Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-07-11

Office of Captain Purdy, and the
officers version of the matter was OBJ
tanned. Mr.. Bressie was the FIRST to
give a statement of the affair. He
said: "We some time ago had our
suspicions aroused and were led to
believe that a plan to rob our express
car was being laid. We have been
on the lookout for three months.
About a week ago the officers were
informed, and when it became evident
that the robbers intended to make
their attack Thursday night, | .ale-
graphed them to come up to L.aporte
and return on train No. G.. They
therefore quietly took the train, being
careful to conceal themselves in the
state room of q sleeping car, and
came to the place specified. They
thought best to come to Laporte,
where none of them are known, as it
would not do to be seen at Elkhatt,
where they would be Immediately
recognized. Thursday night we all
took train No. 6, and, under Capt.
Purdy's directions, concealed our
selves behind boxes in the car, and
laid.in waiting for our men. Our
feelings of excitement, as the train
neared Ligonier, can be better i'm
agined than described.
Here Chief Purdy took up the
narrative, and gave a graphic des-
cription Of the capture. 81 stationed
Brown, Cavanaugh and 1ibbits, SO
that if the robbers entered the car
those officers would be in the rear of
' them. Sullivan, Hart and myself
a were SO stationed that should they
enter the car we would face them.
The others were stationed ON either
side. There was a narrow aisle
through the stacks of baggage just
9 wide enough to allow a party of men
to pass through single file. Manager
Carleton SAT- in the centre Of the car
in a small area where the express
matter had been cleared away.
:. Nothing occurred to arouse suspicion
till the train was leaving IigoHier,
Y Then footsteps were heard on the
platform. Every mans breath came
,f quick, for we thought that an attack
would surely be made.
= The train got under Roadway, anc
= was about two miles away from the
!, station, running at full speed, wher
the door was opened, and four men
'' two with BACKED faces, and two wear
10 ing masks, entered the car. The mes
y senger was quietly and coolly looking
over his bills. had previously in
structed him as to his method Of pro
V. cedure, or, rather non-procedure
The men walked into the car singl,
h.. file, and Detective Cavanaugh reached
- his hand out quickly and closed tn
door. They did not notice the nov
as One of them laid his hand on th'
n shoulder of Messenger Carleton ane
said, "Hello!" Carleton, who had be
ty fore been oblivious to all surroundings
started up and saw three revolver
I'd pointed towards him. 1t require,
e. the utmost GOODNESS for him to sit still
n in that situation, but he acted as
st it were the most usual thing in tn
20 world to pass through the ordea
" which he was then undergoing. TIL
~ man with his hand on the messenger
- shoulder, was about to pull the ropes
ae with which to gag and bind him
'lr from his pocket, when l gave the sig
nal, and we all sprang from our place
of concealment. The robbers starte
ia to rush out of the car, but they wer
is intercepted by Officers Brown, Caviar
,st augh and Tibbits. Wepounced upo
at them from all sides, and each seiec
ted his man. Then occurred the mos
or desperate fights | ever witnessed. Th
j men knew they were struggling 70
- liberty, and they were desperate a
rs tigers. The air was filled with yells
IN and the sight which presented itse
rs was that of a confused mass of strr
ut CLING, yelling humanity. Two officer
all bore Laddy to the floor, but he strus
lst gled to his feet and fairly shook Their
as off. One of the party presented hi
of revolver at Detective Cavanaugh'
head, but that officer struck hir
nd across the hand, and his weapon fe
;, to the floor.
IN. never saw SO desperate a man a
wv Mr.. Hart. (The gentleman allude
~, to is an old man, who is apparent
=. feeble in healthy He hit Lady se1
Is eral stunning blows on the head wit
op ability that made the blood fly in a
directions, but that desperat
man did not seem to fee
it a particle. Every one {
the thieves had his revolver cooked
but they were all knocked out of the
hands, and we that were making tn
in arrests fought with billies and clubs
at 1t was a long time before the me
L., were overpowered. At last the
he handcufed, and utterly exhausted
lie We sat down to contemplate tn
RS, result. | expected to find that som