Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1875-07-15
Railroad Train Aftacked-BOld
Attempt to Rob an Express
Car-The Engineer KILL
ed i'm His Cab.

TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA, July g.
Long Point, station on the Vandalia
Railroad, three miles west of Classy, Ill.
inois, is a place where all trains on that
road usually stop for water. II is a
lonesome place, situated in the woods,
with no one living within mile and a
half of it. 1t has long been considered
by the railroad men as a dangerous
place. Several times lately the engi.
neers have seen suspicious persons lurk-
ing about there at night, and have run
by without stopping for water.
Last night, at midnight, as train No.
5, east bound, conductor Fraley and en-
gineer Milo Ames, came up to Long
Point for water, two men boarded the
locomotive, one from each side, and
said to the engineer: 'Pull out The
engineer was at first somewhat bewild-
cred. When they said again, pull out,
he seeming to comprehend the situa-
ton, said, all right, I'll pull OUT The
men then said we will run the thing
ourselves and at that both the robbers
fired. One of the shots killed the engi-
neer instantly, and the other lodged in
the cab. The fireman, who was on the
tank taking in water, Immediately
jumped and ran to the rear of the train
to notify the train men, having heard
the conversation, and comprehending
the situation. During these proceed
ings al the engine, confederate had
detected the Adams Express car, and
they then, pulling the engine wide
open, ran her about two miles east and
stopped, blowing off brakes to deceive
the express messenger.
They then came to TIE door of the
car and said: Let me in, jack He
replied to them, L am ready for you
if you ever come in here you are dead
men, The robbers then commenced
firing into the Car. The messenger
(Burke) said it seemed to him there
were dozen of them, as the shots
seemed to come from all directions.
The conductor and train men, after the
shots were fired, saw the situation Of
affairs and at once pursued them. They
could only find one revolver on the
train, but found two soldiers on the
train who were armed with carbines.
With these weapons the train men and
soldiers started in pursuit of the train
and the robbers, but when they came
up to the train all was quiet, the rob-
bers having fled. They found the en-
gineer in the bottom of his cab, cold
and stiff. There chanced to be a freight
engineer, Jack Vandergrift, on the
train, and he, with the fireman, imme-
diately ran the engine back to the train
and brought it in The robbers failed
to gain any entrance whatever into the
express car, 1t being one of the close
kind, having no windows and very
strong everyway. Had they detached
was Immediately in the rear of the
Adams, they would undoubtedly have
accomplished their object, as it was an
open car, having windows, the doors
not being very strong. They found
the hammer by which the coupling pin
was knocked out, and which may here
after serve as clue to the discovery of
the perpetrators of this outrage.
The train men speak in very flatter-
ing terms of the pluck and bravery dis
played by the Express Messenger
Burke, under the trying circumstances
in which he was placed. There is in
tense feeling among railroad men over
the death of Engineer Ames, and
should the perpetrators be caught. it is
very generally believed that it will not
cost the State anything to prosecute
them. Engipeet Ames was one of the
best engineers on the road. He was
about thirty-five years old, and had
been married but short time.
The robbers wLo boarded the locomo-
tive wore long linen busters. Conduc-
tor Fraley and all the train men, in
fact, did all they could under the cir
Several suspicious per-
sons are already under arrest, and every
effort will be made by the railroad
to bring the robbers to tls-
tice.