, 1877-09-29
Overland Train Robbed.

| CHEYENNE Sept I9-The east bound pas
senger tram which passed here at 3 P. NJ. to
day, was stopped and robbed by IL masked
men at Biz Spring, Nebraska, lG0 mics cas-
of here to o-nicht. The robbers first took pos
session of the station at the Spring, destroy
ing the telegraph instruments, and compelled
the agent to hang out red light. When the
train stopped the robbers took possession.
| putting the train and passengers under guard,
| The express car was broken into and the safe
robbed of about seventy-tive thousand dol
lars. The passengers were also robbed-of
what amount is not yet ascertalned 10 de-
| Law the train In reaching the rext st: tlon and
alarm being given the fire in the locomotive
was wet down. A freight tram overtaking
the express its engine was sent to Ogalalla,
from where report of the robbery was
made. The robbers are believed to have
gone north. The railroad company offer a
reward of five thousand dollars for the arrest
of the thieves.
Bic Spring station, where the robbery Of
the express train Was committed last night,
is water station l62 miles east of this place.
There are only one or two houses beside the
station there. The robbers rode to the sta
ton in the evening and took possession of
everything, tearing the telegraph instruments
out and throwing them away. The red hight
was hung out to stop the tram, which reach
there about III P NJ. On the conductor step
ping off to see what was wanted he was con-
fronted by two men armed with revolvers,
who ordered him to throw up his hands. The
engineer and fireman were secured and a
guard placed at each coach door The sta.
ton agent was compelled to knock on the
express car door, and on It's being opened fer
him the robbers rushed III and Overpowered
the messenger, Miller, and took possession
Of the car. They secured 800, 900 in coin
and about 500 in currency from the express
company.
The through safe, which is stationary and
has combination lock, they left undisturbed.
1t contained . very large sum of money. The
passengers in the coaches were then VISITED
and relieved of cash and valuables- The
plumber taken from passengers Is stated to
be $500 in cash, four gold watches and a
ticket to Chicago. One man named Morris
lost a gold watch and four hundred and eighty
dollars IN money. The arrival OF freight
train evidently interfered with their plans,
for after putting ont the fire in the locomo-
tive of the express train they mounted and
rode away without disturbing the occupants
of the sleeping cars. To-day the U. p Il. Z.
company and Union Pacific Express company
offer reward of $40, coo for the arrest OF
the thieves and recovery of the money;
pro rata of the reward to be paid for the re-
cOvery of any portion of the money or cap
ture of any of the robbers. The sheriffs OF
surrounding counties and commanding Off
GERS of the military posts throughout Ne
braska and Wyoming and along the h. L.
road have been Notified of the robbery, and
erything possible VIII be done to effect
their arrest.
just previous to the arrival of the express
tram in charge of Conductor Patterson, two
masked men stepped into the Office OF the
station agent, Mr.. Barhart, who was taken
completely by surprise. They pointed four
cooked revolvers 1T him and ordered him to
tear up his telegraph instruments. MIR.
Barnhart tried to deceive them by taking mp
his sounder, bnt they stepped him and made
him take up the relay which they carried Off
with them. The person wl.o gave orders was
a captain, and seemed to De an intelligent
man, and Mr. BaEnhart is Of opinion that he
is telegraph operator. They then ordered
h!Ni 20 put OUT HIS Tc'i iir5ht- iLtcr luc iCu
light Was hung out on the track, they COM
mandcd Barnhart to get his mail ready rs
usual. The tram came along and stopped in
obedience to the red signal light. They be-
gan at once to carry out their well laid plan
Four men who had Barnhart in charge took
him to the door of the express car and made
hin, knock, as he usually does, when he
wants the express messenger to open the door.
Miller, the express messenger. having no
suspicion that any other person except Barn
hart was outside, opened the door a little
way, when three cf the robbers caught the
door, and throwing it wide open presented
their revolverS at the messenger. They then
went through one of the safes In the car and
secured the treasure boxes containing $50.
GOO III gold coin. The through safe, which
has combination lock, which is only un-
locked at each end of the road, they did not
touch. The messenger did net know the
combination and could not, therefore, reveal
the secret 70 them, notwithstanding their
threatening demands. The robbers did not
interfere with the U. S. mails, but went
from the express car into the frst-class pas
senger coach and robbed the passengers. after
which they disappeared They had no horses
in sight, but it is supposed they had their
steeds concealed near by.