Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-07-25
Robbery on a Large Scale.
Bold Attack Oh Il Railroad
Train.
uEROIsM OF THE ENGINEER.
ESCAPE OF THE ROBBERS.

CHICAGO. July ga special despatch to
the Evening Journal from Des Moines giyes
the following account Of the attack on the
train of the Chicago, Rock Island and Paci-
6e last night. TIE train left Council
Blufs at 5 o'clock. with four coaches and
two sleepers in the rear, the sleeper,
being filed with company OF aristoera-
tie Chinese on their way to New England
colleges. There were also two baggage
EXPRESS cars in which was the through
California mail and express matter, con-
s;stinc of nearly $4,000 in the express safe
and three tons of bullion. When about e.
miles west of Des Moines, about $50 o'clocs
AT n short curve on the road and an isolated
eDot with no house for several miles in any
direction, the train moving at the rate uf
about 2j miles an hour, the engineer. JOHN
Rafferty,. suddenly saw one rall moved from
H. Mace about 60 feet ahead Of the engine
He instantly reversed the engine and au-
nlied the air brake, and while IN the at.
bullets came pelting into the engine lbs.
hail The engine ran into bank and turn
Ell over. throwing out the engineer and fire.
man the former falling on the latter dead
In j. supposed that Rafferty, was killed h,
the conclusion, a. no bullet wounds were
fonnd on his body. The fireman escaped
unhurt.
The train being very heavy ran about one
hundred feet and stopped. The baggage
cars doubled and were badly SMASHED. A.
soon as the train stopped, large athletic
men. masked in full ku-klux style, appear
ed at the express ear IN which were cum
duetor William Smith. SuperinteuIe1-
Rovce EXPRESS messenger John Bugr--.
and three other persons, and commence
firing rapidly into the ear. yelling "Get oat
Of there. damn We Get out Of there.
Two bullets passed through the CLOTHES
the conductor. one grazed the skull Of tt-
bapga ge-rnaster and one side of the head 70
the express messenger. The inmates lumpel
when thew were ordered to therear, covered
by halfa dozen navy reyOlvers. Two OF The
robbers marched up and down the train.
threatening To shoot any person VIII
showed his head on the train, saying -''--
down out Of sight, damn ye, or We Wi.
shoot you
The robbers then took about - 200 from
the express safe. cut open the mail sack.
bat took no letters. and mounted each
horse and rode of across the prairie In
SOutherly direction. the Wuole htln8 Done
in les than ten minutes. They fortunately
did not cut the telegraph wires, and >lp'r
Rovce at once FASTENED 70 the nearest STA
tion and telegraphed in all directions. En-
gines and a posse of men were sent from
Council Bluffs, belonging TO this and other
roads, 10 intercept the robbers Their dre-~
and voices indicated that they were regular
buShwhackers. They evidently intended o.
get the usual valuable express matter hy
this route on Mondays, but which went
through on an extra train on Sunday night
The robbers during the day ~tolea ~pike-dar
and hammer from the hand car house alta
station. drew spikes from one end of the
rail and secreted themselves. several rods
away, and as the engine approached pui.si
the rail out Of place.
The promptness of the engineer in rever~
ing his engine, and the use Of the air brake.
saved the passengers from harm. a. not one
was injured. The track was at once iaIi
around the ears and the train resumed it-
Journey, arriving here at 80 this morning.
bringing the dead body of the engineer.
who resided here. and leaves wife and
three children.