Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-07-19
An Express Train Robbed in Missour;
ST. IOUIS .Inlx 9

ST. Louis, Julys.
ANOTHER daring railroad robbery
took place in Western Missouri. last
night, equaling in all respects, and ex-
ceiling in many, any other one on rec
ord.
From the confused accounts given
by the passengers and railroad men.
the following facts are CLEANED: The
eastward-bound train on the Missouri
Pacific road left Otterville, Mo-, few
minutes past ten O'Clock last night.
and when two and half miles east of
that place, and in deep cut, the engi-
neer saw signal light to stop. Think
ing there was some obstruction to stop
the train, he applied the air-brake,
and, after running few yards, dis
covered a pile of ties and lumber on
the track He compfthended the stu
alton at once, but could not stop the
train, and it was not till the locomo-
tive had climbed partly up on this pile
of ties that. the train came to u stand.
At the same instant dozen or fifteen
men appeared with terrific yells, and,
discharging pistols, dashed at the train,
proclaiming their intention. Two
jumped on the engine, and with navy
revolvers, covered the engineer and
firemen, and threatened to kill them if
they offered resistance. They were
then marched 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
revolver 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
many OF whom had cOuched down UNI
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 Il 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 Il 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 notice.
| While these acts were being per-
/ formed, the remainder of the robbers
were making the night hideous by
! marching up and down outside the
train yelling like devils, and firing OFT
their pistols. In this way the passen-
gers We're completely terrified, and not
/ the least show of resistance was made
/ by them.
| When this work was done they LETT
/ the scene of their daring exploit and
! departed in a southerly direction.
! SO far as can be learned, the Adams
! Express Company loses some S4,Wo
and the United States Company about
/ 1000: but these amounts may prove
| to be too small.