The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-24
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE GREAT RAILROAD ROBBERY.
The Conductors Story.

Dies MONIES, Iowa, July 90, night.
A thousand conjecturcs are current here
in regard to persons who robbed the train
on the Rock Island railroad. The most
noticeble one is that the robbery was COM
mtted by persons living near where the
robbery took place. A valse used to carry
off the money taken from the express safe
was found five miles south of the wrecked
train to-day. vigilant parties are securing
Iowa, and it is confidently believed the
robbers will be caught if they remain
within the State. A telegram says the
robbers crossed the Burlington and Miss
ouri railroad last night at midnight. VIM.
A. Smith, the conductor of the Inflated
train, testified that he went forward to see
who was hurt. The first person he met
was one of the masked men near the bag
gage car door, who pointed revolver in
each hand, and told them to get back,
firing at the same time The passengers
were in hubbub, and the women and
children were crying. He tried to borrow
revolver, but failed. He could see
man from where he was, and saw another
passing up and down on the opposite side
of the train. Some of the passengers
asked me to get in the train, as these men
were firing at me and would be the cause
of killing some of them. l then went into
sleeping car at the rear, still trying to
get revolver and urging the passengers
to keep quiet. Two balls passed through
my clothing while trying to reach the en-
ginc. After the passengers got quiet in
vestigated the the cause of the wreck of
the hind truck of the smoking car. l found
a fish plate had been removed from the
rail on the north side, disconnecting the
rail at both ends. A rope and strap were
tied in the bolt holes of the disconnected
rail at the west end, and the rope passed
across the ditch, and up on the bank. The
passengers on the train report the scene as
terrible, and battles all description. When
the crash came all were thrown forward,
some entirely out of their seats. Then
came recoil, and Immediately after they
heard firing, but supposed it came from
the wreck. Many men jumped from the
cars and started to get forward, and were
ordered back by the robbers, who contin-
ued firing and enforcing their commands
by terrible oaths and threats Back they
went, and in the cars found the women
and children half-crazed with fright
shrieking, crying and fainting, imploring
men to protect them, and exclaiming, 'My
God, we shall be killed! we shall be
killed." The stoutest hearts quailed and
they were at the mercy of the desperadoes.
Although it was scheme unprecedented
in the history of rairoading in this country
and never before has so reckless and dar-
ing scheme been carried to completion.
All western Iowa is in fever of excite
ment. Farmers are leaving the harvest
fields with their families and visiting the
scene of the robbery The engine and
baggage cars remain as they were last
night. The former is badly wrecked. Su-
perintendent Royce estimates the loss sus-
tanned by the company at three thousand
dollars. Gov. Carpenter has issued pro-
clamation offering reward of five hun
dred dollars for the arrest of each person
engaged in the robbery.