Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1875-05-28
A Brave Express Messenger.

near that city, from which we extract
the following:-
The train was running at the usual
rate of speed. The express messenger,
Mr.. Price, sat in his department guard
ding the express matter he had on board,
which was very valuable. He was alone
All the passengers on the train were
supposed to be slumbering, and there
was naught to disturb his quiet but the
+" "clickety click, clickety click" of the
rapidlyrevolving car-wheels. Sudden
ly the messenger was aroused from his
reverie by the appearance in the car
of masked man, powerfully-built and
muscular fellow. The doors of the car
had been thoroughly bolted. and how he
had succeeded in effecting an entrance
was a mystery to Mr.. Price. The lat
ter jumped to his feet instantly, realizing
at once that an attempt at robbery was TO
be made, when the would-be robber ad-
vanced from behind the stove, which
stood between the door he had entered
and where the messenger stood, and
calmly awaited results. He expected
that more robbers would follow, and re-
solved to await until the worst came to
the worst before resorting to defence.
The masked man now spoke to the ex-
pressman, and with threats told him to
hand over the keys of his safes, adding
| that he would be dead man if he re-
fused. Quick as lightning Price fed to
the extreme end of the car, determined
not only to surrender his keys, but to
sell his life as dearly as possible. Seek
ing assistance was simply out of the
question, as all the noise possible to be
made could not attract any ones atten-
ton. The robbeI was prompt to act,
and scarcely had Mr.. Price reached his
place at the end of the car, when he
fired shot at the expressman. Price
threw up his left hand to ward off the
shot, and the ball passed through the
fieshy part of his left arm below the ell
bow. The robber seeing that he had
done no damage, at once fred again,
and this time the ball struck Mr.. Price
in the left cheek, tearing away portion
thereof, near the lip.
1t was now Mr.. Prices turn, and tax
ing deliberate aim deadly messenger
was dispatched at the villain. Scarce
had the echo of the shot from Mr.. Prices
revolver died away in the car, when the
robber staggered and fell toward the
stove, and Mr.. Price plainly saw in the
dim light of the car, that he was gasping
in death.
Satisfying himself that there were no
other robbers near, the messenger adj
vanced to where the robber lay. His
mask had rolled from his face there
lay naught but his lifeless form. Death
had been instantaneous. The deadly
missile struck the victim above the right
eye, entering and lodging in the brain.
Mr.. Price recognized the remains to be
those of Hiram Binkley, formerly a
freight conductor ON the Pittsburg, Fort
Wayne and Chicago railroad, who was
discharged some time ago for the crime
of robbery at wrecks, both of the pass
engers and the goods and other valua-
bles contained in the cars wrecked.
AS we have already stated, Mr. Price
had the door of his car bolted, and the
first intimation he had Of the presence
of any one in the car besides himself,
was when he was confronted by the rob
ber. Examination disclosed the fact
that panel had been cut out of the car,
and hole made to enable hand to
reach in and draw the bolt of the door.
Piled against the door of the car, as an
additional precaution, was lot of sacks
filled with corn, which the robber had to
push away in forcing open the door. All
this, of course, occasioned noise, but not
sufficient to be noticed above the hum
and roar of the rattling machinery Of
the train.
Everything seems to have been well
planned with view to wholesale rob
berry of the car, the place of attack be-
ing lonely and desolate the hour of as
sault, when they expected to find the
messenger doing, and the presence of a
strong rope in the hands of the robber,
with which to tie the messenger, all COM
bine to prove that the robbery was de-
liberately planned, and would have been
executed but for the uncertainty of the
aim of the robber, and the trueness of
the shot of the messenger.
Mr.. Price states as his opinion that
the dead robber had two companions,
passengers on the train, and his idea is
thatthey were not to appear until Blink
ley succeeded in getting him bound to
the floor. Then they we're to rush into
the car, and the work of robbery could
be completed in few moments.
A beautiful answer was given by a
4 I'll r.l NVIon hnr Ia, n /.