Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-07-20
The EXpress-Train Robbery in
Missouri.

\ ST. LOUIS dispatch gives the fol-
lowing account of the recent railroad
robbery in Missouri:
The eastward bound train on the
Missouri Pacific road left Otterville,
Mo-, a few minutes past ten o'clock
last night, and when two and a half
miles east of that place, and in deep
cut, the engineer saw signal light to
stop. Thinking there was some Oh
struction to stop the train, he applied
the air-brake, and, after running few
yards, discovered pile of ties and
lumber on the track. He comprehend
ed the situation at once, but could not
stop the train, and it was not till the
locomotive had climbed partly up on
this pile Of ties that the train came to
a stand. At the same instant a dozen
OF fifteen men appeared with terrific
yells, and, discharging pistols, dashed
at the train, prOclaiming their inten-
ton. Two jumped on the engine, and
with navy revOlvers, covered the en-
gineer and firemen, and threatened
to kill them if they offered re-
sistance. They were then march
ed into the baggage-car and
placed under guard. At the same time,
the other robbers climbed into the eX-
press car, by the side door, which
was open. Bushnell, the express
messenger, however, had been too
quick for them, and had dashed
through the train to the rear sleeper,
and giving his safe keys to a brake
man, made him put them in his shoes
Mr.. COnkling, the baggageman of the
train, was in the express car when the
robbers entered, and they demanded Of
him the keys of the safes. He told
them he was not the messenger, and
had no keys. Two of the robbers then
put Conkling in front of them and with
revOlvers at his head, marched him
through the train, demanding that he
should point out the messenger when
they came to him. In this way they
passed through the entire train, to the
terror of the women and children, and
the great fear of the male passengers,
many of whom had crOuched down I'M
der the seats and hid themselves in
various ways.
Arriving at the rear sleeper Conk-
ling pointed out Bushnell and the rob-
bers demanded the safe keys of him.
Under the circumstances, there was
nothing to do but to yield, and Bush
nell took the keys from the brakeman
and handed them to the robbers. One
of the latter then stood guard over
Bushnell, while the others marched
Conkling back to the express car,
where they opened the Adams safe and
put the entire contents into a wheat
sack, which they had brought for that
purpose. Not being able to open the
other safe with the key which they got
from Bushnell, one of the men went
to the engine, got a pick, and with this
broke in one of the panels of the safe,
and its contents were also put into the
sack.
The robbers then took the Missouri,
Kansas & Texas Railroad letter-box
and broke it open, but finding nothing
that they wanted, they scattered the
letters over the floor of the car. They
also went to the Adams Express
freight car, but found nothing there
that seemed to be worthy of their no.
tice.
While these acts were being per-
formed, the remainder of the robbers
were making the night hideous by
up and down outside the
train yelling like devils, and firing off
their pistols. In this way the passen-
gers were completely terrified, and not
the least show of resistance was made
by them.
When this work was done they left
the scene of their daring exploit and
departed in a southerly direction.
So far as can be learned, the Adams
Express Company loses some $4,000
and the United States Company about
So, 900; but these amounts may prove
to be too small