The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-07-21
ATHRILLlNG ADVENTURE.
Thirteen Robbers Murder the Conductor and
a Passenger and Secure only IS 900 tor
Their Enterprise.

Thirteen Robbers Murder the Conductor and
a Passenger and Secure only IS 900 tor
Their Enterprise.
A daring robbery was committed Thursday
night on the Chicago Rock Island l. Pacific
passenger train bound east, near Winston sta
ton, twelve miles from Cameron, No. As the
train left Winston it was boarded by q gang of
as ordi>ary passengers. When about two
miles or more from the station they revealed
their intention by commencing their deviish
work. Their first act was to shoot down the
conductor, William Westfall, the ball entering
his body from behind. Westfall staggered to
at the brake, and fell from the train dead. The
robbers rushed into the exl ress car, and after
short conflict knocked down the express
messenger, Murray, and robbed the car.
Amoug the passengers was l. Martin Of
Kansas City, who gave the following account
OF the affair: The train left Kansas Cay at half
past six last evening, md consisted OF six cars
we'll filled with passengers, Including Il sleep
ing coach. Supper was furnished at the regu-
ular eating station, and no event occurred to
excite the suspicious of the passengers or the
train meh until Winston was reached, which
was at half paetuine o'clock. At that station
four rough appearing men got on the train
with handkerchiefs about their faces so as to
partly conceal their features. The first intma-
ton the passe1 gers received was cry Gall
aboard which appeared to be signal. At
that instant the four men, as we'll
as several others eG, who had come
made a rush for the engine and Conductor
Wes'fall F hing was hes RI in the trout cars
as we'll az on the ergiue and the train was put
in motto at forty mic per hour rate In Civ
ing the signal two of the men made for the first
coach where the conductor was standing. Que
of the men went to Conductor Westfall, and
|. pointing pistol at him said ''you are the man
WANT After saving that the robber fre.l
not prove fatal Wcstfall attempted to run,
and as he did so the -obber fired twice at him
Westfall reached the platform, and then sec
ond robber fred
THE SHOT WHICH KILLED HIM.
Instantly the conductor fell dead on the plat
form. He was wounded in several places, but
the last shot took effect in the brain, produce
ing almost instant death. Three of the rob-
bers arted for the engine with an Intention of
shooting the engineer and taking possession of
the engine. The engineer seemed to have ap-
pretended that there was danger as, on the ap-
proach of the trio he started back on the ell
stone mason by the name of Miller came for
ward from the baggage car while the shooting
was in progress. The robbers mis-
took him for engineer and shot him, the ball
taking effect in his heart Charlie Murray, the
express messenger, was also visited by come
of the robbers He WIS knocked over the
head and made to deliver the keys to his cafe.
The robbers ransacked the safe and secured
$4,000 in money, $30Oin valuables, and gov
Murray was threatened with instant death If no
concealed anything, but was permitted to live
OIL informing them that all his valuables vera
in tho safe.