The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-09-15
A Bold Train Robbery

INDEPENDENCE, Mo-, September Sat $40
O'Clock last evening, as the passenger express
train No. 4S over the Chicago and Alton road
approached deep cut about four miles east of
here, and two miles west of Glendale, where
the Missouri Pacific track crosses the Chicago
and Alton, Engineer L. Foote was signaled to
stop his train. Thinking possibly that de-
layed freight train was in his way, he whistled
down brakes" and brought the train to
standstill, but not until be had discovered
pile of rocks on the track and that the man
who had given the signal wore mask, and
proved to be the leader of a wel-armed and
disciplined force OF men, who succeeded in sue
cesstully carrying out one of the most daring
and skilfully planned robberies that ever oc-
CURED. AS the leader appeared in sight he
shouted, as though addressing large body of
followers: "Now, men to your work. Fire !"
Instantly there came sharp discharge of fire
arms, which served to carry out the impress
ion that the gang the train men had to cope
with was indeed a large one; for following
the broadside came irregular discharges at
brief intervals Passengers and train men
were panic-stricken by the fusilade, and before
they had had an opportunity to recover from
their fright the robbers had complete posses
sion of the train. All of the robbers were
masked, and, as the expression goes, EARNED
to the teeth" with formidable revolvers and
Henry rifles. At each door of each passenger
car stood one of the gang with revolvers
cooked and threat expressed in forcible Ian
guage that the first one who ATTEMPTED to move
would be killed. The advice to remain quiet
was needed by all on the train except Frank
Burton, the brakeman upon the front platform
Of the sleeping car, who heard freight train
coming up behind his train. Intent upon pre-
venting collision and saving the lives of the
ha i,nno6 irony, Nd la,
tern in hand, ran down the track toward the
On-coming freight. As the robbers saw him
going down the track they opened fire upon
him, and though their bullets passed unpleas-
antly near he was not hurt. That his life was
saved was due to the fact that the engineer,
seeing the necessity of tagging the freight
train, shouted to the captain of the band !:
"For Gods sake don't shoot him, he's trying
to save the lives of these people" Instantly
the captain threw up his hands and shouted:
stop shooting" The command was obeyed,
and Burton escaped down the cut and sue
ceeded in stopping the freight train and pre-
venting the collision which must otherwise
have inevitably occurred.
Before this incident took place, the engine
had been taken possession of by four of the
desperadOes, and Engineer Foot and Fireman
John Stealing were compelled to leave the
cab, the party threatening to kill them if they
refused to obey orders. Consequently they
complied, as did the engineer when he was IN
structed to take his coal pick from the tender
and go with the party to the express car. On
arriving there he was forced to break down
the door. Entrance being effected, it was dis
covered that the express messenger, Fox, of
st. Louis, was missing, but a search resulted
in his discovery in some bushes at the side of
the track, where he had hidden himself when
10 rnd on In
taken from his hiding place and forced to open
the SAFE The contents were speedily trans
ferred to the pockets of the gang, but the
amount secured was so small that the robbers
were disguised, and they knocked the messen-
ger on the head number of times with a
navy revolver, inf1icting quite serious and
possibly fatal wounds, because he would or
could not turn more money over to them.
1t is supposed that the robbers at first only
intended to rob the express car, for when that
job was completed they held a consultation,
after which a party of six entered the passen-
ger cars. Many of the passengers, suspecting
what was in progress had taken their valua-
bles from tlieir pockets and hidden them
wherever they could find place that seemed
to offer security. The scene when the robbers
entered the cars beggars description, for wo-
men and children wept and man begged as
for their lives that they might be allowed to
retain their money, which, in the case of a
number of immigrants, was all they had in
the world. One of the passengers states that
one of the robbers had with him huge sack.
into which was dumped Unfortunately all
the valuables that were secured. The train
hands were placed under guard, each with one
of the gang holding a cooked revolver at his
head. While the robbery was in progress each
person was compelled, under threat of death,
to empty the contents of his or her pockets.
Articles of no value the owners were allowed
to retain. Ladies were compelled to sit on
the floor of the car while the desperadoes
valuables that had been hidden under car
seats and elseWheEe were secured, and it is
estimated that the amount obtained from the
passengers aggregates at least $4,000 and
may exceed that sum. One man gave UP $3.50
in cash and q gold watch and chain: On tie
train was an excursion party of thirty-tive
persons from the vicinity of Penn Yam, Yates
county, N. T., in charge of @. Roland Camp,
general travelling and land agent for the Fort
Scott road, who we're going West for the pur=
pose of buying land From the members of
this party alone the robbers secured over a.
600 in cash and valuables.
When the robbery was completed the gang
left the train, and made for the woods, where,
it is supposed, they had horses hitched ready
to convey them to place of safety.
AS soon as it could be done the INSTRUCTIONS
on the track were removed, and the train pro:
ceeded t9 Kansas City, when 8 posse Of men
Wss aE1ganizzed To follow, and, if possible, cap:
tnfe the gang. The authorities at Marshall
were also informed Of the robhery, and from
there another posse of men under the charge
Of sheriff started to head off the desperadoes
Il they attempted to go towards the east.
From this place also body of picked men,
under Marshall Murphy, started in pursuit,
and there is scarcely settlement In thaycini.
ty that has not contributed its qddta of men
to assist in the search. ''.fhe country is now
being thoraughly Secured il every direction,
and there is little doubt that all the members
Of the gang with theirbooty, will be captured.
I Conductor Hazelbaker who had the train
in charge, was fired at several times by the
robbers, but escaped injury. Fox, the express
messenger, who was SO badly WOUNDED on the
bead, passed through here this morning en-
aGaXtS from Kansas. City to his home in ST.