The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-07-18
PRAIRIE PIRATES
non A LlanTNINa RxFREss TRAM
Aud XIII the Conductor aud . Passenger
Heroic Conduct or brakeman
"A Fitting Climax 70 the
CaESeFofths HOIoFi6us
James BFOthsFs,

% presS circles this morning when the d
It tails Of tina robbery Of the Chicago, Roc
= : Island 4 Pacific train became known. tt
n wanton and coWardly killing Of OonduCtt
Il Westisll and the Stonemasop, John M
Clellan, makes this the worst Of the nj
Z msrous train robberies which have di
|. grRced this section Of Missouri during th
q past eight yeArs, Public opinion herr
! especially among police officials, 10 tbs
this last outrage was the work Of jess
and Frank James, Dick Little, I'd Miller
(brother Of Clem Miller, killed at North
/ tisld, J and some new recruits. Insuppol
ol this, It is said the trail Of the robbsr
led from Winston toward Clay county
The trail was easily found this morning
the footprints Of the horses showing th
party 10 be composed Of seven persons.
The killing Of Weatfall by the tall mar
with black whiskers was coincident will
the Gallatin bank robbery, where thC
cashier was IN necessarily killed, At thC
Richmond bank robbery one or two mer
were slain. John Shaw was murdered
without reason or necessity for II. At the
Northhsld bank robbery the cashier Wsl
killed. At none Of these places were the
murders necessary; still there 10 no ques.
ton but that the robberies were committed
by men who had spent their lives In the
business.
Among the old desperadoes who are still
OF large, and most Of whom are engaged
In some OF the most daring and desperate
robbeTles known, are Ed Miller, Jim Gum.
mings aud Dick Little, all three OF whom
were at Glendale. The theory OF an OK,
press official is that after the robbers
mounted the train men were stationed on
the platforms 70 watch the baggage car,
while the men In the smoking car were
placed there TO see that the conductor OF
any one else should neither surprise them
nor enter the baggage car. In the event oil
the conductor entering the baggage car he
would have discovered the men on the
platform, and the train men would have
been prepared to give the robbers warm
reception.
Ed Miller and Jesse James are noted ior
wearing long linen busters, as they cover
up weapons, and on OF least two occasions
the last named was 90 attired when daring
robberies were committed, All sorts oil
rumors have been floating about to-day
regarding the pursuit OF the robbers. The
sheriff OF Gallatin started out late last
night with ftty men, aud Of four O'Clock
this afternoon Sheriff Tlmberlake, OF Clay
county, lett Liberty with aa many men.
Timberlake went to Cameron this morning
and offered his services, but at two O'Clock
II was reported that the robbers were try.
ing 10 reach Clay county, the old home Of
the James boys, and the Sheriff was put
on board special train and returned to
Liberty, where his party was Immediately
organized and started ont.
Tho home OF Mrs. Samuels, mother OF
JsBe and Frank James, is east Of Liberty,
In q thick piece Of timber. and, "a the
noted outlaws were OF Winston on Friday
night, they are certainly working toward
their old stamping ground, where every
foot 10 known TO them, gnd where for
years II has been impossible to capture
them.
Among tie passengers was e. L. Martin,
OF Kansas city, who gave the following
account OF the affair: The train left Kan.
sas City at $3.50 last evening, and consisted
OF six cars well filled with passengers, In.
Guiding Q sleeping coach. Supper was
furnished at regular eating station, and
no event occurred to excite the suspicion
OF the passengers ortrain men until Weston
was reached, which was $3.50 O'Clock,
At that station four rough appearing men
got on the train, With haldkerchiefs held
about their faces 90 Rs 10 partially conceal
their features. The first intimAtion that
the passengers received that there Waa
anything wrong was the cry, "All aboard, /"
which appeared 10 be Bigual. AZ that
instant four men, as well % sever.
al others who had come from Kansas CITY
and Cameron, made 0 rush Tor the engine
and for Conductor Charlie Westfall. Fire.
ing was heard In the front cars 90 we'll as
on the engine, and then the train was put
In motion at forty mile per hour rate. On
giving the signal two Of The men made for
the frst coach, where the conductor was
standing. 0ne ot the men went up 10 Con.
duCtor Westiall, and putting q pistol to
him, said: "You are the man l
want" After saying this the robber
fred bis pistol, the ball striking West.
fall in the arm, but did not
prove fatal. Wegttsll attempted to run,
and as he did 60 the robbsr fred twice al
him. Westiall reached the platform, and
then q second robber fred shot, which
killed him instantly. The conductor fell
dead on the platform. He was wounded
In several places, bat the last shot took
effect In the brain, producing 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 10 appre.
bend that there was danger, 90 on the up
proach Of the trio he started back on The
engine and secreted himself In the tender.
A stonAmason BY the name Of Miller came
forward from the baggage car while the
shooting was In progress. The robbers
mistook him for the engineer and shot
him, the ball taking effect In bis heart, >
Charley Murrpy, express messenger,
was Alec visited BY some OF the robbers.
He WAS knocked over the head and mad q
to deliver the keys 10 bis safe. The rob.
hers faneacked the safe and secured $500
in money, $500 In yAluables, and Govern.
ment bonds TO the amount OF $1,000
Murray was treatened with instant death
II he concealed anything, but was permit.
ted 10 live on informing them that al bis
valuables were ID the safe.
A brakeman on dnty, whose name can
not be asCettained, as soon % he learned
oi the murder oil the conductor, rushed
through the train aud informed the pas
seneefs that an effort would be made 10
rob them. AZ soon % this had been &C.
complishad, the brakeman started for.
ward, and when Ia The second coach the
robbers entered both doors, with pistols
ID their hands, demanding money The
brakeman pulled q cord attached 10 the
air brake, and soon Aitefward the train
stopped and the meti jumped Cd from the
cats and made for the woods.
Mr.. Martin stated that not more than
fifteen minutes elapsed from the tlme Of
leaving Weston until the robbers Jumped
from the cars and made themselves scarce,
The eleeping.caf porter locked himself DIP
10 the state room of the sleeper, and
didn't make himseli visible until the train
wI1 near Washington. Conductor West.