Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-04-11
COLORED BANDITS.

Three Negroes Inaugurate n Species OF
Jesse Jamesism on Illinois Railroads.
They Rsb Freight Trains and Railroad
Men at the Point of the ffstol-They
Are Finally Captured After y Desperate
Resistance.
ST.. LOUIS, NO., March 21.-About one
o'clock yesterday afternoon a pitched battle
occurred at Centerville, ILL.,, between a posss
from Fast st. Louis and three colored des-
peradoes. Although fully twenty-five shots
were fired no one was fatally injured. Last
Tuesday the three negroes, Frank Lewis,
George Freeman and Alexander Anderson
left Cairo, ILL.,, via the Illinois Central Rail-
road. They were discovered by the conductor,
who summoned a brakeman to eject them.
When the brakeman arrived OH the scene,
Anderson, a Misunderstanding negro,
pulled out a revolver and covered the con-
ductor while Lewis put the muzzle OF
another under the Trademarks ear.
The third robber, Freeman, then bound
tho two men and robbed them Of
three watches and what money was in their
possession. The trio then beat them over
the head with the revolvers, and, leaving
them, forced an entrance into some of the
adjoining cars, from which they stole fruit
and tobacco. Then they jumped off, and il
was some time afterward before the other
brakeman found the position in which his
conductor and companion were.
At Duquoin, ILL.,, the robbers abandoned
the Illinois Central, and there robbed a
freight train OH the Cairo short line. Con-
ductor Allen discovered the negroes robbing
the freight cars, and ordered them off two
miles west of Belleville. They refused to
go, and Allen and a brakeman named Dris-
coll stepped forward to put them off. The
negroes, quick as a flash, drew their re-
volvers and ordered both the trainmen
to throw up their hands. The third robber
again came in handy, and began going
through the victims. A revolver and some
silver was taken from the conductor, and a
watch from the brakeman. AS they were
leaving Allen said something that enraged
Lewis, and he struck the unfortunate con-
ductor across the face with q pistol, infiict-
ing q cash three inches long.
The train arrived in East St Louis in a
short time, when the alarm was given and a
posse was organized to hunt down the rob
bers. Lieutenant Duffy, Of the police
man Green, three officers and five employees
OF the Cairo short-line. An engine wa Sc
cured, and the party, heavily armed,
started down the road in quest Of their
game. Just west of Centerville they met
an old man and woman who had been
robbed by the trio, and said that the gang
were only a short distance away. A
mile this side of Centerville the three rob-
bers were discovered walking along the
track toward East st. Louis. The engine
was reversed, and the posse, securing good
position, waited until the men am within
range. Anderson saw the officers and
opened fire. Before he could shoot a second
time nine revolvers and shot-guns were
fired at him. He fell, but jumped up
and started to run Councilman Green
started in pursuit, and the negro fired
again, the bullet striking Green in
the left leg. Conductor Allen followed
the pursuit, and, o%verhauling Anderson,
knocked him down with a piece of stone,
probably fracturing his skull. Lewis made
a desperate fight. He rail- a mile, loading and
firing as he ran. Officers Duffy and Stanton
finally ran him down. Lewis had been shot
in the head, but not dangerously, and An
derson had likewise received a charge Of
small shot in the head. The train men
wanted to lynch the prisoners, and it was
all the officers could do to prevent it. The
men were hand-cuffed and taken to East st.
TOuic