Huntsville gazette., 1881-07-23
THE RAILROAD ROBBERY IN MIS-.
SOURI,.

Rock leland Passenger Train boarded In
Missouri by Rnndits-Cold-B -BlOoded Muir
der Of Conductor Westf.sn and Man
Named McMiIian-The Robbers Secure
Only About Sc, OOO-The Notorious James
Brother. Believed Have Been Con-
cerned In the Outrage.
1t was at nine O'Clock Friday night,
at Ion, ly switch station, west OF Winston,
that twelve OF fifteen men boarded the train.
They were taken to be ordinary passengers,
labOrers or stOckmen, and attracted no spe-
cia attention. Just east of Winston Station
the train came to sudden stop. Conductor
Westfall stepped off to see what was the
matter, when the train moved on again.
He jumped aboard again, and as he was
about to enter the front door OF the smok-
ing-car two men confronted him, and one
Immediately leveled a revolver at him and
fired. The ball struck Westfall in the arm,
and, surprised and terror or-stricken, he ran
through the smoking coach, the men closely
pursuing and firing upon him. Two more
shots took effect upon the conductor, and
upon reaching the rear platform Of the car
he fell dead. A passenger named Mcmillan,
a stone mason employed on the railroad.
tried to escape from the coach by the same
door which the murdered conductor went
out Of when he fell dead upon the platform,
and he was also shot and killed, whether by
stray shot or purposely is not known.
While this tragedy was being enacted, a
gang of eight or ten men went through the
coaches, firing their revolvers at random
through the roofs and sides of the cars,
and threatening to kill any passenger
that dared to move. A part of this
gang went into the baggage-car and
attacked c. Fl. Murray, the express messen-
ger, and his assistant, Frank Stampes. The
assistant was dragged from the car. and
Murray ensconced himself on the floor be-
hind some trunks to escape being hit by the
flying bullets. The train ran about half a
mile before he was discovered, and the rob-
bers then dragged him from his place of con-
cealment, and, placing their revovers at his
head, demanded of him, upon pain of in
slant death, to open the express safe. The
leader OF the gang produced bag from his
pocket, and the contents of the safe, about
$1,000 in currency, were deposited in it.
They then demanded Murray to show them
where they could find other money, and he
informed them that they had all of value in
the car except fifteen bricks Of silver bullion
that lay on the floor OF the car. The robbers
did net cucumber themselves with the bull
ion.
After the bandits had completed their
work Of robbery and murder, they deserted
the train and dispersed in all directions, and
it was then found that the engineer and fire.
man had been oyerpowered and kept in
subsection by two men with pistols, who,
when they wanted the train slowed up,
would place their weapons to the engineers
head and commanded him to use the lever
as they directed.
The passengers in the coaches were panic
stricken, overpowered by the large gang Of
well-armed and desperate men, and perfect
ly helpless to help the conductor or preyent
the robbery.
As soon as news of the mNrderous out
rage reached the officers of the Rock ISL
and Road, they offered reward Of 80, 900
for the apprehension of the highwaymen.
On the afternoon of the 10Th Chicago re-
porter called upon Mr.. Frederick Henckle,
gentleman very well known in Chicago,
who was in the baggage car when the as
sault Of the robbers occurred.
~ was pretty well eXcited,' said Mr..
Henckle, land may not remember all the
details. 1 think that it was twenty minutes
past nine O'Clock. L had just had my sup
per, and was enjoying cigar in the smok-
ing car. think that the station is Prince
ton, Mo-, where we had our supper, some-
where between Cameron and Winston Sta
he Al.
noticed a crowd of rather hard looking
characters about the station. They
were together in groups of twos and
threes. When we were through sup
per they yelled 'All aboard The first we
knew, the train was flying along at rapid
rate, and a man, very large, thick, heavy
set, with black beard, short, but thick.
came in, followed by couple of others. He
was dressed, as far as / could notice, in
linen coat and straw hat, and the other
parts Of his clothing don't recolect. The
trio came in by way Of the front platform of
the smoking car, and one of them, the man
with the black beard, had a revolver, cooked,
in his hand. He muttered something, and
commenced to fire at the conductor. He
ran out, and the others crowded I'D to
him.
(which way did the conductor run?',
asked the reporter.
He ran toward the rear platform out of
the door, where heard more shooting. We
all ran back to the sleeping cars where we
belonged and threw ourselves on the floor.
l only saw the gang at the station while they
were in knots, and l should suppose that
there were at least dozen of them. should
think that there were four of them who
came into the smoking car. After the
trouble was over we found the conductors
lantern and his brains on the rear platform.
s.As soon as the train was in possession Of
the robbers the passengers jumped down on
the floor. Some of them hid under the
seats. You see, it was unhealthy to be up
en- your feet at that time. 1t -rained lead,
and lead diet is unhealthy. There were six
ladies in the sleeper, and as soon as they
heard the shooting they just dropped on the
floor like the other passengers. They were
frightened, but they showed as much grit
as the men. We couldn't show much, for
not one of us had revolver. John McMil-
Ian was killed with the conductor. 1 think
that the thieves recognized them and they
were put out Of the way ON that account.
think that the express messenger,
William Murray, deserves a deal of credit