The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1885-01-10
COWBOYS ON A LARK.
Fu.a, Not Robbery, was Their Object,
and They Had 1t.

anu A1dtA IL.
Uvalde (Texas) telegram says: The
COWBOYS who took possession of Southern
Pacific train the other night had SO much fun
that they have been threatening to repeat the
experiment. The train had just crossed the
river and was coming East, when the report
of half a dozen torpedoes caused the engineer
to bring it to a stand. Six cowboys mounted
the platforms of the rear coaches and sang
ont to the train-men, who had jumped down
on the road-bed, ''All right, boys; go ahead.a'
The conductor walked back, and satisfying
himself that nothing was wrong, gave the
signal, and the train moved on. When it had
got in motion the cowboys told the conductor
that they had lot of friends at Langtry,
small station close at hand, whom they wanted
to pick up, and that he must stop there As
the engineer whistled for Langtry the COW
bovs guns all went up and the conductor
pulled the rope On the platform there were
fifteen or twenty more cowboys, all drawn up
in line. and when the train came to stop
they filed into the nearest car.
dLet Ter go ~ said the leader, as the train
started.
Then began performance which has never
had a parallel in this region. Scattering
themselves through the various cars, they
took possession of the conductor and brake
men and marched them up and down as they
pleased. All were heavily armed, and the
passengers at first feared violence, particu-
larlY as the boys were discharging their re-
volvers at frequent intervals; but they were
speedily assured that if they would keep quiet
that they would not be molested. When they
had thus broken the ice and made everybody
aware Of their peaceful intentions they began
their walk around.
II IN
that things went on all right, the others
marched in single file from one end of the
train to the other, knocking off and smashing
hats, shooting at the lamps, and yelling like
Indians. The cars were soon filled with smoke,
and one of the invaders went around opening
the doors and ordering the windows raised.
When the smoke had been dispelled the boys
took the train-boy captive, seized his wares,
and peddled them out through the train.
One big fellow took basket of pecans, and
resting it on one arm, held revolver about a
foot long in the other hand, and made every
passenger buy glass at five cents each.
''No kicking, no grumbling, no gigging
back, now, gentlemen" he said. Put up.
Have your cash ready, you fellers.''
Every man who hesitated had the revolver
showed unpleasantly close under his nose, and
all surrendered without much contention.
When he had gone through with the pecans
and had turned the money over to the fright
ened train boy, another wanted to try it with
a basket of oranges. just as he was about to
start out another cowboy said that they were
approaching siding where freight train lay
and all hands ran to the platform. As the
passenger train sped by the boys gave the
freight fusilade with their revolvers, which
must have caused some lively scattering
among the train hands, though it is said that
none of them were hurt. While this was in
progress the boys were yelling themselves
hoarse, and the passengers were hiding what
ever valuables they had in their pockets.
From this point on the boys divided up into
parties, and each took a car. In one they
made the conductor go through and take up
the tickets Then they compelled him to dis
tribute them again. After this was done one
of the boys wanted to bet anybody in the car
So that he could shoot a plug hat off the con-
ductors head, filing from end to end of the
car This meeting with no response, he drew
his gun and broke the globe of the centre
lamp in the car, whereupon his companions
reproached him for spelling with one bullet
what might have made good mark for all of
them at once.
Just then one of the boys pinned his own
sombrero to the door at one end of the car,
using big clasp-knife for the purpose, and
then, stationing himself at the other end, an
nounced his intention of filling it full of holes
can you fellers in the seats just keep still,
he said, sand | won't any more'n SINCE your
hair once in a while"
He was about to make the first shot when
the brakeman warned him that the bullets
might go through into the other car, and that
if they did they would probably kill somebody
This caused him to desst though he swore
for three minutes that he would carve the
brakeman heart out and run the train over
him.
In the next car four of the boys got hold of
a brakeman and made him go out on the plat
form and twist brake. When he had got it
set they began to yell "tighter!'' at him, and
he protested that if he set it tighter he would
twist the handle off.
THAT'S what we want!'' they cried.
Twist it off. Just twist it off, f"
The fellow spat on his hands, and, with a
desperate effort, twisted it just one notch
more, and then had to stop, his auditors greet
ing him with derisve jeers When this was
over one of the gang caught sight of an elderly
man who was changing his seat in the car.
Opening the door he called out
''See here, you old Maverick. If you don t
want to continue this Journey in box you
take your seat with the rest of the gentlemen,
and take it quick
He protested that he was after drink.
"That don't make any difference. You sit
down and we'll attend to all your wants.
jim, give the gentleman drink"
Jim drew quart flask, and, after helping
himself, wiped the mouth of the bottle aud
passed it to the traveller. The old man said
he never drank whiskey He wanted some
water.
''rd look - fine peddling water to an
old devil like you, wouldn't ~ said Jim,
meditatively, "Whiskey is what I've got,
and whislsey you'll have, too
After they had poured more or less Of the
stuff down the old mans throat, one of them
suggested that it was time for everybody in
the car to take his medicine, and every pas
senger was compelled to put his mouth to the
bottle, whether he drank or not.
When the train arrived here the boys all
jumped on the platform and gave their fellow
travellers a rousing cheer and a tiger, followed
by terrifying discharge of firearms. As the
cars pulled out one of the boys said To the
conductor: "We have had heap of fun with
your fellows When will you be down this
way again y
'Never," said the conductor, jumping on
the moving train.
The boys who had heard him tried to make
the others understand what he had said, and
vainly attempted to rally them by crying !:
Lets bring the train back" but they were