The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-12-31

ered-trom $4,000 tn >lo.DOO sup
posed 20 have been Carried "details
Of the Affair.
From the 81 Louis Republican, Dec. 49,
Between the hours Of 3 and 6 O'Clock
yesterday morning the car of the L. =.
Express Company attached to the night
express Of the North Missouri Railroad,
bound east, was entered by two masked
train-robbers, who overpOwered the
messenger and carried of money and
valuables, variously estimated 10 be
worth from $1,000 to $4,000 The
robbery is supposed 10 have occurred
between Ferguson and Jennings Sta
tions, but ii is not certainly known.
The story Of the robbery, according to
the best information obtainable, runs
about as follows:
THE EXPRESS CAR
is an ordinary one, having door at
each end secured by self-fastening
lock and by chain which is fastened
loosely on the inside, SO that the door
can be opened few inches, but is still
secure. The object Of this is that the
messenger, when any one knocks for
admission, may be able To see who is
there before leaving the door unsecured.
On taking charge of the car al Kansas
City the messenger, ChaS. kincaid, no.
ticed that the chain on the rear door
had been rendered useless, staple into
which it fastened having been drawn
car was Immediately behind the tender
10 the engine and in front % the bag
gage-car. The messenger had in his
care a large exprcssman's trunk con-
tanning packages, and a safe contain
ing valuables. In the safe was large
amount of money-about s7,O0O-and
other valuables that may be worth So
600 more. Among the money packages
was one Of $4,000.
After reaching Mexico the express
messenger has no work TO do, as the
train makes no stops at small stations,
and, being a night train, had little eN-
cept 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
it more secure, on account Of the ineili-
cheney of the chain, and then lay down
10 take nap before reaching the end
of the run. He Immediately fell into n
doze and continued mapping until the
train reached st. Charles, where he got
up and put some wood in the stove
This done, he lay down again and went
TO sleep. How long he slept he does
not know II could not have been long,
as st. Charles i not far distant. His.
awakening, however, was by no means
"A pleasant one. He says he neither no.
ticed nor heard any thing unusual until
he felt heavy hand on his col
lar. He opened his ewes and was
somewhat bewildered 10 see two men
standing over him. One of the men had
A REVOLVER IN EACH HAND,
both looking the messenger square in
the eyes. The other man had a reyolv-
er in one hand while with the other he
held kincaid blythe 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. buttoned
tightly up 10 the chin. Convinced that
il would be perfectly useless To resist,
the messenger remained perfectly pas
Sivc in the hands of his captors. 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 peck
cts and secured possession of his keys.
Having obtained the KEYS. the rob
her Immediately unlocked and
opened the large messengers trunk /
which contained part If the packages in /
Kincaid's care. These he quickly emp |
tied out on the car floor. and kncaid
who was standing by watching the |
whole proceeding. suddenly found him
self icrked around against and into the /
biz trunk. When hc was well in one of
the robbers put single package into the I
trunk "for a pillow" kincaid saws, af- |
ter which the cover was shut down and |
carefully secured lay th- strong straps /
with which il is bound.
THE IMPRISONED MESsENGER
was thus at liberty TO take things easy
again and continue his nap il he chose,
though II is hardly necessary to say that
he didn't choose. OF the subsequent /
movements of the robbers of course
kincaid knows nothing beyond what is
indicated by the traces they left behind.
When the train arrived ut the Biddle
Street Depot, it was of course noticed
that kincaid did not appear ~ usual
The ear was locked, and no answer
could Toe obtained from any one inside.
Finally key was procured, and on en-
tering the car the employees of the com
pany found every thing in nearly good
order except that the contents Of the
package-chest were scattered on the
floor. A few faint cries from the interior
of the bigtrunk called them to more full
" appreciate the situation, and then they
saw that the car had indeed been robbed.