The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-08-18
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY
The Pacific Express Company Loses
100000.
The Express Messenger Forced to
Open the Safe at the Point of
Revolvers-Stage Held
Up In Oregon.

KANSAS CITY, Aug. 1.-THE Pacific
Express company lost $4,000 by a train
robbery on the Missouri Pacific railway
early this morning. Ii was the Kansas
City limited that fell into the hands Of the
bandits. The train was crowded with
passengers, and the safe of the express
company was stuffed with money, much
of il consigned TO Western banks.
The train left Upton. Mo-, about 3 am.
Two mysterious figures were seen 10y the
engineer lurking around the forward end
of the train, but no particular attention
was paid TO them. just after leaving Tip
ton the fireman returned toward the ten
der to fire up and looked squarely into
the muzzles OF two revolvers in the hands
of two masked men. They had evidently
boarded the forward platform Of the
"blindn mail car at Upton and were
crawling over the tender toward the EN-
gine. One of the bandits covered the fire
man with revolver while the other took
care of the engineer. They were told
10 hold up their hands. "Now you run this
train TO Otterville water tank" ordered
the leader, "and stop there. IL you
attempt 10 stop at any other place or give
a signal of alarm you'll be dead man.
and the robbers placed their weapons
close TO the heads Of their victims.
The engineer and iiremen were at the
bandits mercy and could only obey.
Otteryille watertank stands in "Rob-
bers' cut,n just east of Otterville. 1t was
| there that the noted outlaws, the James
boys, committed one of their most des-
perate robberies and the Younger broth
ers perpetrated one of their boldest crimes.
| When "Robbers' cut" was reached the
engineer stopped the train.
You come with me" the leader adj
dressed the engineer, "and you tend TO
the fireman." he said to his companion.
| The engineer was commanded To
| go the express car and tell the
messenger To open the door. When
he reached the express car he
walled to the door of the car and
covered" by the revolvers of the robbers,
called 10 the express messenger, Sam
Avery, TO open the door. Avery, suspect
ing no danger, pushed back the door. As
he did so the leader of the robbers
and his confederate pushed their revol-
vers in and ordered the messenger 10 hold
UP his hands. The order was promptly
obeyed and the robbers jumped into the
car. They proceeded Immediately ~ the
safe, which was locked. Avery was COM
manded To open il at the point of IA re-
volyer, and did so.
One of the robbers unfoldcd gunny
sack and into it were placed the entire
contents of the safe.
In the meantime the conductor, alarmed
at the unusual stopping of the train, went
forward TO see what was the trouble. He
got only as far as the rear end of the ex.
press car, when he was halted by one Of
the robbers, who told him 10 go back and
collect tickets. The conductor hurried
back To the first passenger coach and ex-
citedly informed the passengers what was
going on and advised them 10 hide
their valuables. Money. watches, jew
elry and everything valuable was showed
| into boot tops, into cracks, cushion seats
and anywhere 10 get il out of sight. The
conductor had just warned the pa ,seneers
in the second coach when the train
started again. The robbers had finished
their work and escaped. The engineer
pulled the train into Otterville, where
men were left TO arouse the sheriff and
organize posse to pursue the robbers.
The robbers had left their tracks in the
mud. These were followed for some dis
tancc east and finally lost. The sheriil
posse and detectives are securing the
country for the robbers, and considering
the short start hope 10 capture them.
The exact amount OF money and valu
ables stolen cannot he learned. Th,
agent of the express company here will
say absolutely nothing about the occur
renee, except 10 give the story of the rob
berry. From other sources II was learned
the money in the safe and other valuabl,
property was valued at about $4,000.