Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1879-10-23

were brought across the river to tell
their several stories. No great
amount of money had been lost.
The most pfoft unate oAcs of Z them
was young gentleman from Ken
tucky who had lost $500 in money
and bis gold watch and chain. No
attempt was made to capture the rob-
serssS@12 s+~@, S
TEE saD's lnLL ROBBERY.
This tbok place on the Sd Of Sep
tember, 1874, soon after the affair at
Lexington, the same uen no doubt
taking part in both. There is this
noticeable fact connected with all
these train robberies they have, in
all instances, been committed by not
ever nine men and not less than six.
The stories about twenty and thirty
men being in these raids are exager-
ations that arose from the lively i'm
aginations of the victims.
1t was late in the afternoon when
the passenger train from ST. Louis on
the Iron Mountain railroad was flag
ged at an mearthly place, known as
Gad's Hill, a short distance above
Pine Bluff, and boarded by six or
eight armed men. OF course there
was panic among the passengers.
1t was the first real train robbery
that had ever been committed. There
were, perhaps, revolvers among the
passengers, but there was no time
nor disposition to use them. Before
the passengers in the hind part
of the tram knew what was the mat
ter those i'll the front part of the train
had been ritled. Two or three of the
masked gentlemen, with cooked re-
voIvers III their hands, went through
each car and took watches and money
and other valuables they could lay
their eyes upon. The whole thing
was done in the coolest and most
good-humOred manner. Only the
well-dressed people were disturbed.
The robbers said they would not take
cent from any man who wore a
slouched hat, for ''these are of our
own cut" said they. As soon as every
car had been gone through with the
train was permitted to go ON its way,
and the robbers with an indefinite
amount of booty rode off through the
thick woods. There was but u fee
bic effort made to capture them, and
that met with no success. A letter
was left behind warning all pursuers
that il they came too near they would
be shot dead, and it appears that
without the incentive Of big reward
nobody was willing to take the chan
ces. There is no doubt that the
loungcrs and Jameses were the chief
actors in this affair, for it is known
that in few days after they appear
ed at their favorite haunt, Floyd,
Louisiana, with good horses and plen-
ty of money.
TIE OTTEKVILLE ROBBERY.
The OttervilIe train robbery took
place July Z, 1876. Ii was about 3
O'Clock in the morning that the ex-
press train on the Missouri Pacific
was stopped IN a deep cut, few miles
east OF the little town of Otterville,
which is about 30 miles east of Seda-
liza. 1t was as lonely and as des0ate
a spot as Gad's Hill. A lot Of ties
had been thrown on to the track SO
that it would have been impossible for
the train to proceed, though it was
stopped by red flag, device that
will always succeed. A half dozen
pistol shots were fired into the air,
and the robbers immediately made for
the express car. Not passenger was
disturbed. The Adams Express Com
pany's safe and that OF the United
States Express Company were both
opened and empticd of all their valua-
bles. The men We're all masked and
did their work with experienced
hands. 1t is not known how much
money was secured, but it is sup
posed to have amounted to at least
SIS, 900. The robbers took their
booty in sacks and rode off to the
South. The train went onto Sedaiia.
and Immediately party was organ
lied and sent in pursuit., under com
mAnd of General Bacon Montgomery
Heavy rewards were offered by the
railroad company, by both express
companies and by Governor Hardin.
The Chief of Police, of this city, sent
out some of his detectives, and q
most vigorous search was made in all
directions. The trail was discovered,
but the men were never overtaken in
a body. This was impossible, rs they
separated as soon as they had divided
the piunder. Two men were arrested
Hobbs Kerry and Bruce Younger
the latter relative of Cole Younger,
one of the leaders. He was kept in
the Boonville Jail some time, but was
finally released for want of evidence
against him. Hobbs Kerry, who was
arrested at Joplin, was brought to
st. Louis, and knew enough OF the
participants in the robbery to tell who
they were. 1t was settled beyontl
question that they were Cole, Jim and
Bob Younger, the two Jameses, Char
lie Pitts, Clel. Miller and Bill Chad
well In just one month after the OF
terville affair, these same parties went
to rob the bank at Northtield, Min
nesota, where Chadwell, Pitts and
one of the Youngers were killed, and
where two of the Youngers were cap
tured. a .,1
There was no train robbery in the
state after that at Otterville till the
one which took place at Glendale on
the Chicago and, Alton the 9Th of this
month. 1t had been hoped that the
State had got rid of the men who had
been SO successful in these bold out
RACES, but there is every reason to be-
lleye that the James brothers-two of
the leaders of the old gang-were in
this last affair. There were three
men in the party who wore no masks,
These, are belieYed to have been Frank
and Jessie James and Jack Bishop,
the latter a well known Texas and
Colorado mail coach robber, and for
whose arrest there are rewards aggre-
eating $4,000. The details of the
Glendale robbery are still fresh in
the minds of the public, and need no