Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-08-05
EASTERN HAPPENINGS.
How Two Train Robbers Got
In Their Work,
THE BOSTON RUN ON A ROCK,
A Chapter of Crimes and Accidents
-Sullivan's Levees
Stopped.

that astonished the passengers on the
st. Paul sleeper attached to the rear of
the Wabash and Western express as it
pulled out of Harlem at s 80 last evening
The command was SPOKEN by one of two
armed men whose faces were concealed
behind handkerchiefs, and who had
entered the rear of the coach. Hands
went up. There were seven people in
the coach-fve passengers, the sleeping
Car conductor and the porter. One of the
passengers was lady. AT the first COM
mand her face blanched with fear, her
hands went up for moment then fell
listlessly into her lap. She had tainted.
81 guess they won't bother u.s." re-
marked one OF the robbers, and satisfied
that no resistance would be offered, they
commenced their work of plunder. One
man went through the passengers, one
by one, while the other, with his re-
volver in his outstretched had, kept q
watcbtul lookout for signs of opposition
In this manner the plunderer secured
all the booty he could in his haste, and
when it was all over, and the robbers
had escaped, the passengers found that
they had been relieved of $175 in cash,
and two gold watches.
The train left Kansas City at 12 80
O'Clock last night. When it reached the
Missouri river bridge two men were seen
to get off the forward end of the baggage
car and disappear behind lumb ber pile.
The train hands thought they were
tramps who had stolen ride from
Kansas City, and paid no attention to
the incident. They are now convinced
they were the robbers, and that thew
caught the rear end Of the last sleeper as
it passed the lumber pile. Just as the
train passed out of Harlem the robbers
entered the car and went through the
passengers as described. 1t was evi.
IDENTIFY their intention to rob the passen.
gers in all the coaches, working the train
from the rear, for as they left the St.
Paul sleeper they again cautioned the
passengers not to give an alarm under
the penalty of being shot.
Leaving the st. Paul coach they started
for the next one ahead. On the plat.
form they met the conductor of the train,
John Roach. One of the robbers passed
his revolver under the conductors nose
and ordered him to hold up his hands.
The conductor supposed from the nature
of their disguise that number of rail.
road men who had taken passage on the
train were playing a practical joke on
him, and with a laugh he attempted to
push past them and enter the sleeper
Just then a gust of wind swept the
masks of the robbers aside and then he
knew the affair was one of dead earnest
He had no weapon but the lantern in his
hand and uith hof he anolf i 81
men vicious blow on the head. Stimuli.
taneously with his assault the other
robber fred q shot at him.
His aim was bad and the bullet missed
its mark. The first robber had by this
time recovered himself and he took a
shot at the conductor. His aim was no
more precise than his partners. The
robbers then with one more parting shot
swung off from the steps of the car. AS
they did SO the conductor hurled his
lantern after them, determined to have
the last "tag" on them.
Inc train was running at the rate of
twenty five miles an hour. Conductor |
Roach swung out beyond the side of the
car and saw the robbers arise and make |
with all haste for the road that leads to |
Kansas City. That was the last seen of |
them.
In the meantime the passengers in the |
sleeper had been 80 completely terrorized |
hat they did not regain their senses un-
n they heard the firing on the platform
Then one OF them pulled the cord that
with the air brake, and the
train came to stand still about a mile
from the place where the robbers jun ped
DIT. A special agent of the Wabash road,
who Was on the train, ordered the engi-
neer to run to Randolph, few miles
ahead, and there uncoupled the engine
Ind ran it back to Harlem, where a posse
vas organized and started out at once
iusrds were stationed at the approaches
II the bridge to prevent their entrance
nto Kansas City. The police of the
leighboring towns also have been
The robbers are described as being
ather youthful, not over 20 or % years
+ age, of slight build and dressed some.
hing like farmers. No one saw their
aces except the conductor, and by the
i'm light of his laLtern he received no
efnite impression of their features. |,
The Sherif's posse returned this morn
ng after an almost fruitless search for
he robbers. They succeeded in tracing ,
he men to farm house, whers it is ,
nown they stole horse from farmer ,
AIMED Evans. 1t is supposed they forced
be horse to carry double; the tracks of
he animal at least were traced to bend
q the river, where foot prints in the sand !
how that tie two men probably dis
nounted. AT this place all trace Of the !
andits was lost. 1t is likely they crossed !
be river and boarded train on the =
Kansas City and North. =
'esfern road, and escaped by that means 8
} Leavenworth, and thence to some /.
oint in Nebraska. Two of the passen- I
ers in the sleeper were Mr.. and Mrs I
harles P. Denham, of this city.
THE Conductors STORY. f
ST. LOUIS. August An an interview b
ere tonight with Conductor Roach on a
,e Wabash train robbery, he said: "We b
1T Kansas City last night at 500 b
clock, and this trouble must have oc. o.
,rred at AS, as nearly as can Judge. a
o tell you the truth, was SO badly "
ightened | don't know much about it. 81
nyway, just after clearing Ksnsas Citv
started to go through the train to col
ct the fares, and just after passing =.
arlem did my work in the st. Lonis 81
eeper and started for the rear door on o'
y way to the st. Paul coach, intending "a
take up fares in that and the Des 70
Ioines sleeper, which we always bring ", W
~ OF Kansas City on that train, and a. a.
ave at Moberly, where they are picked 0.
and sent north. When reached the g, o.