The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-22
THAT RAILROAD ROBBERY.
The Details of the Daring Exploit of
Masked Men on the North
Missouri Road.
HOW 1T WAS DONE.


gives the details of the train robbery re-
ported In the telegrsphic columns of the
Sunday Sentinel Between the hours of
and O'Clock yesterday morning the car
of the United States Express Company at
tached to the night express or the North
Missouri railroad, bound east, was entered
by two masked train-robbers, who over
powered the messenger and carried off the
money and valuables. variously estimated
to be worth from $1,000 to $4,000. The rob-
berry is supposed to have occurred between
Ferguson and Jennings stations, but 1t is
not certainly known. The story of the rob-
berry, according to the best in
formation obtsinable, runs about as fol-
lows: The express car is an ordinary one,
having a door at each end secured by a self
fastening lock and by a chain which is
fastened loosely on the inside, so that the
door can be opened a few inches, but is still
secure. The Object OF this Is that the mes
senger, when any one knocks TO- admission,
may be able to see who is there before leav
ng the door unsecured. On taking charge
OF the car at Kansas City the messenger,
Chsyles Kincaid, noticed that the chain on
the rear door had been rendered useless, q
staple into which it is fastened having been
drawn out, probably by design. The express
car was Immediately behind the tender 70
the engine and in front of the baggage car.
The messenger had in his care a large ex
prsssman's trunk containing pac cages, aud
safe containing valusblea. In the safe
was
LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY,
about 81, OOO and other vAluables that may
be worth Sc, 900 more. Among the money
packages was one of 8. 900. After reaching
Mexico the express messenger had no work
to do, as the train makes no stops at small
stations, and, being night train, had little
except through express matter. As soon,
therefore, as the train pulled out of Mexico
The messenger prepared to take the rest Of
the trip easily. He says he placed a box
against the door to make II more secure, on
account of the inefficency of the chain,
and then lay down to take a nap be-
fore reaching the end of the run.
He Immediately fell into a dose ard
continued mapping until the train reached
st. Charles, where he got up and put some
wood in the stove. This done, he lay down
q gain and went to sleep. How long he
slept he does not know, 1t could not have
been long, as So, Charles II not far distant.
His awakening, however, was by no means
a pleasant one. He says he neither noticed
nor heard anything unusual until he felt
heavy hand on his collar. He opened his
eyes and WAS somewhat bewildered to see
two men standing over him. One OF the
men had revolver in each hsn1, 10th look
other man bad a revolver in one hand
while with the other he held Kincaid by the
coat collar. Neither spoke, but sturdy
pull at the collar made the messenger stand
up. Both men wore masks of black cloth
and both wore short heavy top coats, but
toned tightly up to the chin. Convinced
that IL would be perfectly useless to resist,
the messenger remained perfectly passive in
the hands of his oaDtors. They kept briskly
at work, evidently having no intention of
losing any time. One OF the men still held
him by the collar, while the other went
through his pockets and secured possession
of his keys. Having obtained the keys, the
robber immediately unlocked and opened
the large messengers trunk which con-
tanned part of
THE PACKAGES IN KINCAID's CARE.
These he quickly emptied out'on the car
| floor, and Kincsid, who was standing by
watching the whole proceeding, suddenly
found himself jerked against and into the
big trunk. When he was well in one OF the
robbers put single package into the trunk
"for pillow" Kincaid says, after which the
| cover was shut down and carefully secured
by the strong STRAPS with which it is bound
| The imprisoned messenger was thus at lilo
erty to take things easy again .aud continue
his nap If he chose, though it is hardly II ces
sary to say he didn't choose. OF the subse.
quent movements of the robbers of course
| Kincaid knows nothing beyond what is
indicated by the traces they left be-
hind. When the train arrived
at the Biddle street depot, il
did not appear as usual. The car was locked
and no answer could be obtained from any
one inside. Finally a key was procured
and on entering the car the employees of the
company found everything in nearly good
order, except that the contents OF the pack
loc ola ho., ha Aoa
A few faint cries from the interior of the
big trunk called them TO more fully appre
ciate the situation, and then they saw tha
the car had indeed been robbed. They
opened the chest and released Kincaid from
his confinement. He was pretty wei
He had been very carefully handled, ant
didn't show scratch of any kind. Thu
robbers had carried off the keys will
them, but the safe was taken immediatei,
to the Office of the company, whel
it was opened and found to have beer
i PLUNDERED OF ALL ITS vALUABLEs.
The express company are not very free Il
tell exactly what is missing from the safe
but it is reported to have contained as higl
as So 900. OF course, the detectives are a
work on the job, but they don't seen
: especially confident of catching the thieve:
, There appears tho greatest difficulty il
striking gOou information on Wnlcn U
} work. Kincaid is unable to give more thar
the most vague description of the men
One, he says, was about five feet ten lnche
tall, and the other a little heavier built, no
, quite so tall. Both wore short dark coats
one a little faded, and that is all he know
about them. He didn't even hear then
, speak. He had not the slightest intimatiOl
of their coming till they stood by him. Th
lock on the car is unbroken, consequently
they must have had key to the latch O
! the door and must have entered b.
the rear platform, the chain oil
the front door was undisturbed. Kincai'
thinks the men must have entered the ca
this side of Furguson's station, as he doe
} not remember the trains stopping Their
, while he was in the trunk. 1t has not thu
far been ascertained that any one came o.
board at Furguson excepting the man VIII
checks baggage for transfer, nor did be Sc
| any one about the depot before the train ar