bank and |
turned over, throwing out the engineer,
John Rafferty,, and the fireman, the for
mer falling on the latter dead. It is
he was killed by the concus-
sion, as DO bullet wounds ara found on |
his body. The fireman escaped unhurt. |
The train being very heavy ran about |
one hundred feet and stopped. The en-
gine run up to the bank and turned |
over, and the baggage-cars doubled up
and were badly smashed. As soon as
the train stopped,
SEVEN LARGE, ATHLETIC MEN,
masked in full kuklux style, appeared at
the express car, in which were the con-
ductOr, William Smith, superintendent |
Royce, the express messenger, John |
Burgess, and three other persons, and /
commenced firing rapidly into the ear,
yelling, "Get out If there, d-n YOU.
get out of there" Two bullets passed
through the clothes Of the conductor, |
one grazed the skull of the baggage
and one the side of the head ofl
the express messenger. The inmates /
jumped out, when they We're ordered to |
the rear under cover of half a dozen |
navy revolvers. Two of the robbers |
marched up and down the train, threat
ening to shoot any person who showed |
their head ON the train, saying,
''GET DOWN OUT OF SIGHT, D-N YOU. /
Or WE WILL SHOOT YOU.n
The robbers then took about two thou
sand dollars from the express safe, cut /
open the mail-sscks, but took no letters,
and each mounted horse and rode off
across the prairie, in a southerly direc- |
tiOn, the whole being done in less than |
ten minutes. Fortunately they did not |
cut the telegraph wires, and Superin-
tendent Royce at once hastened to the |
nearest station, and telegraphed in all |
directions. Engines and posse Of men
were sent oBt from Council Bluffs on the
and other roads, to intercept
The robbers in a southerly direction.
Their voice and dress indicated that they
we're
REGULAR BUsHWHACKERS,
and they evidently intended to get the
usual valuable express matter by this
quite on Mondays, but which went
through on an extra train on Sunday
hight. The robbers, during the day,
ltOle a spike-bar and hammer from a
land-car house at the nearest station.
They drew the spikes from one end of
he rail, and fastened a small cord to
he end Of the rail and secreted them
selves several rods away, and, as the en-
zine approached, pulled the rail out Of
place.
THE PROMPTEEgs OF THE ENGINEER
and the air-brakes saved the passengers
rom harm, as not Cne was injured. A
rack was at once laid around the
Vrecked cars and the train resumed its
rip, arriving here at half-past seven
Jclock this morning, bringing the dead
lOdy OF the engineer, who resided here,
md who leaves a wife and three children