Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1881-07-26
THE ROCK ISLAND TRAIN
ROBBERY.

FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE DARING
COMMISSIONERS OF PANIC AND TERROR
A TELL-TALE LETTER DROPPED BY ONE
OF THE HIGHwAYMEN.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, July l7.-There is
considerable evidence to show that the
train robbery on the Rock Island road
last Friday evening was done by the no
torious James gang, and it may prove
that one or both of the James bows were
present with the gang. The horses used
by the robbers In their escape were thor
ougilbred animals, in the best condition
for the work on hand. The horses were
hitched to fence about fifty yards from
Winston station, where the following
letter was found:
KANsAs Cry, July IL, 1881.
CnARLEY:-I got your letter to-day
and was glad to hear that you had got
everything ready in time for the 18TH.
We will be on hand ut that time. Bill
will bc with us. We will be on the train
-don't fear. Wen be in the smoker at
Winston. Have horses and boys in good
fix for fast work. We will make this
point again OIL the night of the 10th.
All Is right here. Frank will meet us at
Cameron Park. Look sharp and be we'll
fixed. Have the horses we'll gaunted, as
we may have some running to do. Don't
get excited, but keep cool till the right
time. Wilcox or Alcott will be on the
engine. ] think it best to send this to
Kidder. Yours, through time and
through death, STICKS.
The letter was found in the UNDER
brush, and bears evidence of having been
carried some days In the pocket. The
people Of Winston and vicinity who
know the James boys and most Of the
comrades they have had In the past say
that they have no doubt of their being
connected with the crime, but 1t has
long been q custom OF the people of
Missouri to atti ibute every piece Of out-
lawry to the James boys, and time alone
will tell whether or not the present sus"
picions are founded on good grounds
The officers of the United States Express
Company refuse to name the amount Of
money taken from the safe, but say that
they think $4,000 two high Il flguie.-
Conductor purple, Of the Hannibal rail-
road, who passed through Cameron with
his train last night, stopped long
enough to gather some of the stories.-
lie SAYS that Wcstfall was shot while his
back was turned to the assassin, and that
Mcclellan, the stone mason, was shot be-
cause he, seeing the Intention of the
robbcr, attempted to cut him down with
stone trowel, the only weapon he had
ut hand. An old, citizen, who has as
aistc,l IN many mn effort to root ont
gang Of desperate men who terrorized
this section several years ago, says:-
''rhcr are men ut large who have been
robbing trains and committing other des-
perale crimes for twenty years, and am
not surprised at the wanton killing OF
Conductor Westfall, and there IL not, In
my opiniOn, any reliable indication that
these robbers we're not old men In the
business. Among the old desperadoes
who are still ut large, and most of whom
were engaged In some OF the most dar
ing md desperate robbcrlcs known, are
Ed. Miller, Jim Cummings and Dick
Little"
STATEMENT or RYE-wITNEssEs.
CHICAGO, July 1.-THE through pas
aengers from the train that was boarded
by banditti arrived In Chicago last night
One of them, Mr.. G. +. Chase, OF the
Topeka Police Department, gives the
following narrative or the ailnir;
engine, express and baggage car, smok-
ing car, coach and Pullman sleeper.
was In the coach next behind the smok-
ING car. Conductor Westfall was for
ward. The brakeman, Thomas, and the
news agent, whose name have forgot
ten. were IN the smoking car. The train
halted nt Winston for q couple OF min
utca. This was about half-pnst o'clock
4. Al. In Ofi
I'm motion again | heard two or three
shots. The shooting seemed to be In the
alecpinp car. At the same instant the
passengers In the smoking car came
tearing through the coach like mob..-
The stampedcrs wero heading for the
tail end of the train. As they rushed
through somo of them kept pulling ut
both the mir brakes aud the bell rope.
WINS carried along the aisle by the crush.
vcnturcd, while struggling TO keep my
feet, TO inquire what had happened, and
was answered by the shout of Robbers y
On the rear platform of the coach met
the rear brakeman. He was signaling
with his red lantern TO the engineer to
stop the train. lie didn't know what had
happened either; at least he pretended
not TO know. Subsequently he said that
there were robbers around. The train In
the meantime had slackencd little. l
pulled out my double back-actlon hair
trigger, and aa did 40 / remarked that
did't propose to permit anybody to rob
me. This alarmed the brakeman, who
ordered me to put up my weapon, MS its
exposure would draw n fire from the Mt
tacking party. didn't put II up though
nil the gamc. looked In the c0nch ana
saw only two or three persons, and they
were lying under tho seats. One man
crowded under seat In the smoker, ana
Law there until after we had run fifteen
or twenty miles.
THREE BRAVE GIRLS.
"Three girls, who had taken seats In
the smoking car, for what reason | did
tot know, acted with charming GOODNESS
and did not attempt to 20 back In the
train until after nll the other passengers
had fled preclpltatoly excepting the chap
who took refuge under scat. After u
few seconds eaw n man In his shirt
sleeves coming from the forward end OF
the train. lie stopped In the coach ana
rested on the arm OF one OF the seats
This was the express messenger. Ills
facc was very pale. | went up TO him
mud said, Have they been coming "thc
John Rodden" over your lie smiled
nnd answcred YEA asked him ifthcy
ind got everything In the safe, and ho
what the amount waa. lie replied that
Hc could not say, ns he had only receipt
ed for the way bills. ! led the way, aud
we went forward to tho express car
The car wns dark, hut the aide doors
.... ..... Wa ufpttyl n li0itl anI innls