Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-07-17

Rock ISLAND, July 16.--The evening
papers here contain the following account
of train robbery on the Chicago, Rock
Island & Peoria railroad: The train was
boarded at Winston, Mo-, last night by
gang of men, while a
number of their accomplices were already
in the different cars. AT signal given
the robbers rushed forward and shot the
conductor and made an effort to kill the
engineer The latter escaped in the
darkness, but stone mason, who was
one of the passengers, was mistaken for
the engineer and killed. Immediately on
having secured possession of the train one
of them ran TO the engine and steam was
applied and the train was started over
the track at furious rate Of speed.
Some of the robbers then started for the
express messenger and another squad
started through the cars, when an order
was given the passengers to hold up
their hands and give up their money and
valuables
The men sent to the express car succeeded
in knocking the messenger down and Sc
curing his keys. With these they opened
the safe and secured all the money and
valuables which it contained.
A LATER ACCOUNT
Rock ISLAND, July 16.-No event oc-
Cured to excite the suspicion of passen-
gers or train men until Winston was
reached, which was at $50 O'Clock. At
that station four rough appearing men
with handkerchiefs about their
e. ko
their features. The first intlmation the
passengers received that there was any
thing wrong, was the cry, GAIL aboard"
which appeared to be signal. At that
instant the four men, as we'll as several
others, who had come from Kansas City
and Cameron, made rush for the engine
and for Conductor Charles Westfall. Fir
ing was heard in front of the cars, as well
as on the engine, and the train was put in
motion at forty mile per hour rate.
On giving the signal two of the men
made for the first coach where the con-
ductor was standing One of the men
went up to Conductor Wcstfall and point
ing pistol at him said, 'tYou are the
man 1 want" After saying that the rob-
Der fired his pistol, the ball striking
Westfalli in the arm, but id not prove fatal
Westfall attempted to run and
as he did so the robber fred twice
at him, but Westfall reached the plat
form Then second robber fired the
shot which killed him instantly. The
conductor fell dead on the platform. He
was wounded in several places, but the
last shot took effect in the brain, pro-
ducing almost instant death.
Three of the robbers started for the
engine, with the intention of shooting
the engineer and taking possession of the
engine. The engineer seemed to ap-
prehend that there was danger, as on the
approach of the trio he started back on
the engine and secreted himself in the
tender. A stone mason, by the name of
Willer, came forward from the baggage
car while the shooting was in progress.
The robbers mistook him for the engi-
neer, and shot him, the ball taking effect
in his heart.
Charley Murray, the express messenger,
was also visited by some of the robbers.
He was knocked over the head and made
to deliver the keys to his safe The rob-
bers ransacked the safe and secured
$500 in money, $500 in valu-
ables, aud government bonds
to the amount of one thousand dollars.
Murray was threatened with instant death
if he concealed anything, but was permit
ted to live on informing them thatall his
valuables were in the safe.
A brakeman on duty, whose name can
not be ascertained, as soon as he learned
of the murder of the conductor, rushed
through the train and informed the pas
sengers that an effort would be
made to rob them. As soon as
this had been accomplished the
brakeman started forward, and when in
the second coach the robbers entered
both doors with pistols in hand demand
ing money. The brakeman pulled the
cord attached to the air brake and soon
afterward the train stopped when the
robbers jnmped off from the cars and
made for the woods.
Mr. Martin, of Kansas City, stated that
not more than fifteen minutes elapsed
from the time of leaving Winston until
the robbers jumped from the cars and
made themselves scarce.
The sleeping car porter locked himself
up in staterOom of the sleeper and did
not make himself visible until the train
was near Washington
Conductor Westfall, who was killed,
lived at Wilton, where his remains were
left this forenoon.
The robbers numbered thirteen, and
only two of them had handkerchiefs tied
about their faces.
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