Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-11
They Successfully Hold Up the
Cotton Belt Near Texarkana.
The Engine is Derailed and the En-
gineer, Fireman and Express
Messenger Held.
The Messenger wounded-The Mall Car and
Passengers acknowledgements Ross
Offers $1,000 Reward.
Special to the Gazette.

berries ever attempted IN this section was
successfully committed last night within
| short distance of this city, the Cotton
Belt, or the st. Louis, Arkansas and
Texas railroad, again being the sufferer.
| the noon passenger train, which should
have been started at O'Clock p. IN. +,
was detained until 1880, at which time
it started south Three miles from this
| city there is spur track on the road
which is seldom used. The engineer
| discovered, when too late, that the
SWITCH WAS LEFT OPEN,
but quickly reversed his engine. The
train left the main track, and
before it could .be checked, had
gone the entire length of the
spur track and the engine, after plow-
ing up the soft ground came to stand
still. The engineer and fireman dis
mounted from the locomotive TO ascer-
tain the damage and were selzeS by three
masked men, who rushed them up to
the side of the express car. Mr.. Neb-
lett, the express messenger, ,iquickly
suspectiug something wrong; partly
opened the door of the EXPIRE So car and
with his gun drawn was. ready to re-
ceive the raiders, when some one of the
train employees in the excitement of the
moment rushed up behind him and
HELD HIS GUN.
But for this incident the brave Neblett
would no doubt have driven the robbers
off But being thus dlssrmed he was
taken, together with the engineer and
fireman, some distance from the train
7 and seated on log. Firing was
kept up at intervals to intimidate
the passengers until the express
car was gone through, which was skill
fully done, and all the valuables taken
from the safes and elsewhere. Claim
Agent E. f. Lewis WINS on board and at
tempted, with the conductor, to organ
iZe the passengers into q corps of de-
fepseShass all were unarmed, and the
se5aEefs shot at every head that was
shown at the windows. The brave con-
ductor, knowing that a freight train
would start from here Just ten minutes
after the passenger, rushed out and sent
two porters down the road to flag the ex-
peUted train. The robbers fired at the
porters as long as they were in sight or
hearing, but the
TWO FRIGHTENED INDIVIDUALS
ucceeded in holding the train, which
was rushing on to destruction.
The party left to gut the train
only robbed the express car, the
mail car remaining untouched. Three
men were placed to guard the engineer,
fireman and express messenger. and
about the time the robbery of the car
was completed two of these guards COM
menced firing at their csptives. The
engineer, whose name is George
Pritchett, narrowly escaped a shot which
was aimed at his head, and the unterri-
fed Neblett, throwing up his hand to
s1isld his head from a bullet, had his
finger shot off and received a wound in
the head. 1t is said that Neblett abused
the robbers, and they started of in
different directions. There were SIX
robbers in all seen. All wore black
masks, and were
HEAVILY ARMED WITH PISTOLS,
except one, who had a Winchester. At
each successive shot the masks were blown
or thrown up and the features OF
the robbers disclosed. 1t is said that
several were recognized by passengers.
1t is not known what amount was carried
off, but it is said to be small.
A man named Williams, a former en-
ploye of the road, it is thought was steal
ing ride, and was found between the
tender and the baggage car
CRUSHED TO DEATH.
Several parties have been securing the
road to-day, but have made no discov-
cries. The robbers were evidently foot
men. No sign of horses have been found.
A bunch containing five switch keys was
picked up near the scene of the robbery
this morning. Indications are that the
guilty parties went from here, and knew
the movement of the trains. It is SAID
large amount OF money was sent of
from here last night on the Cotton Belt,
hut went north instead of south. There
were sixty to seventy-five shots fred
while the robbery was going On, and
several cars show signs of hard usage.
Every effort is being made to capture
the raiders, and no doubts are enter
tanned of their being overtaken.
Governor Ross teleeraphed Sheriff
George W. Edwards to-day to hunt them
up, offering $1,000 for their arrest.
FROM coRsIcASA.
Special to the Gazette.
CoRsIcANA. TEX, June I0.-The Cot
ton belt train from Texarkana was eight
hours late to-day on account of being
hsld up robbers about midnight last
night few miles this side of Texarkana.
The engine was thrown from the track |
and the Texas express car was robbed of |
valuable packages amounting 70 over !
5000. Lee Neblett, the messenger,
Who Is k1nsman of our toTnsmen r. s. !
Neblett, resisted the robbers and was |
shot in three parts of his body and was
oyerpoHered. A tramp who was steal j
ing ride was killed. The passengers |
were not bothered.
THE GOVERNOR REWARD.
Special TO the Gazette
AUSTIN, Tx, June IO.-Govsrnor
Ross in response to a telegram from
Texarkana announcing ths train rob
berry, wired back to the sheriff of Bowie
county 10 use the utmost endeaTors to /
capture the robbers, also directing him
10 At once communicate with other