The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-07-20
The Recent Railroad Robbery in Mis-
souri,.

The statement of Mr.. Conkling, the bag
gage-master, is probably as clear as any
that could be obtained.
He says that the train left Otterville, a
little town IT'S miles from St. Louis, at a
few minutes after ten o'clock, and made
fair time on the down grade which extends
several miles east from there As the
train entered long, deep cut known as
Rocky Cut, about two and one-half miles
east of Otterville, the engineer suddenly
caught sight of signal light. Not sus-
pecting anything more serious than an
obstruction on the track, the engineer put
on the brakes and reversed his engine.
The distance was so short, however, that
the train did not stop until the engine
reached pile of ties that lay across the
track little east of where the light had
been. The engine climbed up on the ties,
rising fully ten inches off the track, and
then stopped and of its own weight settled
back upon the track.
The first intimatiOn of mischief which
the passengers had was demoniac veil
from fifteen or twenty men, and large
number Of pistol shots, given before the
train had arrived at halt. In less than
a moment the report went through all the
cars that the highway robbers had pos
session. The scene was then wild Women
shrieked, some tainted, and many of the
men crawled down under the seats of the
cars. Some began to take out their money
and jewelry for the purpose of hiding it
under the seats, but others, seemingly
utterly paralyzed, remained in their seats,
blanched and trembling. Meanwhile the
yells and pistol shots were continued
without, and the passengers had every
reason to believe that a massacre was in
progress. Although there were probably
fifty revOlvers among the passengers, no
body seemed to have thought of organic
ing defense.
The end doors of the express car were
closed and locked, but the side doors, as
usual in summer, were open. The ex.
press messenger, Bushnell, was among the
first to take in the situation, and before
the train stopped he dashed through the
cars to the rear sleeper, and giving the
key to his safe to brakeman there, made
him put it in his shoe.
The wheels had hardly stopped turning
when two men, with navy revolvers
jumped upon the engine, and covering the
engineer and fireman with their weapons
suggested very quietly that they had bet
ter remain passive. The suggestion was
acted upon, and the engineer and fireman
were marched into the baggage car and
kept under guard.
At the same instant that the engine was
boarded, three men were lifted upon the
shoulders of others to the side door of the
express car. So cody desperate were they
that they seemed to care nothing for the
risk of thus boldly entering the open door
way. The express messenger, as before
stated, had fled, but Conkling, the bag
gage-master, was in the car They a
once took charge of him, and asked where
the express keys were. He said that hi
did not have them. They searched him
and not finding the keys, remarked that i
would perhaps be better for him if he tolt
where they were to be found. He glanced
at the Misunderstanding shooting irons
and said that he guessed the messenger
had the keys. "Where is the messen
ger?'' was the next question. HI
said the messenger had just stepped
aft. They placed Conkling in front Of
one of the navies' and pushed him. along
very calmly through the cars, requesting
that he point out the express messenger
whenever he should come to him. As thu
quartette passed through the cars with
ugly masks and their cleaning revolvers
the effect on the passengers seemed yer,
depressing. They sat like statues in theil
seats, and those who were snugly cuddlec
up under the foot-rests did not seem tt
take sufficient interest in the proceedings tt
poke out their heads and look. The scene
was in striking contrast with that outside
where the pistols continued to pop ant
the robbers to yell. The men found thu
agent in the rear car, and Conkling point
ed him out. One of them remarked sen
tentiously to Mr.. Bushnell, at the same
time diverting his revolver that way
"Give US the keys, my Christian friend
and be quick about it," The remark wa:
very effective, and the brakeman's shoe
soon yielded up the keys One man re
NAMED as guard over the agent, while
the other two marched Conkling back tx
the express car. The fellow in the sleeper
marched up and down occasionally, with
Bushnell in front of him, and terrorizet
the passengers most painfully. As he wa!
going to the forward end of the car on ont
occasion, the negro porter remarked, in {
suppressed voice: IF any of you gent!
has got revolver, now's a bully chance
to pop that fellow back of the head" Ont
of the suffering travellers Immediately
broke out in mortal terror: Sh-h-h
Don't get us all killed"
The men who went forward opened thu
Adams Express Company's safe, and thu
entire contents were indiscriminately
dumped into long wheat sack which hae
been brought for the purpose. 1t wa:
found that none of the keys would fit thu
other safe, and an active little man wht
seemed to be a sort of inside manager, and
who, by the way, was the only small mar
in the entire crowd, ran forward to the en-
CINE and got pick, with which he at
tackled one of the panels of the safe. He
struck several blows that were, not very
effective, when an immense fellow
who was with him stepped forward, seized
@&F
$50 --.3 l.