The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-07-14
ATTEMPT TO ROB A TRAIN.
Masked Raiders ON the VandAl1@
Railr0ad-TheE nGineeF Shot DEAD.
Hanna III A urnr INn Iulx- q


Long Point is a station on the Van
dalia Railroad, three miles west of
Casey, Illinois. 1t is a place where
all trains on that road usually stop
for water. 1t is lonesome place, sit
! uated in the woods, with no one liv-
ing within mile and halt of it. 1t
has long been considered by the rail-
road men as a dangerous place. Sew
eral times lately the engineers have
seen suspicious persons lurking about
there at night, and have run by with
out stopping for water. Last night at
midnight, as Train No. 5, east bound,
Conductor Fraley and Engineer Milo
Ames, came up to Long Point for
water, two men boarded the locomo-
tive, one from each side, and said to
the engineer, Pull out" The engi-
neer was at first somewhat bewildercd,
when they said again, Pull out;
when he, seeming to comprehend the
situation. said, "All right, I'll pull
out" The men then said, I'VE will
run the thing ourselves" and at that
both the robbers fired. One of the
shot killed the engineer instantly.
The other lodged in the cab.
The fremen, who was on the tank
taking in water, Immediately jumped
and ran to the rear OF the train to no.
tify the train men, having heard the
conversation, and compre hending the
situation. During these proceedings
at the engine, a confederate had de-
tached the Adams Express car, and
they then, pulling the engine throttle
wide open, ran her about two miles
east and stopped, blowing off brakes
to deceive the express messenger.
They then came to the door of the
car, and said, Let me in, Jack" He
replied TO them, You SIS Of BIS,
| am ready for you. Ifyou ever come
in here, you are dead men,"
The robbers then commenced firing
into the car. The messenger, Burke,
said that it seemed to him that there
were dozen of them, as the shots
seemed to come from all directions.
The conductor and train men, after
the shots were fred, saw the situation
of affairs. and at once set about to
pursue them. They could only find
one revolver on the train, but found
two soldiers who were armed with
carbines. With these two weapons
started in pursuit of the train and
robbers, but when they came up to
the train all was quiet, the robbers
having fed. They found the engineer
in the bottom OF his cab cold and stiff.
neer. Jack Vandergrift, on the train,
and he, with the fireman, Immediately
ran the engine back to the train and
brought it in.
The robbers failed to get any en-
fronoo bof 20 into tho ovnrocc oor
it being one of the close kind, having
no windows, and very strong every
way. Had they detached the Ameri-
can car also, which was Immediately
in the rear Of the Adams, they would
undoubtedly have accomplished their
object, as it was an open car, having
windows. and the doors not being
very strong.
The train men found the hammer
by which the coupling-pin was knock
ed out, and which may hereafter serve
as clue to the discovery Of the per-
petrators of this outrage. The train
men speak in very fattcring terms of
the pluck and bravery displayed by
the express messenger Burke, under
the trying circumstances in which he
was placed. There is intense feeling
among railroad men over the tragical
death of Engineer Ames Should the
perpetrators be caught, it is very gen.
orally believed that it will not cost
the State anything@o prosecute them.
Engineer Ames was one Of the best
engineers on the road, about thirty
FIVE years old, and had been married
but a short time The robbers who
boarded the locomotive wore long
linen busters.
Conductor Fraley, and all the train
men in fact, did all they could under
the circumstances. Several suspicious
persons are already under arrest, and
every effort will be made by the rail-
justice. They have, it is understood.
already offered reward of one thou
sand dollars. These particulars have
been gathered from one of the train
men. who was a witness of the whole
affair