The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-11-26
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House. 92 South Illinois ST.
SECURED ABOUT $4,000.
Great Goodness Shown by Two Daring High.
wsymen While Robbing an Express Train.

OswEGO, Kan, Nov. 25.-The robbery of
the express train on the Missouri, Kansas
a. Texas road. at Pryor creek, Indian Terri
tory, last night, was a deed of more than Or
binary boldness. About $500 0 was secured.
The robbers displayed great GOODNESS and
went about their work in such a familiar
manner as to convince the trainmen that
they were old-time professionals. The road
agents were only two in number. They had
concealed themselves in a clump of bushes
near the water-tank on Pryor creek, and
when the train stopped for water they
boarded the engine, one on either side and,
covering the astounded engineer and fire.
man with their revolvers. explained to
them their design of robbing the train. One
of the robbers climbed into the tender and
from that point of vantage was master of
the engine. The men in the cab were at his
mercy and were compelled to obey his conf
mands. The other rObber. in the meantime.
had gone back to the express-car and had
uncoupled it from the rest of the train.
Entering the car heintimidated the express
messenger by presenting o brace of revolt
yers at his head and ordering him to dis
arm himself. The messenger obeyed and
the robber possessed himself of the messen-
gers weapons and then. through the win
dow, called to his confederate IN the tender,
'all right. Let her 60" The latter re-
peated the command to the engineer, who
had nothing to do but obey. He opened the
throttle and the engine and the express-car
sped away from the rest of the train.
Meanwhile the robber in the express-car
had not been idle. He compelled the mes
senger to open the safe by a threat of death
--1 - AI4 a., a. L.
gunny sack which the robber had brought
along to convey the booty in. The messen-
ger again obeyed. The rObber then made a
hasty examination of the car to see that
nothing valuable was overlooked. and Civ
ing a signal to his confederate the latter or
dered the engineer to slack up. This done
the robbers left the train and made their
escape in the darkness.
All this was lone so quickly that the en-
and half from Pryor creek
and the robbers had completed
che robbery and effected their escape before
the surprised trainmen knew what had Oc-
Cured. No attempt was made to pursue
To the creek. picked up his train and pur-
sued his trip. The train was the regular
express which always c%arriesa large amount
of express matter. and the robbers could
hardly have selected a better one for the
robbery. 1t was reported at first that the
mail car had been robbed and the passen-
gers relieved of their money and valuables,
but when the train reached here, at 2 A. NJ.
that report was found to he untrue.
When the train arrived here expressmes-
senger johnson had just completed footing
mp his loss. The total figures were between
$4,000 and S50, 900. This loss must be borne
operates on the line of the NJ, X. IL Il. An
attemptt0 rob the Santa Fe train was a
at nearly the same point in the Territory in
the past week, but the officers of the road
somehow heard of the plan and prevented
its execution, although they were unable
70 capture the robbers. 1t is thought they
are the same men who committed the rob-
berry last night. although nothing definite
is known as to their identity.
o.. III. johnson, the express messenger of
the NJ, X. IL L. train. which was robbed
last night, was seen here tonight. and
gave the following additional details of
the robbery. He said: while one man
covered the engineer and fireman with his
revolver the other raped on the
door of the express-cara and demanded adj
mission. l had a lot of money out of the
safe at the time, and In order to get q few
ninu asss to CONCEAL SI@ SU what Of the hs p %anssS'
The robbers swore roundly and said
1t was none of my business.
They further remarked that if the door
was not opened Immediately they would
the car and myself into kingdom come.
After some parleying with the des-
peradoes i finally decided it was
best to open the door. l was then ordered
to open the safe under penalty of death. l
did so. The robber helped himself To its
contents. He then turned toward a lot of
freight at one end of the car. and. fearing he
would discover several thousands of dollars
In sealed sacks which l had hurriedly
thrown into a corner l volunteered to assist
him. lie. grew very angry and. showing the
revolyer into my face. he ordered me to at
tend TO my own business. The visitor ex-
amined q few more boxes and packages and
then left the car. carrying the sack con-
tanning the money with them. A very
short time elapsed from the time the rob-
beers boarded the train at the water-tank
Until they plundered the express car and
disappeared in the darkness. There were
though / only saw two
How much money was taken alto
getlers"
As 1 figure il, only sl,217.40 was taken"
IL IS said that n printer overheard the
robbers planning the scheme and warned
the train officials when il was too late.