, 1890-08-21
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY.
The Pacific Express Com
pany a Heavy Loser.
At The FAMOUS ROBERTS CUT
It Was the Scene of Crimes by
the James and Younger
Brothers.

kANsAs City, Aug. lI.-Ihe fnclnc
Express Company lost fully $4,000 by n
train robbery on the Missouri Pacific
railway cnrly this morning. 1t 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
IN oney, consigned much OF II to West
ern banks.
The train left Upton, Mo-, about A.
M. Two mysterious men were seen by
the engineer running around the for
ward end Of the train, but no particular
attention was paid to them. Just after
leaving Upton the fireman returned 10.
ward the tender to fire up, and looked
squarely into the muzzles OF two re-
volvers. In the hands OF two masked
men. They had evidently boarded the
forward part of the mnil car at Upton,
and were crawling over the lender to-
ward the engineer. One Of the men
covered the fireman with his revolver,
while the other took caro- Of the engi-
neer. They were told TO hold up their
hands. "Now you are on the train to
the Otterville water tank" ordered the
leader, ''and stop there. lfyou attempt
to stop at any other place. or attempt to
give signal Of alarm, you will DO dead
men,"
The robbers placed their weapons
close to the heads of their victims, and
the engineer and fireman were at their
mercy aud could only obey.
Tho Otterville water tank stands in
Roberts cut, just east of otterville. 1t
was there that the noted outlaws, the
James boys, committed one OF their most
daring robberies, and the Younger
brothers perpetrated ono Of their boldest
crimes.
Whom Roberts cut was renched the
engineer stopped the train. "You come
with me-" the leader addressed the en-
gineer, "and you attend to the fireman."
he said to his companion. The engineer
was commanded to go to the express car
and tell the messenger to open the door.
When he reached the express car he
found that the two robbers had five con-
federates stationed at convenient places
about the car, all heavily armed, and
their faces concealed behind masks.
He walked to the door OF the express
car, and, covered by the revolvers Of
three robbers, called to Express Mes
senger Sam Avery to open the door.
Avery, suspecting no danger, pushed
back the door. AS he did so. the rob
bers pushed their revolvers in and
ordered the messenger to hold up his
hands. The order was promptly
obeyed, and three robbers jumped into
the car. They proceeded Immediately
TO the safe. which was locked. Avery
was commanded to open II, and, at the
int Of nA- -T
robbers unfolded a gunny sack. and in
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 us far as the rear
end OF the express car. when he was
halted by one. of the robbers, who told
him to go back and collect tickets. The
conductor hurried back to the first pas
senger coach and cxcitedly informed the
passengers what was going on, and ad.
vised them to hide their valuables, and
money, watches. jcwelry and all things
OF value were showed into boot tops,
into the cracks of cushioned scnts, and
any where to get them out of sight.
The conductor had Just warned the
passengers In the second car when the
train started again. The robbers had
finished their work, and escaped.
The engineer pulled the train into
Otierville, where a party was left to
a. use the sheriff and organize a posse
to pursue the robbers. The robbers had
lett their tracks In the mud. These were
followed for some distance east and
finally lost. The sheriff IS posse and de-
tectives are securing the country for the
robbers, and, considering the short start,
hope to capture some of them at least.
The exact amount of money and val
uables stolen can not be learned. The
agent of the express company here will
say absolutely nothing about the oc-
currence, except to give the story of the
robbery. From other sources II was
learned that the money in the safe and
other valuable property was valued at
about $4,000.