Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1890-02-22


military looking man who claimed TO be
q paymaster, entered and arranged to
express his safe 10 ST. Louis lis con
tents were said to be upward Of 5000 900.
! and he applied for permission to send
two trusty soldiers along in the car. l
| heard this much without having taken
any special interest IN the case When We
came to receive our stuff from the wagons
there was paymasters 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 everything was regular, did not
like the looks Of the men. They seemed
to me to bctoueh characters, and when
I got chance to speak to Graham, my
assistant found that he entertained the
same opinion and had become 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 revolver> where we
| could grab them on the instant, and as
we worked over our way bills we kept
weather eve open for signs. For time
it looked as if we had done the men an
Injustice One took seat on the safe
and the other in chair Each lighted
cigar, and their conversation, as we over
heard word now and then, related to
| military matters and was honest and
straight. When Graham and | had fin
ished our work we sat down at the
other end Of the car and the quartet of
us rode in this fashion, with only break
now and then, as we stopped at a station
] and put off something billed there. =
Our longest run was between midnight
and one o'clock. We then passed two CT
three small stations without stopping,
making the run about nineteen miles. II
the men were not what they represented
they would show their hands during this
run. They appeared to be sound asleep
when we entered upon it, and Graham,
who sat near me. was nodding in his
chair. They had the end Of the car next
to the engine, and all of a sudden, while
was looking at them from under the
vlzor 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 shoot
ing. l cant say whether the fight lasted
one minute or FIVE, but when it ended
had 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, aud the car was in darkness. /
struck a match, lighted candle and
found we were alone. Not exactly
alone. but 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
50 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 ono Of them at least was
badly wounded. as trail of bleod
proved
The train had made It's run by the
time We had sized up the situation, and
a 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 safe was a dummy. It
did not contain one dollar The whole
Job was put up TO get hold of express
money and the fellows didn't propose to
give Us any chance 70 save our lives By
giving It up I think that one II the
robbers who jumped also came to his
death, as q man was next day found Al
that spot who had been cut II fragment~
under the wheels. some parts of this
adventure reached ii" press, hut the eS-
press COMPANY huShed matters up il
; every WAY possible and Il AIS cfor; the.
vere aided by tn Government It VA.
| af.erward sa.d rha, every me;nner e th'
gang was s Chicago cross. and that tht
nan vho psrsonated the pavmaste- a
the o.aes Wa the Sergeant aboard u,
ear.--Ns7 lort >1a.
!. A Bird of Freedom Ferry.
/ An eagle attacked $ peacock On II