Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-18
THE TEXAS TRAIN RORRERv.
HOW THREE MEN COwED TRAINFuI-THEY cor
EASILY HAVE BEEN OVERCOME, MRS. wrrrIcHs sA,


HOW THREE MEN CowED TKA1xru1-rHKr COLD
EASILY HAVE BEEN OVERCOME, MRS wrrrIcHs SAYS.
Carthage, Mo-, Special to the n, z World
More IMAM ordinary local interest is manifeSted
IN the train ROBBERY In Texas last Saturday be.
cause the heroine OF the occasion was Mrs.
W1ttichs Carthage woman who, with her hus-
pand, was one OF the passengers It will be re-
memoered that mail and express train, with a
1uii complement OF employees and cars full OF pas
sengerS most OF whom We're men, was taken Dos
session OF In broad daylight by three men, But
the remarkable part OF the story was that there
were United States soldiers on board who submit
TED tamely to being disarmed without firing shot.
Al washington 1t is denied that there were any
soldiers on board, but Mrs Wittichs declares en-
patlcally that there were. When spoken to about
colOred soldiers on board, under an officer guard
ing some prisoners and, OF course we expected
. the 10 project us Imagine our surprise when
tney quietly submitted to being diSarmed."
THE STORY IN DETAIL.
Mrs. Wfttichs then told the story OF the robbery
as follows: "We had started on our tourney to
Carthage, from Wichita Falls, Tex, at 10 ocock a.
IN. Az II O'Clock the train stopped at or near a
tanE sIa Mas sailed to get water at
Ine lDack OF rear car, and on the eft-hand side
lnele was long wait at the water-tank and the
passengers began so wonder at the delay. NV hus-
band, who had been looking out of the car ex-
Claimed at this moment that robbery was going
on outside. l looked and saw two men with reyoi-
sers IN tnelr hands pointed at a half dozen men
standing in line with their hands UP and another
man searching their clothing. by this time what
, was happening outside was known to all aboard.
Inc thought OF resistance was discussed but it
was soon learned that no one in our car was armed
andit was abandoned. We could see the robbers
in the coach ahead as they came down the aisle
searching the pockets OF every man, and the all
important question OF how to serete our money
ana valuableS demanded our attention. We had
a vNIa <ln,>
what we had In every conceivable place OF conceal
ment. NY husband gave part OF his money to me
and retained some.
'After the robbers had robbed all in the coach
ahead OF us two OF them entered the car was in,
and, sevelling their revovers at the passengers,
The process OF robbtng the passenSers then began.
one OF the robbers holding his revolvers one in
each hand, on the crowd, while the other called up
nearest him and almost Invariably getting Off
some Joke or rough remark on his victim. After
ruling his pockets the robber ordered him out OF
tne ILonC dOOr and called up the next man. After
searching probably about twO-thirdS OF the men
The robbers became excited and in q great hurry.
dney ceased cease searching the men and simply Or
ValuableS, which some OF them did, while some de.
nled having anything and were allowed to pass
TO leave, objected, and said that his wife was in
the car, WhereupOn the robbers chief remarked:
I'VE 90 not modest ladies'" but they compelled
him TO go out.
perhaps as the gentlemen had no weapons re-
sistance would have been useless; but l am en-
tlrely Satls1ed that II they had been armed the
IoDDerS would have been captured. My reasons
for so thinking are that they had not formidable
appearance, and evidently were new at the bust
ness, and betrayed a certain trepidation not in
keeping with the nOnchalance that indicates
Knights OF the road. was alarmed at the nervous
ness displayed by one OF the robbers. He was a
small man. His face was dirty as though he had
been heaving coal He had ON Il blue summer coat
or blouse, and his trousers were in the top of his
boots lie stood up in the front OF the car and
called up, and really Thought several times that
ne Would discharge them accidentally and Kill
some one. The chief robber seemed to be man
OF Intelligence and was better dressed than the
other, Who presented to Inc the appearance OF be-
ing railroad laborer, probably assumed as dis
SulSe.
81 understood from q gentleman on the train
who had inquired OF each passenger as to the
amount OF his loss, that they obtained less than
SlOO ana about uOZen watches. Where the rob-
berry occurred was in a broad, open prairie, no
place for hiding in ambush, and the robbers wore
no masks and made no attempt to conceal their
features. From the time the passengers first
learned the errand OF the nighwaymen until they
entered our car, which WAS proably a quarter OF
an hour, the alarm first experienced had Worn off,
and The passengers mad regained their cOmpoSlre
10 certain extent, especially as they thought
they mad safely Secreted their money and Otner
vaiuables and there would be no probable loss of
life.
"a gentleman living in Vernon had over s., 900
In The inside pocket oi his vest and While march,
ing up III line to the robbers with his hands nm he
neafu o.lc OF theln demanding watch from Il pas
SenSer. That reminded him OF his own fine gold
watch, and he Immediately lowered one hand, I'M
fastened his chain and dropped II in his clothing.
Reaching the roDber lie handed him a quarter
put REMARKED thtt lie wanted 10 buy his dinner
The lUbbcr told him TO keep 1t, as he was not
Wofth cent anyway. Their commands for the
passengers to come to them were given In a per.
emptory tone OF voice, ana the gentlemen Obeyed
orders with alacrity because they could not help
themselves.
"When the robbers finished with our car they
went OF through The front door, unhitched their
horses, which were tied behind a section house.
and rode OF In SOutherly direction"