The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-07-26
KU.KLTX OUTRAGE IN IOWA!
A RAILWAY TRAIN DITCHED AND ROBBED
BY DEsPERADOEs

The through California train on the Chica
90, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, which
left Council Bluffs at j o'clock on Sunday
evening, was stopped about half past sever
O'Clock the same evening siNty-tive miles wcN
of Des Mones by half dozen disguised DIES
peradoes, for the purpose OF robbery. lhcy
had loosencd rail on the north side of the
track and fastened ropes around it 50 that
they could jerk it out of its place when II
was too late to stop the train, As the tram
came dashing along at Il speed of about ~
miles an hour, it being a steep up grade, ana
when within not over 100 yards from the
looscned rail, the engineer saw that the rail
was loose and at once reversing his steam
and putting on the air brakes, so checked the
speed as to prevent a general crash. Through
this movement, the engine and forward bag
gage car only were thrown off the track, and
beyond pretty severe sudden Jar, the pas
senger cars received no injury. As the en-.
CINE approached the spot the engineer and
fireman jumped off the fireman alightng on
the top of the engineer, the latter striking on
his head and being killed by the concussion
and the fireman escaping uninjured. Four
of the dcspcradOcs, each holding large re
volvcr in his hand, now rushed to the mail
and express cars and commenced firing at the
agents and guards and drove them into the
passenger cars, none being hit, having first
compelled the express agent TO give up his
safe keys, while the other two dcSperadocs
passed back and forth outside the passenger
cars, nourishing their rcyolycrS, ordering the
passengers to remain inside and driving back
such as vcnturcd out, telling them not to be
scared; We only mean to rob the express"
I'VE are big robbers, and only rob the rich.
by j C we are grangcrS. We steal
from the rich and give to the poor" sc. In
the express safe but about $500 in money
were found, and about three tons of gold and
silver bullion. The money only was taken
the bullion being too heavy to carry. Little
else, if anything was stolen. The ruilians,
who had left their horses tied to the fence,
hen mounted them and lcisurely rode of, |
Meantime in the passenger cars he widest
alarm and confusion prevailed Imagining, |
rom the pistol shots, that the train was being |
ired upon, all who could, men, women and !
got down on the floor and hid under !
he seats, the women and children setting up
screams. There were four well |
illed passenger and two sleeping cars, one
If which was occupied by % Chinese chill
lren, and two Cinnamon in charge of them,
IN their way to school at Springfield Mass
The celcstials seemed the least frightened of
my, looking on in stupid amazcmcnt
The whole affair occupied less than ten
minutes, and as no telegraph wires were cut, !
lclp was ut once sent from Des MoncS, and F.
he train was delayed but four hours by the !
affair. The general opinion is that the rob.
Jers came from no great distance. The rail
road company offers $1,000 for their arrest
and the Governor of Iowa offers $500 a piece
for each of them. The whole country around |
is being secured to find them