The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-01-29
IN THE EXPRESS CAR,
A MESSENGERS ADVENTURES.

Even in these days of peace, with
every money handler armed for defence,
and surrounded by every safeguard,
banks are ''touched," stages held up,
express cars robbed, and the highway
robber and the horse thief have no COM
plants of lack of business. This being
the case now, you can imagine the state
of affairs during the war, even though
you were not living witness. Along
about 1863 the bad men of the times
reaped a constant harvest. Money was
abundant, every day full of excitement,
and embezzlers and absconders outnum-
bered honest men. And, too, banks,
express companies, and other big money
handlers were green to many of the tricks
and schemes and the idea of buying a
revolver for an express messenger out Of
company funds would have been voted
down instanter. He must arm bimself,
and if he pulled through he was good
fellow. If he didn't, it wts looked upon
as s'an act of Providence"
For two years had a run on the eX-
press between Cincinnati and St. Louis,
and bet~een St. Louis and Chicago, and
during those years I carried enough
money to pay the national debt. On either
run it was considered an ssoff" time
when did not have $40, 900, and many
and many time I checked up from
$1OO, 900 to S150,000 without being cx-
cited over the temporary possession of SO
much cash. carried the old-fashioned
portable safe, good enough to keep out
the rain, but no defence against ham
mer and cold chisel, and had one of the
best Colts revolvers that money could
buy. was only year OF two over age
when made my first run, stout and ac-
tive, and I think I had fair share OF
nerve and pluck.
My first adventure occurred while
making the run between Cincinnati and
st. Louis. 1 had been on the road about
six weeks, and the business was so heavy
that we had to have an extra man. While
took charge of the money he looked
after the parcels and boxes, and we had
q whole car to ourselves. My assistant
was named John Goodhue, and he had
been one of the check clerks in the
freight department of the Cincinnati
Office. He was an easy going, good
natured man of forty, much given to
taking things easy, but as he was The only
man the company could or would spare /
had to take him as I found him and make
the best of it. Whenever we pulled out
of either city We were very busy for the
first half hour. I saw that everything
was properly checked off and accounted
for in the line of money and valuables,
and then assisted him if he was not al
ready through. It thus sometimes hap
pened that was busy at my safe in the
corner for the first twenty miles out, and
that little OF no conversation was ex-
changed between us.
On this particular evening Goodhue
was ten minutes late at the train, but he
took hold with unusual spirit, and when
the stuff was all in we had the car pretty
we'll filed. l was at my safe when the
train pulled out, and I heard Goodhue
moving about and going through the
usual routine. We had nothing to put
off until we reached a farm thirty miles
away, and then it was something in the
line of freight. I therefore took things
easy, and was smoking as did my work.
had on that night, in addition to my
own safe and $62, 900, paymaster's safe
which contained nearly quarter of a
million. was sitting on this and bend
ing over my own when I received blow
on the head from behind. 1t fell upon
the left side of my head and glanced to
the shoulder, but it knocked me over
sideways in heap on the floor. was
not stunned, but it came to me in a
second to "play 'possum." Even while
falling I realized that it was plan to
rob the car, and I wondered who Good
hue had behind him. rolled over on
my back, groaned two or three times,
and then Strengthened out, and after a
minute heard voice say: "Come out,
Jim-he's settled"
1t was the voice of the nan who had
struck me, but not the voice of Goodhue.
heard second man come forward, and
then the plot was exposed. Neither was
Goodhue, and both were strangers.
"Guess you've done for him, Tom, "
said the last conner AS he stood over me.
"Couldn't help it, Jim-he'd have
given us fight if hadn't. Now, then,
we've got things coopered. In five
minutes we shall be at Blankville.
There's nothing to go OFF, but I'll open
the door, Sit here on the safe"
The whistle blew, the train pulled up,
and pretty soon We were at I standstill.
The robber opened tho sliding door and
stood Us cool as you please for two OF
three minutes, and heard him reply to
the agent that there was nothing to e.
off. As soon as the train pulled out he
,tut the door and came over and said:
"Opcn the other door. Five miles
from here IS the stretch of woods, and We
must tc resjy to dump the safes at the
word"
NV revolver was under ME, il its
holster, and 1 was helpless. The frsl
move made would have brought them
upon me, AMI they would have bceu Ger
tain to make sure work of il this time.
had 20 let them carry out their Plan,