The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1878-04-06
The Robbery Predicted by a Detective
Several Days Before the Capture
The Operators Retreat Hurrledly
In a Northeasterly Direction.

and navy skies, AZ tho train
drew up at the depot, the
robbers rushed into the office
and made prisoner OF Mr.. j. Hix
cox, railroad agent. One OF the party |
covering him with apistol, kept the
agent In the Office while the three
others hurried TO the locomotive and
arrested the engineer and fireman,
whom they marched, together with
tho agent, 10 the door Of the express
car.
Before leaving the depot the agent
had Teen ordered ON reaching the ex'
press coach TO ask 10 be admitted,
felgning M though he was alone. AL
though all had been quietly and quick
ly done, the suspicious Of the express
messenger must have been aroused,
for when the agent asked for nd.
mltlance as he had been commanded,
the messenger refused 20 open the
door under any circumstances inform
Ing the agent that he could only get In
by breaking In the do n. One Of the
robbers ran TO the tender and return
Ing with stick OF wood proceeded to
batter In the door, the Lender OF the
maskers at the same time calling out
to the messenger that they would
give him two minutes to open the
door.
When the messenger opened 10, he
was covered with the arms Of the
party, and ordered TO unlock tho safe.
On entering the car the robbers imme-
diately went through II. This com,
pleted, the leader OF the gang said,
"Welt, Wen now see what's In Uncle
SANS packages" and started for the
mail car AT this jancture Conductor
Campbell came out to see what was the
occasion OF the delay, and was rounded
up by the robbers with the agent, en-
gineer and llremsn, at the same time
being relieved OF his watch. The mail
bags were then ritled aud all registered
letters taken. A stock man Of this
| place, named Wilson, who was aboard
of the train, came out and walked up
into the crowd, not knowing the ma.
ture of the delay, when one of the rob-
bers said, "Fall into line, Wilson, d-n
you, fall into line," which hr did with.
out further delay. The robber unques-
tionably knew him, but Wilson failed
to recognize his voice.
After the robbery, the maskers back.
ed some distance from the train with
their weapons presented to prevent an
attack, and then turning, retreated
hurriedly In northeasterly direction.
Colonel Noble, superintendent of the
Texas and Pacific, who was in the city
ut the LeGrand, WAS telegraphed re-
garding the robbery, and upon receiv.
ing the message notified the officers OF
the fact, when posse OF men, headed
by Captain June Peak, started In pur-
suit, Thus far nothing concerning the
movements OF the pursuing force have
been received. The mask ers are
thought to be of the same gang who
recently robbed the Texas Central rail.
road at Allen and Hutchins, variously
estimated at from four to sixteen.
Mr.. Hargis, the agent of the Texas
express company at this place, was
called upon by HERALD reporter to
ascertain the amount taken from the
company. The gentleman stated that
the amount taken could, not be much
over fifty dollars, but was reticent con-
corning anything else connected with
the robbery and pursuit. Judge Nor.
ton, the postmaster, was also called ups
on by the reporter, to learn, il posi-
BILE, the loss by mail. He stated that
he could not tell, as the major
part Of 1t was through mail to Fort
Worth, and he had not received any
information from that point regarding
1t. He said he could, therefore, only
speak Of the mail from this point, and
as there had been but very little regis
tered money sent on that evening in
that direction, he thought the amount
gotten by the robbers must have been
small.
These bold, djagracef,l robber-
les are becoming SO frequent that the
express company aud the state should
offer rewards sufficient to bring about
the capture OF perpetrators, and the
railroads so arm their employees and
trains that successful resistance can be
offered when attacked.