Richland beacon., 1873-08-02
FIENDISH RAILROAD ROBBERS.

a telegram from Des Moines, Iowa, fur
nishes the suhJoincd particulars of an attack
on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific rail-
road train Monday night:
The train lef. Council Bluffs at 5 o'clock
with four coaches and two sleeping cars in the
rear, the latter being filled with a company Of
arl>tUcIatc Chinese on their way 10 New Eng.
land colleges. There were also two baggage
and express cars, containing the mali and tx.
press matter, consisting OF nearly 2CUI dollars
IN the express safe and three tons of bullion.
When about siNiytve miles west Of Des
Nleines, about $50 o'clock, a, sharp curve
on the road IN an isolated spot, with no house
for several miles in any direction, while the
train was going about twenty-five miles per
hour, the engineer, john Rafferty,, suddenly
saw that one OF the rails had moved from lis
place about sixty feet ahead. The engineer
instantly reversed the engine and applied the
alr brakes. While in the act Of doing So buI-
lets came pelting into the engine like hail.
4 lie engine ran mo the bank and tuned over.
tlIrowing ont the engineer and fireman. the
former falling dead ON the latter Ii i SUD-
posed that Raheriy was killed BY the concus-
son, as no bullet wounds were found OH his
body. The fireman escaped unhurt. The
tram being very heavy, ran ahead a hundred
feet and stopped. The baggage cars were
baJ!y smashed.
As soon as the train stopped, several large
athletic men, masked in full kukluy,style. ap-
peared al the express car, in which were the
Conductor, VIM. smith, Superintendent
Royce, Express Messenger John Burgess, and
thIee other persons, and commenced firing
rapidly into the car, yelling. SECT out of there,
damn We F.; get out of therc!" Several bullets
passed through The clothes of the conductor,
one Sia%ed the baggage master and another
went close To the head of the express messen
ger. ihe inmates jumped out 10 the rear, un-
ner cover oi hall a-dCzen navy revolvers.
Two oi TIE robbers marched up and down
'i'e 'faii'' threatening to shoot any person who
showed ms head, saying, Get down out of
sisn'' aamn yc, or we will shoot you!'
ne robbers then took about 1000 dollars
from Tie express safe and cut open the mail
packs, hut look no letters. They then mount.
ed their horses and rode oil across the prairie
IN southerly direction, the whole being done
IN less than ten minutes. They fortunately
did not cut the telegraph wires, and Superin-
tendent Royce at once FASTENED to the nearest
station and telesraphed in all directions.
Engines and posse were sent out, from
Council Bluffs, on the Burlington and other
roads, to intercept the robbers. Theit dress
and voices indicated that they were legular
bushwliackers. They evidently intended 10
get the usual valuable express matter ty this
route, Monday, bnt wheh went througAon an
extra train Sunday ngut.
The robbers during the day stole asspike,
bar an hammer from the handcar hd lse at
the station. They drew the spikes from one
end Of the rail and secreted themselves
short distance away as the engine approached
the puledof place.
The promptness Of the engineer in revers-
Ing the engine, and the use Of the breaks, say
ed the'passengers from harm, not one of them
being injured. A track was at once laid
around the wrecked cars, and the train re-
sumed her trip, arriving here at 7:3O this
morning bringing the dead body of the engi-
neer, who iesded here, and leaves wife and
three children.