American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-10-01
ANOTHER TRAIN ROBBERY.
An Iron Mountain Train PIundered Near
Hope, Ark.-Three Beardless Boys Cap
ture the Entire Outfit-About $4,000 in
Cash Taken.


| Hope, Ark.-Three Bcardless Boys Cap
| ture the Entire Outfit-About ST, 900 in
Cash Taken.
LITTLE ROCK, ARK, Sept. %.
Yesterday afternoon three rather good
| looking country boys, young in years, ar
rived at Hope Station,oh the Iron Mountain
Road, Hampstead County, about 100 miles
south of this city. They spent the afternoon
about the saloons Of that place drinking and
! playing cards. At $3.50 last night they board
ed passenger train No. bound north, due
in st. Louis to might, in charge Of Conduc-
| tor Whilesides. Two of the robbers got on
the train as it Started off, and the third, who
afterward proved to be the leader, ran out
of Kohn's saloon and jumped on the train
when it was moving quite rapidly. Hewent
in and joined his companions, and all took
| seats in a coach in which were but two pas
sengers besides themselves, a lady and gen.
tleman. There were several extra coaches
| in the trains going back to st. Louis nearly
empty. The robbers did their work with
remarkable GOODNESS and recklessness. They.
made no attack on the passengers, and car
ried out new plan. They told the passen-
gers that they intended to hurt no one, and
that they were accountable for the life of the
Conductor. They kept two revolvers at his
head all the time, and told the passengers
that the slightest move would cost the life of
the Conductor.
THE CONDUCTORS STORY.
Conductor Whitesidcs says: " found the
robbers in one of the extra coaches, and
when went to them for tickets one of the
party paid fare for all three to Emmett Sta
ton, the first point north of Hope. The
leader spoke the name of the station as if
spelled Emerett, showing that he was not
70 mil iar Wit fho fry nm ma Of
them toward the rear of the train, when
they got up, and, after taking drink from
a bottle ut the door, followed me into the
ladies' coach. They were not masked, and
1 had no idea they were desperadoes. /
turned around to order them to be quiet,
when a revolver was cooked in my
face and one of them cried out,
Put up your hands; we want your spare
CHANGE 1 still thought the boys were
spreeing, and smiled at them, when one,
jerking his revolver nervously, said: I'VE
mean business and don't want to hurt you,
but we want your change mighty quick I
started to move away, when the robber
nearest me said, I'VE want your wealth
first 1 ran my hand in any coat pocket and
handed them SIG in silver but no greenbacks.
'Greenbacks we-want,' he continued, and
told him had none, and they didn't search
me; in fact, they searched no one, simply
ordered one and all to shell out. John Pol
lock, the foreman Of the ice cars, had nearly
81 900 and got off with nearly all OF 1t, throw
ing it under the seat and giving the robbers
$50. The robbers, after going through the
ladies' car, crowded me into the Pullman
sleeping car, the passengers in which had
retired. A great deal of noise was made en-
tering the sleeper, one Of the robbers yell
ing out, Throw up your hands, The car
conductor came running to the door, and
snfI mt mt r wal p
my passengers The Youngest OF
the robbers threw gum down on
the sleeping-car conductor, and told
him to shell out. He handed over $40.
They then looked into the car, and saw it
all made up and no one in sight. They then
said, Don't wake the passengers. Let 'em
Sleep L was then told to face around.
They marched me back through the train,
two robbers behind and one in 'front.' We
made no stops until they reached the express
car. This car, on the night train, is COM
bined express and baggage car, and can not
be kept locked. They made me enter the |
car first, with three rcyolvers at my head. !
Express Messenger 4SaiH made rush at us |
with q revolver, and L was compelled to tell |
him to stop in order to save my own life. |
While two of them guarded us the other |
went through the safe, tearing open pack |
age after package, and throwing the en-
velopes into the safe. They got out of
the safe upward of SIG, 600, and in their
haste overlooked one package, the re-
mitttance of the TeXarkana agent, con-
Gaining 8 $I5. 200. The money stolen
was mostly remittances of agents on the
on the way to st. Louis headquarters. After
the robbery the men got off, climbed an en-
bankment and told the conductor to ieaye,
and be - quick about it, Engineer
George Stanton, who had been down on the
ground watching the performance, then
stepped off toward HIS engine, when one OF
the gang said, Quick, you,' and a vol
ley of bullets ratified up against the loco
II Had nd
shots were fired into the cars, hitting no one.
Walter Ford, the baggage master, got off
free, telling them he had no money. A ne
gro passenger said to the robbers, Pee
done paid once, boss thinking the conduc
tor was calling on him q second time. The
robbers all laughed and let him off. ;"
BIG REWARD OFFERED.
General Manager Hoxie, Assistant Super
intendent Dudley and Division Superintend.
ent Buchanan were on a special behind
the train that was robbed. At Prescott
Hoxie hired men with horses to pursue the
robbers. Between II and To-day HOxie
had consultation with Governor Churchill
in this city, the result of which is that Hoxie
offers a reward of 81, 900 each for the CAP
ture of the men, and the State offers $500 for
each. The Governor and several others
left for the scene of the-robbery at4 O'Clock
this afternoon, where pursuit will be con-
tinued under the direction of the Executive
in person. Reports from Southwest Arkan-
sas are that the people are up en- masse in
pursuit OF the deSperadoes.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
Ben F. Sain, the express messenger, says:
ssThe leader asked me for the key of the
safe, at the same time pointing a revolver
directly at me. / took the key out of my
pocket, when he ordered me to open the
safe. I did SO, and he proceeded to go
through the contents Of the safe, while the
other two stood with cooked revOlvers point
ed at me and the conductor. The amounts
taken consisted OF one package of $15,0S0,
and another package of $40, all in charge OF
the Express Company. belonging to the Iron
Mountain Railroad Company. One of the 1
packages left behind contained about SIS,
300.
Each of the robbers bad light hair and
smooth faces and wore black felt hats, but
had no masks on. They appeared to be or
binary country boys. Beginning in the mid
die OF the car they commenced plundering |
the passengers.
So complete was the surprise and so sud-
den the action of the men that the occupants
Of the car were completely cowed. The
bandits reached for the valuables, which the
passengers gave up in NERVOUS haste.
4. b. Owepsby, Woodville, Ala, says
when the robbers entered the car he was 8
in several of the men began taking of their ,
watches, when the robbers said, "Let your
watches and jewelry alone; we only want
change" To the ladies the leader said:
:. r. quiet and easy, ladies, you Shall not be
mol.sted. We only rob men, and not
women and children" The youngest of
he trio carried dark lantern and revolver,
The others had revolver In each hand. All
we're young men, the oldest with light black
nustache, and not over 20 years of age. |
They were of light complexion and rather
awkward. Quite number Of the passen-
gers had small sums returned to them.