Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-10-01
CRIMES OF THE DAY.
SANTA FE TRAIN IN KANSAS BOARD
ED By TRAIN ROBBERS.
The Engineer Killed and the Fireman
Wounded-All Kansas Excited and
Vigorous Pursuit Oraanized-A Roman
tic WOnan's Suicide-COroners Verdict
in the Rose Amber Case-Lowis Sus-
pected of the Murder.
KANSAS TRAIN ROBBERY AND MURDER.

KANSAS TEAM ROBBERY AND MURDER.
KANsAs CITY, Sept. 80. -This forenoon
shortly before o'clock the ''thunderbolt''
passenger train of the Atkinson, Topeka
d Santa Fe railroad was boarded by
twelve masked men at Coolidge, Kansas
and the Wells Fargo company's safe was
robbed. The engineer refused to stop the
train when ordered by the robbers was in
stantly killed. The fireman and brake
man were badly wounded as was also the
express messenger. 1t is impossible to as
certain the amount of booty the gang OBJ
tanned. The robbery has creates the most
intense excitement in Kansas, where it was
thought with the breaking up of the James
gang train robbing was to be forever ended.
Coolidge, where the robbery was COM
mitted is small station on the Atchison,
Topeka & Santa Fee railroad, 456 miles
west of Kansas City, and with the excep-
ton of the telegraph operator is almost
uuinhabite1. An armed posse has been
sent out from Kmporia, Topeka, Dodge
City and other points to pursue and cap
ture or kill the robbers. Later: A dis
patch. dated at Coolidge says s.. 8. Peter
SON the express messenger was not hurt
and the robbers got no money.
EMpoB1A, Kss., Sept. 29.-The body Of
John Hilton the engineer killed in at
tenn pting robbery at Coolidge was
brought here this morning and the coro-
ner's inquest is now being held. Hilton
leaves wife and four children, who re-
side here. The wife is unconscious as a
result Of the terrible shock. Deputy
Sheriff Mathers, Nelson Carey, Bill
Coombs and others went from here in q
special train and are in pursuit. The
robbers are heavily armed and no doubt
will resist arrest. Parties on the train
say they can identify the parties if caught.
Todele, the fireman, was shot in the mouth
the ball coming out behind the jaw, max
ing most painful wound. The train was
in charge Of Conductor Greeles. Supt.
Patche, of the Wells-Fargo express, has
received dispatch from Messenger Peter
son confirming the story as already sent.
KANSAS Cry, Sept. 29.-It is known two
robbers were engaged in the Coolidge
fight. 1t is generally believed there was
third in the party. @. @. James, postal
clerk, tells the following story: The train
had stopped at the station and the con-
ductor had just signaled to start when a
man with drawn revolver climbed on the
engine and ordered the engineer to sur
render. A seufhe ensued. Meanwhile a
man opened the door of the express car,
stumbling as he entered. He at once
opened fire On the messenger who orouched
behind box. The robber fred four times
and the messenger returned the fire when
| h. co. OF %o1 &ha 1c{
as the fireman. who had left the engine,
was passing the platform the robber fred,
and Fade, the fireman, fell senseless
with bullet through his
neck. Meantime the first
robber who had been forced backward by
the engineer, fired at the engineer, who
fell dead shot through the head. James,
hearing the firing, had gone to the door of
his Car and Witnessed the attack on the
express car. By this time people hao
come out of the train and the robbers had
disappeared. Only a few persons wit
messed the shooting. s. 8.
Paterson the messenger who
resides here, told about the same story as
James. He declined to say how much
money was on the express car. Everybody
seemed dazed by the shooting and it was
some time before pursuit was organized.
One theory of the affair is that the robbers
had accomplices further down the road and
the intention was to run the train short
distance and stop, but that the assailants
were somewhat under the influence of
liquor and their plan miscarried. Two
strangers were seen about the platform
before the train arrived. AS curious
coincidence it is related train was al
tackled a few miles west of Coolidge, across
the line in Colorado, just Que year ago to-
night and the Weils-Fargo express safe
robbed.