Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-10-03

TRAIN HOBBKRs OAP1U1HD.
Paroles WHO Robbed . santa n r-,
1855 Are Captured In Tsnnesee-A r..
tailed Histery q the Case.
At10.30 on the night Of Septemher -
1883. the express train Of the Abolition. 10.
peka d Santa Fe was attacked IN arr
men at Coolidge and John Hilton e. en~i.
neer. was killed and George Todle ~ ~.
man, was wounded, being shot thrnnSh En-.
left cheek. The express messenger 6ushf
of two Of the robbers who attemp.ed "a
capture the safe. in which WAS carried the
money and conductor Greedy brayely at-
tackled the man, who was on the engine
and who had killed the engineer.
When the attack had failed the three
men mounted their horses and fed, since
which time nothing was heard of them, an
I'll ABOUT SIX weeks ago when the trail b.
came warm. Rewards, agereestine SO. ESQ.
were offered by the Santa Fa' wells Fargo
Co., and the state. During the two yesru
that have passed the Santa Fe officials have
BEEN unremiting in their efforts to find the
men who DO badly planned the robbery and
VINO came out OF the attack with nothing
but murder to their credit. The search has
never let up and time, money and labor
have all been thrown into the scale and at
last success has rewarded their efforts.
Aba Waller, one of the men, was captur-
ed in Tennessee, and special officer started
at once to receive the prisoner.
Another, the principal and the one who
murdered engineer Hilton, is where he can
be obtained at any time.
From confession made and the talk by
Waller since his capture, the work of the
gang is known from the beginning. The
three men were residents of Clay county,
plans to capture and rob q train.
As determined upon, the train was to be
robbed in Missouri, near Kansas City, and
was to have been the Chicago and Alton.
The arrest of one of their number for some
trivial offense broke up their plans, and,
fearing that they would be given away they
determined to desert their comrade and
make break further wuet. They went to
Kansas City, where they perfected their
plans and then determined to capture a
Santa Fe train and rob the express car in
stead of the pes ,engers and take the money
box with them down to Texas or over into
Mexico. They travels d by train from Kan
sas City to Olathe, laid over and went on to
Newton, and thence after another lay ever
to Nickerson, avoiding all the larger towns.
At Nickerson they procured horses and
went down TO Texas, carefully examining
the country all. the way in order to f.mil.
iarize themselves with it.
From Texas they rode over the country,
passing through the eastern end of the Pam
handle to Coolidge some four or five times,
and became acquainted with all the
passing themselves off as cow
boys. When they thought themselves &C
cquaiated with the country they wentinto
camp about one mile west of Coolidge,
making some three or four waits into the
town, both to become acquaint ed with the
place where the train stopped the habits of
The load employees and the people. This
was kept 40 several days.
About o'clock on the evening of the
oh they came up to the stopping places
If the train afoOr, and took their station
V they intended to operate, in order to see
t they would be noticed They were taken |
or tramps trying to steal a ride. and after |
such notice they went to their |
lamp, secured their hors' and returned to |
lear town and tied the four horses to rail |
# the switch. The fourth horse was to |
airy the treasure.
When the train came in the three men |
we're lounging on the track opposite the
tatiop house.
Ar soon as it stopped Waller and one 9TH
r climbed into the e1Dress car and at
acked the messenger, firing three or four
hOts at him when he resisted. Conductor
Freely was also firedat.
When the firing began the principal who
ad climbed on the engine, ordered Hilton
D pull out. He refused to do 30, when he
1as again ordered to pull out. He and
'Odle, the fireman, were just making q
reak for the robber when he fred.
At this time Waller came from the ex-
ress car, climbed on the tender, and pass
ring, the other keeping mp his firing also.
was at this time Hilton was shot through
ne head and Todle through the cheek, the
'rmer dying.
The men then became alarmed and broke
ON the train for their horses. which they
l0unted and rode away before the panic
ricken crowd recovered their senses.
The three men went south and west, rid
~ ten or twelve days without seeing any {
erson except few cowboys at distance. &
he First person they met was q woman at
ranch, in the eastern end of the Pan
andle, where they stopped for food. From I
10 fann6nole tney went 20 smith raw Z
alley. I. T. They remained there but q y
tort time and went to Limestone gap, on
10 Missouri, Kansas and Texas railroad
i'd from there to Fort Smith, Ark, where
icy separated.
Waller went up into the mountains, t
aveled beck to his home in Clay county, |
issouii, then back to Texas. He remained | {
ere only q short time and went to Tenn =
see, where he was found. y
When confronted by an officer from this :
ate he expressed his willingness to GENE =
ithout aYequisition, but that instrument =
as taken along and it was needed.
The principal in this robbery went from
sSm,th to Clay county, Missouri, remained 7
home only . short time and went to /
ansas City where he deemed himself safe. y
'om Kansas City he made one more move q
ID that move gave clue to his where
outs. /;
Feline Reasonan4.
A German diplomatist of the last CEN :
~ has recorded curious observation |;
cno0kino q fovcrito forno1o not and IL / -