The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1874-02-19
THE MISSOURI ROBBERS.

VI,
train, robbed on Saturday:
"Tell me all about this thing now," said
the Globe "Commence at your start from
st Louis and relate the circumstances in
detail"
"Well, run out train No. Z, the Little
Rock express, and started from Plum st.
at ten minutes of ten, Saturday morning.
We got behind, and when we reached
Gadshill, one hundred and twenty miles
from St. Louis, we were an hour late
Gadshill is regular stopping place. tho
there is no station there-only platform.
1t is small place, of no account, and there
are only few houses. There used to be
mill there"
GA grist mill ?"
"Gristmill? {? No. They'll never have
grist mill there in the world A saw
mill The country round there is heavily
timbered, and it is just the place for a saw
mill or robbery"
"Of what was your train composed p
"Four cars. A mail, baggage and ex-
press car, all in one, two coaches and a
sleeper. Ireckon we had twenty-five pas
sengers in all, five of them ladies. We
were due at Gadshill at six minutes past
four, but we didn't get there until quar-
ter of FIVE. As we approached the town
the engineer noticed red flag and whis-
tied down, l was on the step of the car
and saw the flag, and jumped off before
the car had fully stopped, for l thought
The track was torn up or there was some
difficulty, because red flag means danger
As struck the platform, | noticed the
train running on the side track. The
Northern switch had been opened, and so
was the Southern. and when we got onto
the side track We were stuck, for had we
started forward or back, we would have
run off the track. Just as I jumped off a
man grabbed me by the collar and jamm-
ed pistol into my face. He was a huge
six-footer, aud his face was covered with
mask made of white cloth, with holes cut
for his eyes and mouth. "Here, III show
you," and taking the Globes handkerchief
he put it over his face, tucking the lower
corners into his vest.
"How many men were there in the
party 7"
"Therc were only five; and the funnies t
thing was, they had captured the town
first, and pulled every man woman and
child out of their houses. They had built
big bonfire near the platform, and there
were the inhabitants crowded around it,
trying to keep warm. The robbers stood
over them on guard, all armed with two
or three navy revolvers, and three of them
had double barrel shot guns. When the
fellow grabbed me I didn't know what to
make of it,"
"Wern't you frightened ?"
"Wel!, I reckon I was somewhat fright
ensd, but he put Inc right at my ease--he
comforted me-"
"What did he say ?"
"'Stand still, or I'll blow the top of
your id head off, l stood still. |
saw two of the gang jump on the engine,
and they made the engineer and fireman
get down. They were brought to where
stood an1 the robber covered us with
his pislol He spoke to those who looked
out of tho windows; and told them that if
shot was fired he would kill the conduct
or. That was me. One Of them stood
ON the opposite side of the train, and as
the passengers put their heads out he
told them to "pull them headsin, or you'll
lose EN-" He had q double barrel shot
gun, and don't think he was foolin' any.
Two of them went into the baggage car
and haaled out the baggageman and the
brakeman, aud these they put under the
same guard that had me. There was an
other brakeman, but he got into sleeping
car and staid there They then went in
to the mail apartment, and demanded the
registered packages of the mail agent
They rummaged the letters and picked
out those that had been registered and
then brought the agent out ON to the plat
form and handed him over to the guard.
The express messenger was the next man,
and as they went into his room he cover
ed one of them with pistol, but another
drew a bead Oh him with gun, and III
structed him to lay that pistol down gent
! ly He did So Then they demanded his
keys, opened the safe and took out the
money packages. They took out one
packet marked watch but when they op-
- :. II c.,,l .. 90 lao a silver watch