Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-07-25

A Train Ditched, the Engineer Shot
end the Express Safe Robbed.

train No. 2, on the G. r. l. d L.
railroad, occurred at o'clock to-
night, 4 miles west of Adair. A
band of robbers had placed obstruc-
tons on the track, and when the
train approached they shot the en-
ginccr as he was attempting to stop
the train after he had discovered
the danger. The locomotive, ten
der and two baggage cars were
thrown from the track. The ex-
press car was entered, the safe bro
ken open and robbed. The passen-
ger coaches were but little damaged.
The track was torn up for some
distance. The robbers after Sc
curing their booty mounted their
horses and started off south. All
the telegraph Offices have been no
tilted of the robbery, and every
effort will be made to catch the hell
born desperadoes.
A thousand conjectures are cur
rent here in regard to the persons
who robbed the train of the Rock
Island road last night. The most
probable one was that the robbery
was committed by persons living
near where it took place. The va
lise in which they carried off the
money taken from the Express Go. S
safe was found five miles south of
the wrecked train.
Vigilance parties are securing
southwestern Iowa, and it is conf
IDENTIFY believed that if the robbers
remain i'll the State they will be
caught.
A telegram received here late to-
night says the robbers crossed the
b. &. M. railroad last night at mid
night.
VIM. A. Smith, conductor of the
Inflated train, testified to-day at the
coroner's inquest on the body of
John Rafferty,, the engineer who was
killed, that the train was wrecked
two and half or three miles west
of Adair Station, and 60 or 100 feet
east of the Turkey Greek bridge. 81
was in the smoking car near the
front end. From the noise / thought
the engine was in ditch with one
or two cars piled upon it. l was
thrown under the seat in front Of
me; don't remember which side Of
the car | got out on, but know that
| reached the engine Oh the north
side. l went forward to see who
was hurt first. The person l met
was one of the masked men near the
baggage car door, who pointed a
revolver in each hand toward me,
and told me to get back, firing at
me at the same time. | backed
down as far as the sleeping coach
before l fell was out Of his way
there. l met Dennis Feley, the
fireman, and he says: BILLY, Jack
is dead The passengers were in Il.
hub bub, and the women and child
rem We're crying. told the pas
sengers l thought the masked men
were trying to rob the baggage
car, and tried to borrow revolver,
but failed. l could still see the
man from where l was; saw another
passing up and down on the oppo-
site side of the train; | think he was
firing at me also. Some of the pas
sengers asked me to get into the
train, as these men were firing at
me and l would be the cause of
some of them being killed. I then
went into the sleeping car at the
rear, still trying to get a revolver
and urging the passengers to keep
quiet, as these men were robbing
the baggage car. l went ont of the
ladies car up to the bank, and hence
to the engine. Two balls passed
through my clothing while l was on
the bank. These shots came from
the south side of the train; did not
see a man on the north side; did
not see or hear anything more of
the masked men, After the passen-
gers had got quiet | went forward
to investigate the cause of the
wreck. At the hind truck of the
smoking car found the fish plate
had been removed from the rail on
the north side, disconnecting rail
both ends. A rope and strap were
tied in the bolt holes of the discon-
nected rail at the west end, and the
rope was passed under the rail
across the ditch and up onto the
bank. A piece of rope was also
found on the bank, which seems to
have been broken from the other.
1t was new rope, the size of COM
mon bed cord. The west end was
loose from the rail. 1t was only a
few inches from the south rail. The
hind trucks of the smoking car
were still on the track. We had
been running IS or 20 miles an
hour"
The passengers on the train re-
port that the scene was terrible, and
baffled description. When the crash
came all were thrown forward, some
entirely out of their seats; then
came a recoil, and Immediately after
they heard firing, but supposed that
it came from the wreck. Many of
the men jumped from the cars and
started forward, and were ordered
back by the robbers, who continued
firing, and enforced their commands
by terrible oaths and threats; back
they went with y rush, and found
the women and children in the cars
half-crazed with fright, shrieking,
crying and fainting, imploring men
to protect them, and exclaiming,
"My God, we shall be killed! we
shall be killedr' The stoutcst
hearts quailed and felt they were at
the mercy of the desperadoes. AL
together, it was scene unpreceden-
ted in the history of railroading in
this country, as never before has so
reckless and daring scheme been
carried to completion. All western
Iowa is in fever Of excitement;
farmers for miles around are leav-
ing the harvest fields, and with
their families are visiting the scene
of the robbery. The engine and
baggage car remain as they were