The Irish standard., 1890-04-12

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started down the track. I found the
first safe on the edge Of the ditch, and
the second hundred feet away beside
astunp. dragged mine down to the
paymaster's then got out my rev oliver
and hid behind the stump, and pretty
soon heard the fellows coming down
the track. They had brought the train
almost to standstill, and then sig
nailed it to go ahead and jumped. They
were hunting along the ditch as they
came, and I waited until they were
within Eve rods before opened fire and
shouted: 'sHere they are, boys; shoot
them DOWN.
They didn't stand for second, but
went off as fast as they could heel it,
followed by my bullets, and half an
hour later I had the safes aboard Of a
freight train. An investigation proved
that Goodhue was blind drunk on that
night He had accepted an offer to
drink with stranger, and had been
piled with liquor until he fell down on
the street. The robbers must have
known him we'll, and have also been
familiar with our way of working. Who
they were we never knew.
In November, 1864, when I began the
run between st. Louis and Chicago,
there was scarcely week that some
thing did not occur to arouse my sus-
picions. The heft of the money went
South, but there was always enough on
either run to tempt a robber to take des-
perate chances. I had middle-aged,
steady going man as assistant, and it
would have had to be sharp man who
could get the better of him. Now and
then, when we were carrying big money
for some army contractor, he was al
lowed to send man along to act as a
special guard. These men were general
ly Chicago detectives or police, and they
rode on an order prepared by the Chica-
go superintendent. One afternoon about
two hours before train time, and while
I was at the Office, a military looking
man, who claimed to be paymaster,
entered and arranged to express his safe
to st. Louis. It's contents were said to
be upward of 100000, and he applied
for permission to send two trusty sol
diers along in the car. I heard this
much without having taken any special
interest in the case. When we came to
receive our stuff from the wagons Ghere
was paymaster's safe, and little later
on man dressed in the uniform Of
sergeant of infantry and accompanied
by private soldier presented an order
permitting them to ride in our car as
guard.
While every thing was regular, / did
not like the looks of the men. They
seemed to me to be tough characters,
and when got a chance to speak to Ora
ham, my assistant, found that he en-
tertained the same opinion and had be-
come suspicious. therefore gave them
the other end of the car and whispered
to Graham that we must keep our eyes
open. The first thing we did after the
train pulled out was to place our revolv-
ers where we could grab them on the
instant, and as we worked over our way
bills we kept a weather eye open for
signs. For time it looked as if we
had done the men an injustice. One
took a seat on the safe and the other in
chair Each lighted cigar, and their
conversation, as we overheard q word
now and then, related to military matters
and was honest and straight. When
Graham and l had finished our work we
sat down at the other end of the car and
the uartet of us rode in this fashion,
with only a break now and then, as we
stopped at station and put off some
thing billed there.
Our longest run was between midnight
and one o'clock. We then passed three
or four small stations without stopping,
making the run about nineteen miles.
If the men were not what they repre-
sented they would show their hands dur
ing this run. They appeared to be sound
asleep when we entered upon it, and
Graham, who sat near me, was noddlng
in his chair. They had the end OF the car
next to the engine, and all OF sudden,
while I was looking at them from under
the vizor of my cap, both arose, stretched
themselves, and as the sergeant started
for my end of the car the other unlocked
the door and admitted two men. Things
moved like lightning. Both OF us saw
what was up, and as we sprang to our feet
every man in that car began shooting. |
can't say whether the fight lasted one
minute or. five, but when it ended l had
a flesh wound in the left arm, rake
across the cheek, and bullet hole in
my cap. Graham had an ear split by a
bullet, and another embedded in his
shoulder and the car was in darkness.
struck match, lighted a candle. and
found that we we're alone. Not exactly
alone, hut safe from further attack. The
sergeant lay dead on his back, shot
through the head, and beyond him was
one Of the men who had been admitted,
SO near dead that he gasped his last as
we raised him up. The door was open,
and the other two had leaped from the
platform. One of them at least was
badly wounded, as a trail Of blood
proved.
The train had made its run by the
time we had sized up the situation, and
doctor was put aboard to dress our
hurts as we continued the journey.
Both corpses were carried into ST. Louis
for inquest and Identification, but they
could not be identified. As you have
surmised, the paymaster's safe was