The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-03
GREAT EXPRESS ROBBERIES.
Old-Time Affairs Involving Large Sums
Revived by the Monon Outrage.
An Old Expressmans 0pinion--Sam Basss Ca
reer in Texas D7 ssr,esrrate Struggle to Save
Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars.

A party Of gentlemen were canvassing the de-
tails Of the atrocious murder and express rob-
berry on the L., N. A. & G. r. R., yesterday,
when the conversation took comprehensive
turn, and brought up incidents Of like character
Il was also observed, by one of experience in the
express business, that in the somewhat long list
Of depredations of this class, State govern
ments did not appear to good advantage,
that they did not fulfill as energeticaliy the re-
quirements Of protection of the express business
as those of other classes. Said he: 1T may be
said that if the express or railroad companies
should call in advance on the State, and present
sufficient evidence that attack on their trains
was expected. that assistance would be afforded,
but that is simply impossible. A series of large
robberies of this kind is always accomplished by
the same band, or, If otherwise, by different
parties under the same leadership In such
contingency, and, of course, in single instances
Of express depredations, as well, the whole
power Of the State government would be brought
to bear promptly and energetically in securing
their capture dead or alive. If the State author
tiles fail in this, it is the duty of the general gov
eminent to exercise its power and authority in
seeing that the trains on which the mails
are carried are fully protected. Giving
it no severer term, the apathy of
State authorities in regard to outlaws
Of this character needs no worse example than
that of the officers of Missouri or Indiana rela
tive to the James brothers, the Youngers and
the Renos. For twelve years the James and
Younger bands terrorized Missouri before the
robbery Of the United States and Adams ex-
press companies, near Otterville, in that State,
led to the first indictments against them. For
years the Renos, unchecked, added crime to
crime in their notorious career of ex-
press robbng along the Ohio & Missis-
sippi railway before they received check,
and this was not accomplished until the Adams
Express Company demanded protection of its
property and the punishment of the men who
had violated the law of the State in robbing their
messengers. Until then, no one of sufficient
courage appeared to fight the gang The late
atrocity should receive. at once the attention of
the State authorities, but fear that there will
be several more affairs Of the character before
the guilty are punished"
'sWas the late Smithvilie job the work Of a
professionally asked the writer
''Very likely. I do not see how q chance
tramp could be 80 well acquainted with condi-
tons fayoring the success of such robbery.
IF it was the depreciation of tramp, he had de-
voted considerable time in securing the infor-
nation he wanted, relative to the. inmates of
the car, their habits, and so on He went about
che business as one fully equipped knowing just
what he had to contend with, and where to
find the spells without loss of time or
bungling search for valuables. It was the work
of an expert or, at least, one so far advanced in
the initiatory degrees of express robbery that it
would be paying but little compliment to his
skill to grade him as an apprentice. He knew
all about that train and the express run"
Said another of this party: ''That robbery. in
which one man against two comes out the victor,
calls to mind an attempt to rob an express safe
that happened on the Baltimore g. Ohio railroad,
when a plucky messenger and baggage
man saved $500 and other yaluabies
by beating off five robbers. It was
near o'clock in the evening of April Is, 1878,
ton Junction for water The messenger, Stephen
Miller took the opportunity to look into the safe
TO see that the $4,000 was secure. While bend
ing over the safe, he was startled by voice,
s'Yes, he has got the money; let's go for
him" Miller quickly arose and saw two
men. He instantly grasped his revolver,
when the two men escaped from tho car,
followed by two others whom the messenger
did not at first see. But the fifth
man, more plucky. than his fellows, who had
been waiting outside the turn of events, leaped
into the ear. brandishing club. He was pow
erfullv built and apparently had double the
strength of Miller, but the messenger accepted
the odds and dashed Tor his antagonist, whom
he caught about the neck and body. struggle
ensued that might have resulted unfavorably
for Miller. had not the baggageman, hearing
the noise, come to his rescue. At this the rob-
Der broke away from the messengers grasp,
jumped from the car and escaped"
"Do you remember" said another, anxious to
contribute his portion to the record of outlawry
and robbery, "that during the war one of the
large express companies lost a considerable
amount of money it was taking to an army
paymastera The money was the pay for a
brigade, and when the train arrived at dining
station the messenger left substitute in charge
while he went to dinner. The money was in pack
ages of $100, but when it reached the paymaster
he, on checking it, found several thousand dol
lars wanting. It was assumed that their regular
messenger, although he was arrested and after
wards discharged, could not have done the steal
ing; but circumstances were so strongly against
his substitute that he was convicted and served
= long sentence in the penitentiary. Suspicion
still lowered over the regular messenger and
with the company. 1t was not
accepted, the company preferring to
take the risk of recovery in another way. The
substitute, after completing his time left the
penltontiarv, 10 be snadoWed six months by de-
4ectives who finally discovered him in the act of
taking the money from its place of concealment
not far from where il had been distracted from
che express safe. The full amount was recov-
cred"
ssIn addition to the Renos,n said the old ex-
pressman, Indiana gave to crime one equally
as notorious and whose exploits rival
those of the James brothers It was
Sam Bass; but as long as he lived in his native
State he gave promise Of being a respectable
man. He was born at Mitchell, Ind, in 1851, and
about the time the Renos fourished in jackson
county, not far from that place, was of an age to
accept the romance of crime and notorious ex-
plot of criminals as the highest disqualification
Of courage How far the Reno record affected
him is not known, but it surely left
some impression on him, for about the
year they came TO grief he went
TO north Texas Here Sheriff Egan of Denton
county, employed him to take charge of his cat
tie But the legitimate excitement Of cow
boys life was not enough for him, and he soon