The Penn's Grove record., 1889-08-10
A BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY.
SHOOTING AT THE CONDUCTOR.
ARMED WITH REvoLvERs THEY ROB

ARMED WITH REvoLvERs THEY ROB
SIX MEN AND ONE WOMAN.
KANSAS CITY, NO., Aug. 4.-"Hold
up your hands," Such was the COM
maDd that astonished the passengers
Oh the st. Paul sleeper" attached to
the rear Of the Wabash western express
as it pulled out Of Harlem at 9 O'Clock
last evening. The command was
spoken by one of the two men whose
faces were concealed behind handker-
chiefs. who had entered the rear Of the
coach. The passengers turned to as
certain the source of the command and
looked into the threatening muZzles OF
two r%evolvers.
Hands went up. The cautionary
words that followed were not neces-
sary. ''The first one that offers resist
ance will be shot down by our man on
the platform" There was no man
on the platform, but the passengers
submitted as quietly as If there bad
been a legion. There were seven peo-
pie IN the coach, five passengers, the
sleeping a conductor and the porter.
or the passengers one was a lady.
At the first command her face
blanched with fear, her hands went
up for a moment, then fell lifelessly
Into her lap. She had tainted. 81 guess
they won't bother u.s. remarked
one of the robbers. and, satisfied that
no resistance would be offered, they
commenced their work of plumber.
One man 'swent through the passen-
gers, one by one, while the other, with
his revolver in his extended arm, kept
a watchful look out for signs of oppo-
sition. In this way the plunderers
secured all the booty they could In
their base and then escaped. The pas
sengers found they had been relieved
of Sl75 IN cash and two gold watches.
The Wabash Western train left Kan
sas City at 8. 20 O'Clock last night. 1t
wal composed OF baggage, express and
smoking cars, one day coach two Mann
boudoir cars and one Pullman car.
The latter car was the st. Paul sleeper,
where the robbers commenced their
work. When the train reached the
Missouri river bridge two men were
seen to get off the forward end of the
baggage car and disappear behind a
lumber pile. The train bands thought
they were tramps who had stolen a
ride from Kansas City, and paid no
attention to the incident.
They are convinced now that they
were the robbers and that they caught
the rear end Of the last sleeper as it
passed the lumber pile. Just as the
train pulled out of Harlem, the robbers
entered the car and went through the
passengers as described. 1t was evil |
IDENTIFY their intention to rob the pas
sengers in all the coaches working"
the train from the rear, for as they left
the st. Paul sleeper they again caution
ed Its occupants to o give the alarm
under penalty of being shot by The man
on the platform.
Leaving the st. Paul coach they
started for the next ahead. On the
platform they met the conductor of the
train, John Roach. One of the rob-
bers pushed his revolver under the
conductors nose, and, with an oath,
ordered him to hold up his hands.
Tie conductor supposed from the
nature Of their disg uise that a number
Of railroad men, WHO had taken pas
sage on the train, were playing a prac-
tical joke upon him, and, with "A
laugh, he attempted to push past them
and enter the sleeper. just then a
gust OF VIM swept aside the masks of
the robbers, and then he knew that the
affair Was one of dead earnest.
He had no weapon, but he carried
his lantern In his hand and with that
he dealt one of the men a vicious blow
on the head, smashing the lantern glass
and exiting uishing the light. SImulta
neously with his assault the other rob-
Der fired a shot at him with his revolt
yer. The aim was bad and the bullet
missed its mark, The first robber had
too, took a shot at the conductor. His
aim was no mere precise.
The robbers then, with one more
parting shot, swung off from the steps
Of the car. As they did so, the con-
ductor hurled his lantern after them,
determined to have the last tag" on
them.
The train was running at the rate of
rs miles an hOur-too fast for any one,
except uuder desperate chances, to
jump off without e%ndangering his life,
and Conductor Roach did not attempt !
it. He swung outside Of the car, how !
ever, and saw the robbers arise
and make with all haste for the dirt '
road that leads to Kansas City. {
This was the last seen of them. In the {
the passengers in the st. !
Paul coach had been so completely ter !
that they did not regain their !
senses till they heard the firing on the {
platform. Then n of them pulled
the cord that connects with the air
brake and the train came to a stand
still. By this time the train had run a
mile beyond the place where the rob-
beers had escaped. Il