The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1873-07-25
DARING ROBBERY.
Iowa Robbers Stop a Railway Train.
fTf DEs MONIES, Julys2

berry of a railroad train was commit
ted last night four 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 track to
throw the eastern bound passenger
train off the track. The engineer,
John Rafferty,, saw the obstruction
in time toreverse his engine and ap-
ply the air brake, 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, TIE ditch, and
was followed by one Of the passen
ger cars, the others with the passen-
ger trains remaining on the track.
Several passengers were bruised, but
none seriously hurt. The robbers,
who were masked, after opening and
emptying the safe of the express
messenger of its contents, rode off
on horse back. Among the passen-
gers were thirty Chinese students en-
route to Springfield, Massachusetts.
AS soon as the train stopped, six
large, athletic men, masked in full
Ku-Klux style. appeared at the Ex-
press car in which were the conduc-
tor, William Smith, Superintendent
Boyce, the Express Messenger, John
Burgess and three other persons, and
commenced firing rapidly into the
car and yelling, sect out of there,
d-n We, get out of there" Two
bullets passed through the clothing
of the conductors one grazed the
skull fthe baggage-master, and one
the side of the Express Messenger.
The inmates jumped out, when
they were ordered to the rear, under
cover Of half a dozen navy revolvers.
Two of the robbers marched up and
down the train, threatening to shoot
any one who should oppose their
operations. q E
The robbers took about. $4,000
from the express safe, cut open the
mail sacks, but took no letters, and
mounted each horse and rode of
across the prairie in a southerly di-
rection, the whole being done in less
than ten minates. They fortunately
did not cut the telegraph wires, and
Superintendent Boyce at once hast
ened to the nearest station and tel
egraphed inall directions. .l +
Engines and a posse of men were
sent out from Council Bluffs, on the
Burlington and other Roads to inter
eept the robbers in southerly di-
rection. Their dresses and voice
indicated that they were regular
bushwhackers, and they evidently
intended to get the usual valuable
express matter by 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 hand
car at the nearest station. They
drew the spikes from one end of the
rail, fastened a small cord to it, and
secreted themselves several rods
away. AS the engine approached
they pulled the rail out Of the place.
The promptness of the engineer
and the air brakes saved the passen-
gers from harm, as not one was in
jured. A track was soon laid around
the wrecked cars, and the train re-
sumed its trip, arriving here at 7:3O
this morning, bringing tue dead body
of the engineer, who resided here,
and who leaves q wife and three
children.
Passengers on the train report
that the scene was terrible and battles
description. When the crash came
all were thrown forward, some entire
ly off their seats; then came the re-
coil, and Immediately after they
heard firing, but supposed it came
from the wreck. Many Of the men
jumped from the cars and started to
go forward, but were ordered back
by the robbers, who continued firing
and enforced their commands by ter
rible oaths and threats. Back they
went with a rash, and in the cars
found women and children half fcrazed
with fright, shrieking, crying, and
fainting, imploring the men to pro-
tect them, and exclaiming, "My|
God! we shall be killed we shall be
killedp Stout hearts quailed and
felt they were at the mercy of the
desperadoes. Altogether it was a
scene unprecedented in the history
of Railroads in this country,as never
before has SO reckless and daring a
scheme been carried to completion.
All Western Iowa is in fever of
excitement. Farmers miles around
are leaving their harvest fields, and
with their families visiting the scene
of the robbery. The engine and
baggage car remain as they were
last night. The former is badly
wrecked.