The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-01-23
FLASHED ALONG THE WIRE.
sroR1Es OF FRONTIER rELE 5nApu
OPERATORS.
A Zig RuIlion RObbcry--A bound
Operator Erustratcs the Designs
of Gang OF Train Robbers.

A Big RuIIion RObbcry--A hound
Operator illustrates the Designs
of n Gang OF Train Robbers.
Several old telegraph operators, in the
course of long conversation here, says
Sidney (Neb. letter, told some of their
experiences on the frontier. One of them
began by recalling the great bullion rob-
berry 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 office 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 soon as they were out of sight
he managed to get to his instrument, and
by laying down on the table he 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 Cheyenne Office and communi-
Gated the fact that robbery was in
progress. The operator at that point
kept him posted as to the proceedings
there, and in few minutes he was graf
flied to hear the intelligence licked over
the wires that the superintendent and
party OF detectives were en- route for Sid
ney on a special train. The distance was
10y miles, but the run was made so rap
idly that the people Of the town we're
hardly aware of the robbery before 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 live
hundred pounds, and as it was thought
that they could not have carried it far,
vigorous search was made near at hand.
Before night the greater part of the gold
was found in hole under the depot, and
the remainder was discovered in an ad-
joining coal-shed, where it had been
dropped, The thieves got away with
only about S13, 900 in currency.
Another operator remarked that he was
the man who discovered the Ogalalla
train robbery. lie was in charge of the
little Office at Kearncy. lie had had a
very stupid afternoon, and as the day
was miserable without he dozed more or
less. As no one came in he leaned for.
ward, placing his arms on his table and
his head upon them.
81 must have slept soundly for awhile, :"
he said, ''Gor | lost myself entirely for an
hour or two. but presently had an in
distinct impression that some one was
calling for assistance. In my dream it
seemed to me could hear the cry, Help!
hclpn and that was powerless to rem
der any assistance. Finally sat bolt up
right, with nervous feeling as if some
thing terrible had happened which 1
ought to have prevented | rubbed my
eyes and looked around sleepily. The
depot was empty. 1t was dark outside
and rain was falling. stepped to the
door and looked out for a minute, but
heard nothing. Then went back to my
desk, filled and lighted my pipe and
began to read. My eyes had just fallen
on the page when my instrument sounded
once or twice very feebly. looked at it
closely. 1t licked again almost inaudi-
bly,. Something's the natter thought
/. got up, leaned over the sounder
and listened. could just catch the
faintest click, as if child might have
ben playing with key somewhere.
While l listened 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 dozen times, to make
out this much: 'Ogalalla !!
Help helpr 1t flashed upon me at once.
The overland train was being robbed or
had been robbed. l grabbed my key
and let everybody have it from Chey-
enne to Omaha. There was some lively
telegraphing there for a time. They
sent engines out from two or three points
and got to Ogalala in time to scare the
robbers off. You see | was good deal
further off than dozen other operators,
but somehow l was the first one that
caught on. The way it happened was
this. The robbers came into the depot at
Ogalalla about an hour before train time
and bound and gagged the operator.
After they got him fixed they sat around
and waited. When the train drew up
they left him, and he Immediately got
himself in position where he could use
the key little. The boys who saw him
say it is a mystery how he ever did it,
His legs were tied twice, and his arms
were pinioned behind him SO that it was
almost impossible to move even his
fingers. The fact that l could not catch
two consecutive letters until had heard
the message ten or twelve times shows
how iaint the stroke was. 1t was the
queerest experience of my life"