The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-02-03
TRAIN ROBBERS BEATEN.
An Unsuccessful Attempt to Rob
the Wabash e. &Western Express,
the Plot Being Given Away by one
of the Robbers,

1t is pleasure to chronicle one attempt
to rob u train that was not at least, par.
tally successful. The train robbers were
foiled in an attempt to rob All express
train on the Wabash e. Western road ut
Cooley's lake, twenty-four miles cast OF
Kansas City. The regular Kansas City.St.
Louis Express Train No. 4 left Kansas
City at the regular hour, $50 p. IN.
When the train stopped ut Missouri City
it was met by band Of men with shot.
guns. The conductor was informed that
they were under command Of an official OF
the county who had received word that
OH attempt would be made to rob the st.
Louis express ut q lonely spot n little
less than two miles east OF Missouri
City. Ono OF the officers got in the
cab Of the engine with the engineer and fire.
man, and the others distributed them.
selves through the train. Coolcy's lake, a
the road in winter time, was tho place
where the attack was made. None OF the
passengers of the train was notified OF tic
danger. At 9:30, as the point OF attack
was nearcd, red light was seen gclnl.
ing ahead. AS the train slowed
up the engineer saw three
masked mcn armed with rifles. standing on
the track. "Gct off there" said the leader
OF the three men to the engineer. Morscy
reached the ground the officer in the cab
pointed his shot gun out OF the window and
fired. Whether ho hit the leader OF the band
OF robbers or not he could not aitcrward
tell, but both he and the engineer were OF
the opinion that he had. As soon as the shot
was fired he and Morscy dropped down
out OF sight The shot from the cab was
answered with shots from the guns of he
three robbers, which ratified about the en-.
OIn inf RI NJ hn Fbo
tired in demorllizcd state. Az they
moved back part Of the posse came up
from the woods, where they had been in
concealmcnt for some time, and opened
fire on them. These men had bean sent
out from Missouri City in advance
OF the train, and had con.
cealed themselves to be in readiness when.
ever they should he needed. About twenty
shots were exchanged, tho men on the
continued in pursuit of the band, and all
OF the would-be robbers have BEEN
captured. Three Of them were over.
taken by the posse, and the fourth,
Barney Swceny. the leader, who stop
ped the train. and who received
heavy load OF shot in the breast from the
gun OF the man concealed in tho engine
cab was found in the woods where he had
crawled after being wounded. Tho plot
King, who told Grant Arnold, station
agent at Missouri City, what was going on.
Arnold in turn informed the sheriff ri Clay
county, and the latter officer Immediately
organized n posse. Arnold was one
OF the posse, and it was he who
shot the leader from the car
King remained with the gang. and sig.
He'd the train to stop. but took no 9TH
er part in the affair. lie has n long rec.
ord OF crime in this state and is consider.
ed one OF the worst men in Missouri stree
tho days OF the Jesse James gan, of out.
laws. He WAS II member OF that band OF
desperadoes. lie has been tried for killing
two men but got clear. In one case he
shot man sitting on fence .just to see
him drop" and in the other case
he killed a man on u Missouri Pacific train
near Vinta about five years ago. lie re-
Gently served two years in the penitcntiary
Tor attempting to blackmnil out OF SO, 800
the late Col. A. A. Talmadse, general
manager OF the Wabash railroad. John.
King, who gave the gang away, is n young
man Of Missouri City, and says he was
forced to join the band against his will
and gave the railroad officials information
st the scheme two weeks ago.