American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-07-22
A Lady's Account of the Mis-
- souri, Express Robbery.

- souri, Express Robbery.
Concerning the Missouri Pacific ex
press robbery, Miss Peabody, an ex
Jefferson City lady, and now teaching
school at Denver City, who was on the
captured train, gave the following in
teresting statement to the jefferson City
Tribune reporter: lat
~" After leaving Otterville," said Miss
l'eaoody, $ L was doing in a reclining
chair probably fast falling asleep
Suddenly the, train was brought to a
halt, and q moment later 3 man rushed
hurriedly through the car. 1 believe he
was the express messenger. Some one
asked him what was the matter. THE
train is being robbed, that's what's the
matter, he hnrriedly replied, and kept
on, Then all was commotion and con-
fusion. Including myself there were
three ladies in the car. / confess that l
was terribly frightened and thought 1
should faint, but''-and Miss Christine
laughed at the remembrance-ssI
saw that there was no one handy to
catch or care for person in faint,
and concluded to omit this part of the
programme. Meanwhile, shots were
being fired on the outside, and We
could hear numbers of men cursing
and swearing. I suppose the shots
were fired for the purpose of intimi-
dation. believe our car was next to
the smoking car. Directly the door
was thrown open, and in stalked two
of the robbers. The leader put his
hand on the shoulder of brakeman
and said, 'Here, want you,' and hus-
tied him out. We thought they were
going to shoot him, but suppose now
they wanted him to identify the express
messenger. 1t was rare fun mean
it is amusing to look back at it now,
nothing funny in it tl1en-to see the
passengers concealing their valuables.
Here you would see man with his
boots off, examining his greenbacks in
his socks; several-Mr. Marshall, of
Fulton, among the rest-tossed their
cash, watches, ETC., into coal-box;
others were up on the back of seats
hunting holes for their pocket
books. Wherever any thing could be
concealed, something was sure to find
its way. The conductor, excited and
nervous, hurriedly passed through, and
told all who had valuables to take care |
of them. The most ludicrous incident |
can now recall was when sancti-
monious-looking individual, evidently
scared almost out of his wits, broke |
forth with the old familiar song, "I'm
going home to die no more" His
quavering, doleful voice echoed through
the car with lugubrious effect. Some
of the male passengers were ungallant
enough to interrupt him with the re-
mark that he had better be getting his
money out of the way instead of start
ing camp meeting. Having finished
the hymn, he arose and gave in his ex-
perience. He stated that he had been
a follower of the Lord for ever so many
years-that he was true and consist
emit member of the Church-that he had
never wronged fellow-being, but that
if he was doomed to be murdered, he
wanted his remains forwarded to his
family in New York, and to write them
that he had died true to the faith and
IN the hope of a glorious resurrection.
'tThe tumult outside continued. We
could distinctly hear them pounding
away at the Adams Express safe, and
being delayed. Occasionally shots were
ired. The leader of the robbers, tall
man, accompanied by one
If his comrades, passed through the
,ar. You need not be hiding your
said the leader, I'VE do not in
end to disturb you.' He wore red
over his face, with holes
,ut for his eyes and mouth. Below the
appeared his beard-very ..
ong, but probably false. His compan-
on was a smaller and rougher look
ng man. His mask was simply white $
tied over the lower por-
ion of his face. The upper part was
'lainly visible. He remarked that we I
must consider them an awful set of q
eprobates. The inquiry for arms
bowed three pistols in our car. One /
f these was owned by lady. Through /.
ut the whole affair she remained per- Il
ectly cool and collected, and refused e
0 accommodate a gentleman with the l
Dan of her pistol. When some one
aid this was the work of the James ?
oys, she laughingly remarked that her Il
anne was James, but she hoped none
f her relatives were engaged in such
business. =
"The newsboy had a pistol and saas's !;
is way to the frost-y'sSsform. Look "
a-sysss~e Stuff, he deserted the figure a
a man and fired. In an instant the q
hot was returned. The ball passed be- u
veen the plucky newsboy and gentle o
ian who was also on the platform, and
9th of them sought shelter without cere- a
lony. Thinking that the robbers might u
re through the windows, got off the Z
hair and took position ON the floor n
he sanctimonious New Yorker who . .
'as going away to die no more, think v
lg, doubtless, that L was engaged in h
rayer, softly approached and asked if
was prepared to die? was not in a
umor to enlighten him on the subject.
awe were detained about an hour,
hen, the robbers having accomplished n
heir purpose, gave US permission to n
roceed. 1t was one of the episodes of g
w life I shall never FORGET - q