Yankton daily press and Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1875, 1875-07-12
Train Robbinp in Illinois,

Oh sElH: DOtn were lnlOSicMted.f d
Train Robbing in Illinois.
Sr Louis, July 9-Thc following
particulars Of the attempted train
robbery at Long Point, on the Van
dalia railroad, are learned at this end
of the line: The train was the New
York through express, and left St.
Louis in charge Of Conductor Joseph
Fralcy, at 1880 last evening. Upon
arriving at Long Point, the engineer,
Milo Ames: stopped as usual to take
on water. The fireman climbed OH
the tender to water the engine, and
the engineer pickedup his oil,cail and
was just getting down to oil up, when
two men sprsng forward and ordered
him to "pull out" He refused and
Ithcn the order was twice repeated.
Upon refusing for the third time, one-
of them fired at him, the ball piercing
his heart, and killing him instantly
1t was all thcworh OF only few sec
onds, aud, before the fireman could
realize the situation, the robbers had
boarded the engine and opened the
throttle. The engine and express car
had already been aumcouplcd, and
when the engine was started it gave
such jerk that the fireman was.
thrown off the tender to the ground.
The robbers took the engine aud ex.
press car about a mile and half,
where they stopped and proceeded to
break open the express car.
This was the first in,imation that
James Burke, the express messenger,
received Of what what had f Unopened HE he
car was a through one, and was not
TO be unloaded until it had reached its
destination, New York. The mcssen-
ger did not hear the report Of the pis-
tol, for the reason that his car is SO
closed up AS to shut out nearly all
sounds from without. When the en-.
gine stopped SO soon after watering
he knew that something wrong had
happened, aud soon aftcrward he
heard battering against the car and
a voice ordering him to open the door.
He made no reply, but took extra
precautions to be on his guard. The
robbers, finding that the nessenge.
could not be intilnidated by threats
fired several shots through the heavy
oaken boards at the back end of the
car, and commenced to cut and batter
Mn one of the sides. Just at this juno
th(e, Conductor Fralev, accompanied
Fly Me Gremen, brakeman ana several
Passengers, came up, and as soon a.
the robbers caught sight Of them they
broke lofSthe woods. The body o.
: Ames, theSengineer, was lying where
J it fell upon the floor Of the cab. The
engine and express Car were backed
to the main part oiS,he train, and ,her
proceeded on without, further delay.
At l 40 this morningNa large force
Of police started out in pursuit Of the
robbers, and have already made sever
Il arrests on suspicion. AMsaloon
keeper at Long Point and maih Civ
ing the name OF Gibbs, arc two ofth'
parties arrested. Gibbs says that Il
/, had been working on farm in tn
!. vicinity, and had come to the station
, that afternoon to take the train for hi
home, somewhere inthe east. He la,
down near the track aud fell asleep
and did not wake up again until th
: arrival Of the New York express trair
5 As he was climbing on the=traiin,r h
!. said, he saw two men near the engine
Both of them wore plug hats, an
both had on linen coats. Gibbs an
= the saloon-keeper will both be hel
for examination. The fireman sa,
but two men, but the express messcr
ger says he heard several voices, an
!, il confident there were at least fol
. J. men in the gang. Only about or
J hours delay was caused to the train.