, 1873-08-23

Joseph, noar KansaH City; anil t1.ird,
OH 4Ao Atlantic Il Pacific, nenr Loavon-
worth. Fortunately, tito villains woro ulHuc-
ccssful in oach inetanco; In tho first caBo, bo-
cauBo tho passengers woro. prepared for tho
ruf]lanH; in the Hecoud, bocaueo tho onginoor
discovered tho obstruction un tho track before ho
reachedit; and In tho third; bocatao tho attempt
to shoot the ongnoer an1 fireman failcd Tlore Is
ovory roaHon to believe, from these aud n,imor-
oua otlor attempts Which hnyo bcon made OF
late, tint tho robbing of railroad trains
"ost Of tho mississippi Inns become
regular profession, aud that tho r,lf-
aanH who nro engaged in It havo
an extensive and thoroughly-sy Or
ganization. Railroad passengers, therefore,
travelling through that country hayo tho dismal
consolation Of knowing that oven II thoy escape
tho humorous chancoa Of injury from collisions,
o1plosions Or carolessnoss Of railroad employees,
thoy yet stand chance Of being thrown from
tho track aud killed, or Of boing robbed and slot.
II tlis state Of things continues 1ifo will DO Of
worry lttlo account on tho trans-MiaBsaBippi rail-
In that direction might well u1nko his will md
his poace with tho world before ho starts. Tic
chancoa against him arc moro than evon.
Tho prompt and gallant action Of the conductor
Of tho Missouri Pacific train, however, shows
that it IL not necessary for this Htate of things
to continue. Flo proved himself to bo thomaster
Of tho situation. and his example furnishes tho
suggestion of q romedY which would bo COM
plote In overy instance. Tho onginoor Of tho
train in question discovered the distractions OH
tho truck in timo to sayo his train. Tho ruff
tlans, thwartod In their efforts to throw
tho train of, boarded tho roar car,
and informed tho conductor thnt they were d
vigilance committee looking for horso-thioyos,
and proposed to search tho passengers. Tho
conductor, who knew them and their objects, at
onco proposed thoy should do nothing of the
land, md, drawing his revolver, turned to tho
passengers and said to them that, II sufficient
number Of thom would stand by him, ho would SEQ
TINT thoy committed no violonco. Fifteen passen-
gerB once had thor royolvors out and confronted
tho cowarlly ruftians aud kept them at bay until
tho train reached Holden. At this point, the
gang got out ; but ono OF them, becoming a litto
indiscroot, got q bullet put through him, which
ended hiB railroad-robblng, aud anothor ono got
a reminder which will last him for some littlo
timo 1t is only to bo regretted TINT tho passon-
gers did not shoot tho whole gang, and thus
mako clean work Of It. The Ruccoss Of tho con-
ductor aud hts little army, however, shows,
without any further mood Of argumont,
just how railroad robberios may DO stopped md
1t has a valuable suggestion both Tor rail1oad
companies and for passengers. Evory panson-
gar train has from ton to fifteen emp1oyos OF
tho road aboard, who could at any ti1no mako q
vory effective resistance, II thoy wcro properly
armed by tho company. r. in addition to this
tho passengers would nlao arm themselves md
would shoot when tile opportunity offered, rail-
road robborios in tho West would soon
be discontinued. There is nothing which IL 30
discouraging to these cntthroats az tho discovery
tint other people can shoot aud kill as we'll ~
they. Tho only condition connected with tho
shooting is ono Of promptncBs. Tin ruIians
should DO killed on sight. Tho job should bo
done promptly md with dispatch. No ono will
over question tho matter or nlanner Of thoir talk
ing off. Tho onormity Of their crime docs not
warrant them in my privilege except That
Of boing killed lilso 90 1eny wild bcaotn. rl,oro
is no orinne in tho calendar moro moustrous than
that of wrccking and robbing passenger train,
and the monsters who, for the sake Of money,
will deliberately expose tho lives Of hundreds OF
mon, wonlon, and childron to tho most terrible
Of deaths, aro outlaws who hayo placed them
solves outside the pale Of humanity, and do
servo tho death of brutos. The con-
tluctor and passengers on this particular
train haye conferred nn obligation
upon tho ontiro travelling public By their prompt
and gallnnt conduct. Travelling on ths Missouri
Pacific Railroad will DO safo hereafter, and
this particular gang Of desporadoea will not DO
in II hurry to rob any more train'. fow moro
cases OF shooting with intent 20 kill will speedily
rid tho country OF those rutians.
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ALLEGED lNHUMANITY.