St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-10-08
Particulars Of the Train Robbery in
Arkansas.

reporter, makes the following statement
relative to the recent train robbery on the
Iron Mountain Road in Arkansas:
When I was pulling out Of Hope. two
men got on as the train started. Aftcrward
another ran out of a saloon and got on the
| train, joining the other two. On going
through the train l found the three in one
Of the extra coaches, there being several eX-
tras in The train. There were no other pas
sengerS in the car, eNcepta lady and gentle
man. | walked up to the men and asked
for their tickets. One of them inquired:
"What is the fare to Emmerrett:'' pro-
nOuncing the name of the station Incorrect
ly, it being Emmett. | told him, and
| he paid the passage for the three. He asked
one OF his companions for pocket book,
and it having nothing in it one of his
companions handed him another, from which
he took money and paid the fare.
| ms man, who was the leader, had
a black mustache. | Went back into the
ladies' car. A lady who was in there said
they got up and followed me, stopping at
the door and drinking from bottle. They
then opened the door and went out anc
came into the car where | was. The,
| mustache cried out: II want yoIl
change.' l thought they were half drunk
and turned around to make them be quiet.
| when L saw their reyolvers. The leader
then said. looking at me: :" We mean pu,i-
ness; we don't want to hurt any one: we
only want your change" | turned to wall
away, when he brought his revolver down
on me, saying: ave want YOUR money
frst" ran my hand into my pocket and
handed him about-Slo in silver. "Giye me
your greenbacks, quick" he continued. 81
have none," l told him, ard that sayed
them, for he did not search me.
go along now." ana he stepped behind
me. The other two getting ahead, they pro-
ceeded to rob the passengers, calling for
change occasionally, and giving back thrcs
or four dollars to victims. They gave bach
so to one man, from whom they took $500.
They did not rob more than ten or fifteen
passengers. One man bluffed them off with
fifty cents. When we went into one car
where knew John Pollock, who has charge
OF the ice car, and who generally carried
several hundred dollars, was asleep.
called out to him, giving him an opportu.
money, john lie handed the robber $40
or 700. throwing roll of 1900 under the
seat. They then pushed me along into tn.
Pullman sleeper, banged the door open. and
began talking very loud. The conductor
OF the car came running I'D to us and
said: "Shut up that racket, or vou'li wake
my passengers. The leader drew his
gun on the conductor and compelled him
to shell out S 10, which he said was all he
had. They did not rob sleeping-car pas
sengers. They did not even wake them I'D. |
ana were in great hurry. noticed in the
sleeper they all wore SLOUGH hats pulled
we'll down. Leaving the sleeper. they
marched me back through the entire train
to the express car. This car is E combined |
express and baggage car; the door is not
kept locked. The service is done by the |
Iron Mountain Company on this train, the |
Southern Express Company only running
messenger on Nos. and 2. The leader said !
that if any one makes move you'll get it. |
Crowdfng me along with his revolver, he |
crowded me into the express car ahead of |
them. Messenger Ben Sain went for his re-
yolver. said: "Throw up your hands, Ben;
if you shoot Pm goner." He was compelled |
to do this, for there was one revolver in my
face, and the muZzles of two others against |
my head. They made San unlock the safe,
took the packages themselves, tearing open
the envelopes, and the messengers purse,
containing $40, they also appropriated.
After going through the safe, one said:
Now show us good place to get off, and
they got off right where they robbed the
train, about four miles north of Hope and
the same distance south of Emmett. When
they had climbed upon The embankment the
leader yelled out: ''Now 60, and be
quick" George Stanton, the engineer, who
had been standing out on the ground watch
ing the robbery. started to get back on the
engine, and not moving fast enough to suit
the desperadoes, they fired voley at him on
the engine. l was in the baggage car, and
fired four or five times out Of the door to
make the passengers get their heads out OF
the windows, for did not know but what
they might fire into the cars. AS we went
past them my baggageman, Ford, told them
that he had no money. They did not even
search him. One of the passengers, ne
gro, said to the demand for change: 90 Ise
paid once, boss" thinking the robber was
the conductor. They went on right past
him. The report that they had confeder-
ates on the train believe is mistake.
The robbery took place about ten O'Clock.
The delay was not over fifteen or twenty
minutes. The robbers, who are strangers
at Hope, had been there but a few hours.
1t was known that they spent good por
ton of the day at the Hope water tank,
three miles north of Hope, where they had
horses. The train, however, did not stay
at the tank, so they left their horses and
went to the town.
The total amount secured by the robbers
from the passengers and express company
is in the neighborhood of $4,000.
American ladies who travel in Eu-