The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-01
IA sCOUNDREL'S BLOODY ACT.
Two Men Mortally Wounded and an Ex-
!press-Car Safe Robbed by One Man.
"A Bold and Successful Crime Committed on a
Passenger Train of the louisville, New
Albany & Chicago Railway.

morning has the following
AT about 1890 o'clock this morning the news
reached this city of one of the most dreadful and
appalling crimes in the history of the State
Briefly stated, it was the robbery Of the express
car on train No. on the Louisville. New Al
bany s. Chicago railroad, and the double murder
Of the baggage master and express messenger,
deed perpetrated by one man, and showing an
amount of devish courage and desperation that
make it absolutely unparalleled in the annals of
this sort of crime.
Train No. 5 is the through night express run
ming through from Louisville to Chicago, and
due at this city al 3:10 Last night it was in
charge of conductor J. b. Chambers. The bag
gage master was Peter Weber, of New Albany,
a new man who only the day before took the run
in the place of John Armstrong, of this city.
The express matter was carried in the baggage
car, which was occupied by the messenger and
the baggage-master 1t was, as is usual, the first
car Oh the train. The messengers name was
George K. Davis, of Louisville. At 11:16 o'clock
last night the train reached Harrodsburg, Monroe
county, a little station, the third below Bloom
ington. 1t has a population of not more than
400 souls, and all at that time Of night is
as quiet as the grave. Tt is in round figures, liz
miles from Lafayette. There is water tank
at Harrodsburg, and the train stopped there four
or five minutes to replenish the engine. While
it was at stand-still one of the passengers in
the sleepingca a Mr. j. III. Hamilton, of Green
castle, happened to be looking out of the win
dow, and by the reflected light of the engine and
dim illumination from the car windows, saw
man emerge, apparently, from under the trucks,
and disappeared in the direction of the engine.
In the brief glimpse Mr.. Hamilton had of the
man he saw that he was above the medium
height. dressed in the tattered garments of a vag
abond, and carried in his hand club or stick.
He naturally supposed him to be some tramp
who was stealing ride under the trucks, and
dismissed the matter from his mind. Mean
time the engine had taken water and started.
Nothing unusual was suspected until the little
station of Smthville HILL about two miles
north of Harrodsburg was reached. There
sharp ring of the bell in the engine stopped the
train. Before an inquiry as to who pulled the
bell-rope could be made, the baggage-master
flung open the door of the smokingcar and
reeled in, covered with blood that trickled from
CHASTITY wound in his head
He sunk on his knees between the forward
seats, and gasred out to the Mortified passengers,
who rushed to him. that robber had entered the
baggage car and shot himself and the express
messenger This was all that be was able to
say and he fell forward unconscious. upon his
face
BY that time Conductor Chamberlain was at
his side, and with few of the more intrepid of
the passengers, made his way into the baggage
car.
A single lantern, turned low. and swinging
from hook in the ceiling, cast dim light over
frightful scene. Davis was stretched in pool
of blood by the side of his safe, which was
broken open and plundered. Everywhere was
the evidence of terrific struggle. The floor
was Uttered with papers that the assassin had
taken from the chest and, deeming worthless,
thrown away, and the heavy boxes stored in the
car were scattered around in confusion.
Davis was lifted and carried into the smoker
He was breathing but it was evident he was
wounded to the death. He had been shot in the
upper part of the head, piece of the skull as
large as silver dollar being literally blown off,
From this aperature blood and brains freely oozed
Weber. the baggage-master gives this account
Of the affair:
When the train stopped at Harrodsburg he
and Davis were asleep upon their train chests.
Both doors of the car were open, and they had
no suspicion Of anything wrong. Just after the
train got into motion Webber was awakened by
a violent blow on the head. The force was such
as to half stun him, but, staggering to his feet,
he saw tall muscular man struggling with Da-
Wis. The. messenger was despatched with blood,
which was gushing from wound in his head,
and he also had evidently been struck with
club while he was asleep. The bludgeon with
which this had been done, a large hickory stick,
lay on the floor, covered with blood and hair.
Wsbber was too badly hurt to take a part in
the fray and fel. to the floor. The robber was
large man, raggedly dressed, and had bristling
light mustache. He seemed to be about thirty
Ave years Of age. This much Webber noticed as
the two men struggled in each others embrace.
It was but for an instant Davis, managing to
loosen his right arm, drew his revolver Before
he could fire the man wrenched the weapon from
his grasp, and leveling it like lightning, pulled
the trigger. The ball struck the messenger in
the head, and he fell dying to the floor.
With the smoking weapon in his hand the
murderer ordered Weber to get up and open
the safe The baggage master endeavored to
obey, but could not unfasten the locks. AS he
worked with them he felt the muzzle of the
pistol pressed against his head and the robber
coolly told him he would fire if he failed In
desperation Weber stopped over the body of
Davis and took his bunch of keys from his
pocket. With some difficulty he found the ones
that ft the locks and in an instant the safe was
open.
Keeping Weber constantly covered with the
revolver the robber deliberately went through
the safe, taking out the money packages and
putting them in his pocket. He seemed to
know exactly where they were, and made no
mistakes. The papers of no value he threw
away at once
The rifinc of thA safe oceunied but a moment