Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-07-24
ILLINOIS.

CHICAGO, July 22.--Ihe Ecentslg
Journal gives tho Press Association
the following special from Des Moines:
"From Supt. Royce who was on the
train 1 get particulars OF the robbery
of the night exr,ess train on the Rock
Island road last night The tran left
Council Bluffs at o'clock with four
coaches and two sleepers. the cars be-
ing filled with a comp OF aristo-
cratic Chinese on their way to New
England colleges. There were also
two baggage and express cars in which
was the through California mail and
express matter consisting OF $1,000 in
the express safe and three tons of bull
lion. When about 65 miles west of
this city. at about 30 O'Clock. at
sharp curve In the road and an isolated
SPOT. with no house within several
miles in any direction the train moving
at about % miles an hour, the engineer
John Rafferty, suddenly saw a rail
move from its place about sixty feet
ahead of the engine.
He instantly reversed his engine and
applied the air brake, and while in the
act of so doing bullets came pelting
into the engine like hail. The engine
ran into the bank and turned over,
throwing out the engineer and fire.
man, the former falling on the latter
dead. It is supposed he was killed
by conclusion as no bullet wounds
were found on his body. The fireman
escaped unhurt. The train being very
heavy ran about one hundred feet and
stopped. The two baggage cars were
badly smashed. As soon ss the train
stopped six large, athletic men, mask
ed In full kuklux style appeared at the
Express car In which were the conduc-
tor, VIM. Smith, Supt. Royce, the Ex.
press messenger, John Burgess and
three other persons, and commenced
firing rapidly into the car yelling "get
out Of there d-n you, get out oil
there" Two bullets passed through
the clothes of the conductor, one
grased the skull Of the baggageman,
and one the side of the head Of the
Express messenger. The inmates
Jumped out when they were ordered
to the rear, under cover of half q
dozen navy revolvers. Then two OF
the robbers marched up and down the
train threatening 10 shoot any person who
showed his head on the train, saying :
sect down out Of sight, d--n you,
or well shoot you"
The robbers took about 81, 600 from
the express safe, cut open the mail
bags, but took no letters, and mount
ed each o horse and rode of across
the prairie, in sonthernly direction,
the whole being done in less than ten
minutes. They failed to cut telegraph
wires and word was at once sent In all
directions to intercept the robbers
Their dress. voice and manner, indica-
ted that they were bushwhackers, and
they evidently intended to get the
usual valuable express by this route
on Monday, bnt which went through
on an extra train on Sunday night.
The robbers had during the day stolen
spike bar and hammer from hand
car house ct the nearest station. They
drew the spikes from one end of the
rail aud fastened q small cord to the
other end, and secreted themselves
several rods away, and as the engine
approached, pulled the rail out of
place. The promptness 0fthe engin-
eer and air brakes, saved the passen-
gers from harm, az not one was injur-
ed. The track was at once laid around
the wrecked cars and the train re.
sumed its trip, arriving at this place
at Z 80 this morning, bringing the
dead body of the engineer who resi-
ded here, and who leaves wife and
three children.