Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-10-12

IL.
ut was about time for the train to start
when l heard the words Come out of there
you - This woke me up, and i after
wards learned that the remark was made by
Conductor Greeley to q man whom he noticed
getting into the car. ~
"When awoke / naturally glanced down
the car, and l saw standing within four feet
of me man with pistol in his hand. / was
lying with my head toward tho front of the
car, and the man was standing near my feet.
did not say word; in fact did not have
time to speak before he covered me with the
revolver and fired. The bullet went over my
head and could feel the fire burning overmy
face. The man then fired a shot out of the
doorway at the conductor. Fortunately was
completely self-possessscd, and when he fired
i realized that Il train robbery was going on.
With the hope of making the robber believe
that he had killed me / unclasped my hands
which were folded on my bosom, and allowed
them to fall at my side. My right hand fell
on the muZZle of my revolver, and realizing
that IL would never do to allow the robbeI to
that | was about to defend myself,
worked my hand slowly into position, until
had hold of the pistol, with my finger on the
trigger. The robbcr did not notice this man.
euvcr because IL was quite dark in that part of
the car where lay. Meantime the man was
working his way toward the rear of the car
evidently surprising that he had finished me,
and intending to Kill the baggageman or any
one else who got in his way. As soon as got
hold of my pistol sprang into n sitting pos
turc and fired at the robbcr. | jumped up
then and walked toward the man. He raised
his revolver as if 10 shoot again, but il went
of prematnrcly, the ball striking the roof of
the car. When shot at him part of his body
was behind Il stove. l aimed at his abdomen
and believe that my ball took effect. About
this time saw another man, who proved to
be the pal OF the first, trying to climb in at
the side door. No sooner had fired, however,
than he disappeared, and the man / shot mt
jumped out on the platform from the rear
side door. That was the last saw of the rob-
bcrs. j calculated that they would come up
to the front side door of the car, and Selling
some freight barricaded the door so as TO
been entrusted to my care.
LESS than half minute after the robbers
l,, my ear heard some shots at the engine.
Three shofs were fired in half as many minutes.
i stood at the front side door of my car revol-
yer in hand. Just then Conductor Greeley
came up Have they gomez | asked. Yes,
j think so, replied he, but believe our en-
gineer and fireman are hurt Then Greeley
went forward to them, and coming back to me
said: They are both killed. The engineer is
shot through the heart and the fireman
through the neck
81 then jumped ont on the platform and saw
the engineer and fireman lying on the platform
alongside of the engine. The fireman was still
conscious and was taken into the hotel, where
talked with him few minutes. The body of
the dead engineer, poor John Hilton, was put
aboard the train and taken to Dodge.
after considerable delay we gotta new en-
Rineer and fireman at Coolidge and started
again on our journey, an hour and forty min
utes late. At Cimarron twenty miles distant,
we met n special train from Dodge City, con-
veying to Coolidge Sheriff's posse to pursue
the TODDcTS
Failing in their effort to secure the treas
ure in the express car, which was obvious
ly the chief object of the raid, the robbers
took to their heels, going around in front of
the engine and disappearing in the darkness.
They made their escape to the southwest,
discharging their revolvers into the air in
order to brighten any who might have the
hardihood to pursue them.
When the real state of affairs became
generally known among the passengers,
the widest excitement prevailed. Men
were pale with fright and women were in
Mysteries. For some time after the raid
few of the passengers were bold enough to
leaYe their seats, but after while, when 1t
became certain that all danger was passed,
they came out and thronged the platform.
The news was Immediately telegraphed
to Dodge City, where forces were quickly
organized for the pursuit, These left in a
special car furnished by the railroad COM
pany.
Two men, arrested on suspicion, are John
Looney, cowboy belonging to the Arkan-
sas Valley Stock Company ranch, and
Lewis Chambers, also cowboy with Bates
g. Beal or the al. X" brand. Both men
have an exceedingly hard reputation about
Coolidge. They were committed to jail at
Dodge City.