Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-07-29
The vandslia Outrage.-.The Brave Ex.
press Messengers Story.

The excitement over the Vandalia Rail
| road murder and the attempted robbery
has not yet subsided, especially in the Vi
entity of the attack. James Burke, the
| brave messenger, arrived in the city yes
| terday from Columbus. He left at mid
night for Terre Haute in answer to a tele-
gram from Superintendent Rhodes, of the
| express company, telling him to report
to the agent at Terre Haute, where he is
| wanted as witness. Mr.. Burke is a square
built man, thirty-two years old, and Of
Irish birth, having come to this country
when seven years of age. He is married
man and lives ut st. Louis. He is intelli-
gent in his conversation, and shows in his
every manner that he is man who can
be depended upon in any emergency
where pluck and cool, deliberate judg-
ment is needed He has been in the en-
ploy Of the Adams Express Company for
fifteen years. Ten years OF that time he
was stationed at Cairo, where reliable
men were required owing to the troubles
of the war. He has been running with
| the through cars from st. Louis to Column
bus for about two years and half.
His story of the attack is as follows
When we came to the tank had my door
next to the tank open q few inches, as
always had a feeling that it was not safe
place. We had hardly come to dead
| stop before | heard the shooting, and for
| that reason think there was third man.
who did the uncoupling while the two
jumped on the engine. 1t flashed through
my mind IN minute what was up, and
pulled the door to and saw that the catch
| caught Before had fairly done this the
car was jerked fearfully, as they pulled
the throttle wide open, We had long
train, and had heavy grade ahead, so
Amcs had on full amount of steam. |
had heard of such tricks before, and began
thinking what could be done. | opened
my door again, and, looking back, saw
that was cut loose from the train, the
lights of which could be seen plainly at
the distance of threc-quarters of a mile
back. thought at first | would throw
the big safe out, and then | thought if |
did that the noise would be heard by the
robbers pulled my door shutagain and
began making my barricade, while the car
was running at the rate offiity miles an hour.
The through safe which had the money in
was in the front end of the car next to the
engine. piled up the trucks so that |
was barricaded in front of the side doors.
Then all | wanted was to be left alone,
but they did not afford me that pleasure.
We had run but about three minutes when
they made the stop. 1t was as smooth
and regular as any | ever saw made, |
think for this reason, and because they
shot Ames, fearing he would recognize
them, that they had been employees of the
| road When we stopped ! heard several
voices in low conversation, and one of the
| persons came to the door and knocked
| lightly, saying: "Jack, open the door
quick, quick 1t was said in way to
make me think that it was some of the
train men, who often rap at the door, and
ask me to open it, The only light that
cane in the car was from the small win
dows over the door, which enabled me to
see between the two doors. They thought
that would give up and they, therefore,
did not run farther from the water tank
They had "a wagon there, and were ready
to 80 up the crossroads with the safe
They begged like good fellows, and said
if would let them in they would not hurt
me at all, but | expect would have met
with poor Ames' fate. | said | wanted no
mercy, and would give none. Then they
begged again. | was standing near the
door, and replied that ! was ready for
them, and shot once at the door while
speaking. Then they quit talking so
nice, and began calling out all the names
you ever heard. The fellow who first
spoke seemed To be the leader, and he
called for the sledgehammer and the
crow bar. which he said were in the en-.
CINE. They pried at the door the wrong
way, and were prying it shut all the time,
The doors slide SO that it is hard for any
one outside to teilwhich way they do open.
| thought sure they were going to burst it
IN then. and got behind my breastworks,
firing another shot aS did so, from one
of my two bulldogs Then ihey left
the door, and in a moment the car seemed
10 he surrounded and shots came against
il from all directions except the one near
the engine, They never came 10 that end
any time, | guess, because they did not
want TO get near their work in the cab.
They fired about seven shots, and then |
heard the leader say; There is no use in
trying it, 1t is not safe | thought this
was blind, and kept still, trying
TO hear them. From that time
out il was rs still rs death and the only
thing | could hear was the water occa.
sionally running from the tender to the
boiler of the engine. | am sure | laid
there m hour before the train men came
up, During that time | imagined every.
thing. thought all the time they were
outside waiting for me to open the door
and see who were in sight. We'll, YOU
can't know what all | thought about.
also expected that they would suddenly
burst The door open, but then | knew |
could ret first shot at them, because they
could not see me. never thought bull
let would 20 through the car. showed
some OF them To gunsmithS and they say
they are from carbines, They made lots
Of noise at all events. did not think
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