Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-07-14
A rlnckr Express Messenger.


rricHrrtr scrSrs IN A DISMAL woop.
A dispatch to J. II. Rhodes. superintend
cnt Of the Adams express company, state
that desperate attempt was made TO rol
express messenger Burke at Long Point
H., on the Nandalia railroad, at midnight o.
Thursday night last. The engine and cal
were cut loose and the engineer killed
Burke barricaded the doors and kept thu
robbers at bay till help arrived.
SCENE or TuE TRAGEDY.
Long Point is three miles west Of Casey
All trains are accustomed 10 stop there for
the engine 10 take IN water. 10 is situated
in the middle Of a dense wood, no person
living within mile and a half from the
station. Il has long been regarded by rail
road men as a dangerous place. Several
times lately engineers have seen suspicious
looking persons lurking in the neighbor-
hood at night and in consequence have not
stopped their trains
DETAILS OF THE DARING ATTEMPT.
Thursday night at midnight, when the
passenger train No. 8, bound east, with Con-
ductor Fraley and Engineer Milo Ames in
charge, stopped at the water tank two men
boarded the engine, one from each side, and
ordered the engineer TO start the engine
The engineer, after a moments hesitation,
obeyed the order. After the starting Of the
train one Of the robbers remarked, ave
will run the thing ourselves" and immedi-
atoly, killing him instantly, The fireman,
who was standing on the tender, ran to the
rear Of the train to alarm the train men, he
having heard conversation and compre-
hending the situation at once. While this
was taking place on the engine, an accom-
plice Of the robbers had detached the Adams
express car from the cars in the rear The
whole party of robbers then ran the train TO
point about two miles from the station,
where they stopped, and going to the door Of
the express car demanded admittance.
THE MESSENGER DrFIEs A WHOLE BAND.
Express Messenger Burke told them he
was ready for them, and If they entered he
would shoot them. The robbers then began
firing into the car and the messenger saws
it seems to him there were dozen Of them,
as the shots came from all sides. The con
ductor and train men seeing the position of
affairs, tried to arm themselves, but could
find but one revolver on the train. They
however discovered two soldiers, armed with
carbines, and with these the train men and
the soldiers started after the robbers. When
they came up 10 the train all was quiet, the
robbers having fled They found the dead
body OF the engineer on the floor Of the cab !
a freight train engineer, named Jack Van
dergrift happened TO be on the train, and he
and the fireman ran the engine back to the
train and brought it in. The robbers failed
t. gain All entrance TO the express car, it be-
ing one Of the close kind, having no win.
dows, and very strong in every way. Had
they detached the American express car,
which was Immediately in the rear of the
Adams express car, they might have accom-
plished their purpose, as it is an open car
with windows.
4 PROBABLE CLUE.
The finding of the hammer used to knock
out the coupling pins may serve possibly, as |
a clue TO the robbers. The train men speak |
in high terms of the pluck and courage dis |
played by Burke. There is intense feeling |
among the railroad men over the trarical |
death of Engineer Ames, and should his |
murderers be caught IL is very generally be-
lieved that their prosecution would not cost
the state anything. Several suspected per
sons are already in custody, and there is rea-
son to hope that all the robbers will soon be
caught The railroad company offer 81 900
reward for their apprehension.
PREVIOUS ATTACKS.
The general agent of the Adams express
company in Chicago states that Long Point
has always been considered the most dan
gerous point on the route, and messengers
have been instructed to close their doors
while passing it. Apprehensions of an at
tack have been entertained all winter. An
attack was made on freight train at that
place last winter, and all the men were
driven into the caboose, until they could re-
cover themselves. Two or three davs later
five men jumped on the platform OF the ex.
press car when the train stopped, but were
driven off.
WHAT SAVED BURKE.
The car which Burke defended against
the robbers had only two doors, and those
were at the sides instead of the ends, other.
wise the scoundrels would probably have
succeeded in their attempt. The plucky ex
press messenger Burke, is an Irishman. and
was formerly employed in the express Office
at Cairo. 1t is thought that clue has been
discovered to the robbers, and they will soon
be secured The excitement is intense and
lynching is feared.
THE JAMES BROTHERS.
The robbers wore masks. The Governor,
It is said, is powerless TO catch or punish the
villains, because the last legislature refused
to vote for an appropriation for such contin-
gencies. The county authorities are also
unable to do anything. 1t is thought the
murderers and would-be robbers are none
other than the james Brothers.-.Special 10
Iioston Daily Globe.