Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-10-01

TO Rah q western Traaa BY Three
Masked Ass, bot were Driven Back
By Piaeky Express Nsssenger-
The Eagi.ees Killed and the
Fireman Injured.

KANSAS Crrr, No., Sept. %.
News has been received here of train rob
berry on the Atchinson. Topeka Santa Fe
road, At or near Coolidge, Kan. 40 miles
| from here about O'Clock this morning.
The reports received this morning were
very conflicting II was first stated that two
men had been killed and . large amount Of
booty was secured. later dispatch given
fuller particulars says that the engineer was
killed and the fireman wounded, but no
money was secured by the robbers. The
train was the regular east bound passenger
which left Denver last night and due here
tonight. Coolidge is a small cattle station,
and aside from the telegraph operator 10
almost uninhabited. As the train pulled ost
from Coolidge three men appeared and or
dered the engineer to stop. He refused and
was instantly shot dead. The fireman was
also shot through the breast and badly hurt,
though not fatally. The men then assailed
the express car, but Samuel Patterson, ex-
press messenger, was prepared for them AMI
made such a vigorous fight that the robbers
were driven of. Finding that the passen-
gers in the train were aroused and themselves
likely to be worsted the robbers retreated,
having failed to secure the tire easure they were
evidently after. Information was at once
teleRraphed to the various stations along the
line, and special train was started for Cool
ridge from Dodge City with poase of armed
men and are now in pursuit of the gang.
John Hilton. the dead engineer, lived at Em-
peria. his run being between that place and
Dodge City. Supt. Patch of the Wells
Fargo Express Co, has received .
dispatch from Messenger Paterson
confirming the story as narrated above. Pat
erson, who was slightly wounded by a pistol
| shot, exchanged about l5 shots with the
robbers.
A special from Dodge City says the body
of John Hilton, the engineer, killed by the
train robbers, was brought here this morning
and the cOroner's inquest is now being held.
Deputy Sheriffs Mathews, Nelson, Garry.
Bill Coombs and others went from here in a
special train and are now in pursuit. The
robbers are heavily armed and will no doubt
resist arrest. Parties who were on the train
say they can be identified if caught. Fodle,
the fireman, was shot in the month.
DODGE CITY, Kan Sept. 20.
Deputy Sheriff Mathews in charge of the
Dodge City posse was met at Coolidge by
Sheriff Parsons Of Bent county, Col. They
arrested two men and brought them to this
place on . special train this evening. The
men were lodged in Jail. The feeling is in
tensely bitter, but the men have not been
fully identified. On steps will be taken to
avenge Hilton's death on an uncertainty.
Another man has been arrested at Garden
City. They will be brought here tomorrow
morning. 1t is now thought that only three
men were engaged in the shooting. The cir
cumstantial evidence is strong. but being
masked it is hard to fully recognize them.
KANSAS CRY, Sept. 80.
The express messenger gives the follow
ing account of the attempted train robbery
on the Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe road
Saturday morning. The train had stopped
| there as usual 20 minutes for lunch. After
putting of some railroad mail laid down on
my box in front of the side door, and soon
dropped into dose. My revolver lay at my
| side ready for any emergency that might
arise. 1t was about time for the train to
| start when heard the words, Come out of
there ID you" This woke up up and l
afterw ards learned that the remark had been
made by Conductor Greedy to a man whom
he noticed getting into the car. When l
awOke l saw, standing with him, four
feet of me man with pistol in his hand.
didn't have time to speak before he fired,
the bullet passing over my head. The man
then fred out thu door~ ay at the conductor
When he feed realized train robbery was
going on and with the hope of making the
robber believe he had killed me, u.clasped
my hands, which were folded on my bosom.
huu oilOWC GU tucuu W ldlt ny uly BIue. MY
right hand fell on the muzzle of my revolver.
Meantime the man was working his way to-
wards the rear car, evidently supposing he
had killed me, and intended to kill the bag
gage master or any one else who got in his
way. As soon as l got hold Of nv
pistol fred at the robber. l jumped up
then and walked towards him. He raised his
revolver, but it went off prematurely the ball
| striking the roof of the car. When l shot
at him part of his body was behind the stove
| aimed at his abdomen and 1 believe my
ball took effect. About this time l saw an
other man who proved to be a pal" of the
first. trying to climb in at the side door. No
sooner had fired than he disappeared and
the man had shot at jumped out on the plat
form. That is the last saw of the robbers.
Expecting that they would come up to the
| front side door. siezed some freight and
barricaded the door. In less than half
minute after the robbers left my car heard
three shots at the engine. l stood at the
front side door Of my car with my revolver
in my hand just then Conductor Greedy
came up and said that our engineer and FIRE.
man was hurt. Then Greedy went forward
to them and then coming back to me said ::
'.They are both killed. The engineer is
shot through the heart and the fireman
! through the neck.
went out on the platform and saw the en-
gineer and fireman lying on the platform
alongside of the engine. The fremen still
conscious was taken to the hotel where
talked with him a few minutes. At Cim-
maron, 20 miles distant, we met . special
train from Dodge City with the sheria's posse
~ pursue the robbers.
THE ROSE AMBLER CASE,