The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-07-21
STAND AND DELIyERi
Daring Express Robbery by Masked
Highwnym the Missouri Pacific
Rstiroad-A Big Haul-A Lot Of Scared

prom the 81. LOuls Times. July %


When the leaves are out and the
nights warm the night riders will be
heard from. The lesson was taught at
the Gadshill, Muncie and the Rock Isl
and train robberies as well as by the
raids on the Ste. Csnevieve, CoTydOn,
Gallatin, Russelville, and Huntington.
TO the long list Of bold operations is
added Rocky Cut. The Missouri Pa
cific express No. reached this city
yesterday morning with a couple Of
plundered safes and n story Of robbery
10 tell beside which all ordinary ex-
PLOTS seem insignificant.
The train under Conductor Tibbets
left Kansas City at 45 Friday after
noon, arriving at Sedalia without acct
dent shortly after nine. After a brief
halt 10 receive the express matter of the
Adams Company, which owns the NJ.
X. & T. route and transports to St.
Louis in the care OF the l. nited States
Express Company, which owns the Mis-
souri, Pacific route, the train steamed
eastward At about half-past ten the
heavy down grade east OF 0iterville
was reached and the train started into
Wild piece II country, little settled
and fun II ravines and heavily timber
cd. About three miles east of Otter
vile the train runs down what is called
Rocky Cut. Out in the open country
the moon cast flood Of light. In
Rocky Cut the high PERCEPTIONS sides
threw heavy shadows and the darkness
was stronger by contrast. There
THE TRAP WAS SET.
A mile away from the cut, at Lamine
bridge, the robbers had picked up
watchman and gagged and piniOned
him. He had been forced TO join them,
taking his lantern in hand.
A, the lower end Of the cut they had
stationed the watchman, and behind
him they piled a heap Of ties. As the
7 train came inside down the cut. they
( loosened the waichman's arms, station
cd themselves on the sides Of The cui
and bsde him signal hai,. Responsive
t. the waving light. the engineer
whistled down brakes. With momcntuG
largely overcome the engine struck the
distractions, climed upon the ties a
\ foot or more, then slipped back again
upon the rails. Before the train stopped.
men were at work on the track behind
putting up barricade. Others with
I drawn revolvers were climbing into the
engine aud cab and express car, while
\ from the bank on either side came
oaths and yells aud the sharp rafting
fire Of revolvers. Up and down each
side OF the train marched stalwart
guard, threatening death TO any one
who came from the cars or looked out
Of the windows. Outside, this was the
programme faithfully carried out for
over an hour. Inside, with the train
men under guard, the robbers piled
their work at the safes, until finally,
having
RIFLKD TIE sTRONG-BoNEs
OF both companies, they departed with
Y imprecatsaas. None Of the passengers
were robbed, and no indignity offered
I beyond the continual cursing and black
I guardism used, with the evident pur-
pose Of preserving the first effects Of
intimidation and panic.
The train consisted Of two baggage
cars, three coaches and two sleepers.
7 The passenger list was heavy one, but
during the halt in Rocky Cut.it was an
exceedingly quiet one Flow the
Z frightened travellers passed the time Is
I told in the statements Of themselves
and Of the train men below. Only one
Of the robbers showed any disposition
I 10 20 in for individual plumber, and he
was promptly checked by the leader.
The robbers, from the various de-
scriptions given, seem To have been
mostly young men. None Of them, so
far a. these descriptions 20, bad any
I beard. They were moderately well
dressed, chiefly in jeans and stout coun-
try clothes, and nearly all wore high
cavalry boots with the pants tucked In.
Several had on spurs. They made no
effort at Disgusting their voices, but
talked almost continuously. To the
people on the train it seemed as If there
were a dozen in and along the train and
as many more on the banks shouting
and shooting. The trail, however,
shows party Of less than twelve. The
train was held just an hour and ten
minutes. As the robbers drew off they
called attention to the distractions in
the rear, remarking that they had bet
ter be removed. The train men set
about clearing the track, and while al
work could hear the robbers chatting
and laughing a they walked over the
hills. None were mounted at the cut,
but !, was subsequently found that they
took horses short distance away and
rode 70 the south. As free rs the rob
bers were in their speech while about
the train, il was noticed that none Of
them called each other by name.
THE MESSENGERS STATEMENT.
II happened about a mile east Of the
Lamine water tank, near Otteryille.
The first intimation had OF any thing
wrong was from the sudden stopping o.
the train. was standing at one of thu