The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-08-07

KAxsAs err, No. A issisi s--onc Of The
holdesi and most daring train robberies esel
prepctrated in Missouri occHrred on the Wa
bash train. which Jeff ile Union depot a
s.ao O'Clock last right. The train, which
was made up OF smoker. two sieepers fol
st. Louis, an Illinois Central coach and tbs
ST. Paul coach. in the order named. lac
pulled out Of Harlem where Il was due at
s:s5 and had run distance OF about foal
miles when two men entered the rear dooi
of the st. Paul sleeper. One Of theru had
utilized white handkerchief as q mask, and
the other red one. They ordered all the
passengers 10 bold up their hands and enforc.
eli their order with u brace Of Colts reyel-
yers- One Of them approached each lslssen'
ger. and. while the other kept watch of the
victims. took everything of value that could
be conveniently found There were only a
| few passengers in the car and the work oi
robbery was soon completed. As soon as all
had been relieved of their yaluabies, amount
| ing to sI75 in cash and two gold watches.
the robbers backed out Of the front door OF
the car, being careful TO keep their shooting
irons pointed toward the helpless travellers.
They stepped on tile platform and jnss as
they were about 70 enter the Illinois Central
coach. Conductor Roach came out OF the
door. being on his fist trip through the ears
to collect fares. One Of the robbers pushed
his revolver under the conductors nose, and
with an oath ordered him 10 throw up his
anis. The conductor supposed fiom the
ntture Of their disguise thai a number Of
railroad men who had taken passage on the
train were playing practical joke on him.
With 4 laugh he attempted to push past
I them and enter tie sleeper. Jast then gust
Of wind swept aside the masks Of the rob
! bers and then he knew the affair was one Of
| dead earnest. He had no weapon, but he
carried his lantern in his hand, and with
! that be dealt one Of the men vicious blow
on the head. smashing the lantern glass and
extinguisbing the light. simultaneously
with his assault the other robber fired shot
at him with bis revolver The aim was bad
and the bullet missed its mark The first
/ roDber had by this time recovered himself
and be too took a shot at the conductor. His
aim was no more precise than his partners 5.
/ The robbers then. with one more parting
shot, swung of from the steps Of the car.
The train was running q; the rate Of twenty
/ i've miles an hour, too fast for any one. ex-
cept under desperate chances, to jump Off
without endangering his life and conductor
Roach did not attempt it. Heswung beyond
the side Of the car, however, and saw the
robbers arise and make with all haste for
the dirt road that leads to Kansas City, That
was the last seen Of them.
One Of the passengers in the St. Paul coach
who had been robbed. when he heard the
firing Oh the platform. pulled the cord that
connected with the air brake, and the train
came 10 q standstlll. BY this time the train
had run a mile beyond the place where the
robbers had escaped.
W. II. Bonnell, special agent OF the road,
was a passenger in the smoking car. When
the train came 10 a sudden stop he rushed
out - ascertain the cause. learning from
the conductor the occurrence Of the robbery,
he Immediately set 10 work 10 begin the
chase for the robbers. lie ordered the en-
gineer to run the train to Randolph, few
miles ahead, and there he uneoupied the
engine and ran il back % Harlem. There
be found Deputy Sheriff Tomilson, who at
once organizeda posse and started in pursuit
Of the lleeing robbers. Up to 3 O'Clock this
morning no trace of them had been discov-
cred. Mr.. Bonnell, after he had taken every
possible step to insure the capture OF the fu-
gitives at Randolph, came to Kansas City,
where he arrived at 1 o'clock and reported
the robbery at police headquarters.
The Sherifs posse tracked the robbers to
q bend in the river, where the track was lost.
They had stolen a horse from farmer nam
ed Evans and rode double on il until they
reached the river.