Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-08-23
BANDITS stop A TRAIN.
They Rife the Safe and get away
With Fortune.
Robbery Ina Missouri The Train stopped
In Robbery Cut, she Scene Of Jesse
James Exploits.


James Exploits.
The Kansas City limited express, No 3,
from st. Louis, on the Missouri Pacific Rail-
road, fell into the bandits hands the other
morning The train was crowded with pas
sengers and the safe of the express company
was stuffed with money consigned, much Of il.
10 Western hanks. The train leil Upton,
Mo-, at about "a. NJ Two mysterious figures
were seen by the engineer lurking around the
forward end Of the train, but no particular
attention was paid to them. Just after leav-
ing Upton the fireman TUNED toward the
tender to FIRE up the engine and looked
squarely into the muEzle Of two revolyors in
the hands of two masked men, who were lying
on their faces on top Of the coal They we're
doubtless the two mysterious men who were
noticed at Upton. They had evidently
boarded the forward platform at the eblind"
mail car At that place aud were crawling over
the tender toward the engine One of the ban
dts covered the fireman with his revolver
while the other took care Of the engineer
They were told to hold up their hands. Their
hands wentup.
"Now, you run this train to Ohervillo wa.
teT-tank, ordered the leader, "and stop there.
II you attempt TO stop AZ any other place or
give signal Of alarm, you'll be dead men, T"
and the robbers placed their weapons close 10
the heads Of their victims. The engineer and
fireman were at the bandits mercy, and they
could only obey. The Otterville water-tank
stands in Robbers Cut, Just out Of Otter
Vile IL was there that the noted outlaws,
me James" boys committed one Of their
most daring robberies, and the Younger
brothers perpetrated one Of their boldest
crimes. Robbers Cut" is NJ tho bottom Of a
steep grade, aud when the train approached
u the engineer had great difficulty IN attemp-
ting TO bring the engine to standstill His
attempts were redouhled when the leader Of
the two robbers pressed the muxzlc Of his re-
volyer against the engineers temple and just
stopped.
You come with me, the leader addressed
Frank Droyer, the engineer, "and you attend
70 the fireman" he said to his companion.
The engineer was commanded to 20 TO the ex-
press car and tell the messenger To open She
door
lie did so. under the threat Of death IL he
should fail When he reached theexpress car
he found that the two robbers bad hye con.
federates stationed at convenient places about
the ear all heavily armed and their faces con.
cealcd behind masks. He walked 10 the door
Of the express ear, and, covered" by the re-
volvers Of three Of the robbers called TO the
express messenger, Sam Avery, 10 open the
door. Avery, suspectng no danger pushed
back the door As he did 10, The leader Of the
robbers and one confederate pushed their re-
volyers in and ordered the messenger to hold
up his hands.
The order was promptly obeyed and three
Of the robbers jumped into the car They
proceeded Immediately 10 the safe, which
was locked. Avery was commanded To open
IL, and at the point Of revolver did So One
Of the robbers unfoldcd gunny sqrk and
into II were placed the entire contents Of the
safe. The robbers then made a cursory ex-
animation " the car to see " they had over
Looked pny thing, aud Ending netl,iur n,es. 20
value, backed ont Of the ear. their reviewers
always pointed &C the messenger In the
meantime the conductor, alarmed AZ the nn-
usual stoppage Of the Train, went forward TO
see what was the trouble. He got only "a far
MS the rear end Of the express ear when be
was halted by one Of the robbers, who told
him 10 20 back aud collect tickets.
"We'll take care Of this end Of the train"
the robber added
The conductor hurried back 10 the FIRST
passenger coach, aud cxcitedly informed the
passengers Of what was going on, and Nd ised
them to hide their valunhlos. Money, watch
es. jewery and everything valuable was
showed into boot tops. into the crncks " the
cushioned seats and anywhere 10 get IL out
of sight. The conductor had just warned the
passengers in the second car when the train
Started on the journey again.
The robbers had finished their work aud
escaped
The engineer pulled the train into Otter.
Vile half mule distant where part Of tho
crew were lefi 10 arouse the sheriff and organ
ize posse 10 pursue the robbers AtSedalia,
seven miles from the scene Of the robbery, the
news was telcgraphed 10 headquarters at N.
Louis, and all the available detective force Of
the road was sent 10 Robbers Cut"
The exact amount Of money and valuables
stolen cannot be learned. The agent Of the
express company will say absolutely nothing
about the occurrence, except 10 give the story
Of the robbery. The newspaper men got
a bold Of Avery for short time, and from bis
interview and other sources il was surmisod
that the money 10 the safe aggregated about
$1,000, mostly paper money mud that the
other valuable pfopsity amounted 70 about
$4,000 There IL no suspicion - 10 who ths
robbers are.