Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-12-12
TALES OF THE TELEGRAPH,
Old Telegraph Operators Recount
Their Experiences.
The Great Bullion Robbery at S~idney-Out.
laws Circumvcnted-Ogalalla's Mem
orable Call For Help-Mins
Hunters Tricks-Fool-
ing Il Greenhorn.

Several old telegraph operators met
here last night, and in the course of a
long conversation told some of their ex-
periences on the frontier, One of them
began by recalling the great bullion
robbery at this place. 1t was at noon,
and most of the depot and stage hands
had gone across the yards to dinner.
AS the operator sat in the telegraph Of
flee alone two men presented themselves
at his door and demanded admittance.
Both had revolvers. He jumped up and
let them in, and they quickly bound and
gagged him. Believing that he was
safe, they disappeared, and he saw no
more of them. AS SOC as they were
out of sight he managed to get to his
instrument, and by lying down on the
table found that with one of his hands
he could reach the key. 1t was difficult
work, but by degrees he improved his
position until finally he raised the Chey-
'enne office and communicated the fact
that a robbery was in progress. The
operator at hat point kept him posted
as to the proceedings there, and in a
few minutes he was gratiiied to hear
the intelligence licked over the wires
that the superintendent and a party of
detectives were en- route for Sidney on
a special train. The distance was one
hundred and two miles, but the run
was made so rapidly that the people of
the town were hardly aware OF the rob-
berry when the train dashed in. The
operator had by that time been released,
and it was found that the thieves, who
had been secreted under the depot, had
come up through a hole in the floor
made by removing a board. The bullion
weighed about five hundred pounds,
and, as it WAS thought that they could
not have carried it far, a vigorous
search was made near at hand. Before
night the greater part of the gold was
found in a hole under the depot, and
the remainder was discovered in an adj
joining co~al-shcd, where it had been
dropped. The thieves got away with
only about $4,000 in currency.
Another operator remarked that he
was the mar who discovered the
Ogalalla train robbery. He was in
charge Of the little Office at Kearney.
He had had a very stupid afternoon,
and as the day vas miserable without,
he dozed more or less. He tried to
read, but, after it became necessary to
light the lamps, he found this occupa-
ton distasteful, and as no one came in
he'leancd forward, placing his arms on
his table and his head upon them.
81 must have slept soundly for
awhile" he said, ''for [ lost myself en-
tirely for an hour OF two, but present.
II | had an indistinct impression that
some one was calling for assistance. In
my dream it seemed to me that | could
hear the cry, Help 'Help!' and that |
was poWerless to render any assist
ance. Finally l sat bolt upright, with
a feeling as if something terri
Bile had happened which I ought to
have prevented. I rubbed my eyes
and looked around sleepily. The depot
was empty. 1t was dusk outside, and
the rain was falling. l stepped to the
door and looked out for a minute, but
heard nothing. Then l went back to
my desk, filled and lighted my pipe,
and began to read. My eyes had just
fell On the page when my instrument
sounded once or twice very feebly. /
looked at it closely. 1t licked again
almost inaudibly. Something's the
MATTER thought L. 1 got up, and
leaned owe the sounder and listened.
l could just catch the faintest click, as
if a child might have been playing with
a key somewhere. While / listened I
began to comprehend the nature of the
message that was being sent. | could
not catch all the letters, but | got
enough, after listening to it a dozen
times, to make out this much: 'Ogala4-
la, Ogalalla, Help, help 1t flashed
upon me all at once. The overland
train was being robbed, or had been
robbed. l grabbed my key, and let
every one have it from Cheyenne to
Omaha. There was some lively tele-
graphing there for a time. They sent
engines out from two or three points,
and got to Ogalalla in time to scare the
robbers off. You see | was a good deal
further off than a dozen other opera
tors, but somehow ! was the first one
that caught IN. The way it happened