Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-03-14
IN THE EXPRESS CAR
\ MKssENoEn's ADVENTURES.
-1homos Aidrich, in Atlantic Monthly

Hcu III ticSc utyS Oh peace, with
'cvcry money handler armed for defence,
and surrounded by every safeguard,
banks are touched" stages held up,
express cars robbed, and the highway
>robbcr aud 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
reapcd constant harvest. Money was
abundant, every day full of excitement,
and cmbczzlcrs and abscondcrs outnum-
.bcrcd honest men. And, too, banks,
express companies, and other big money
handlers were green to many of the tricks
aud schemes, and the idea of brving Il
revolver for an express messenger out of
company funds would have been voted
down instantcr. He must arm. himself,
and if he pulled through he was II good
fellow. If he didn't, it was looked upon
as Ian act of Providence"
For two years had u run Oh the OK
press between Cincinnati and ST. Louis,
and between st. Louis and Chicago and
during those years carried enough
money 10 pay the national debt. On either
.riiu il was considered an ''ofT'' time
when did not have 500, 900. and many
and many time I checked up from
500, GOO TO $3.50, 900 without being cx-
cited over the temporary possession OF SO
much cash. l carried the old fashioned
portable safe, good enough to keep out
the rain, but no defence against ham,
mcr and cold chisel, and | had ono of the
best Colts rcvolvers that money could
buy. | was only Il year or two over age
when made my first run, stout aud ac-
tive, and ] tank | had fair share of
Il rye and pluck.
= My first adventure occurred while
making the run between Cincinnati and
ST. Louis. l had been ON the road about
six weeks, and the business was so heavy
that we had to have IN extra man. While
1 took charge of the money he looked
after the parcels and boxes. and we had
a whole car to ourselves. Ny assistant
was named John Goodhuc. and he had
been one Of the check clerks in the
freight department of the Cincinnati
office RE was an easy going, good
nnturcd man of forty, much given 10
taking things easy, but as nc was the only
man the company could or would spare [
had to lake him us | found him and make
the best Of it. Whenever we pulled out
of either city VIC were very busy for the
first half hour. saw that everything
was properly checked off and accounted
for i'll the line of money and valulblcs,
and then assisted him if he was not al
ready through. 1t thus sometimes hap
pcncd that was busy at my safe in the
corner for the first twenty miles out, and
that little or no conversation was cx-
changed between us.
On this particular evening Goodhuc
Wa, 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 filled. l was at my safe when the
train pulled out, and | heard Goodhuc
moving about and going through the
usual routine. We had nothing to put
off until we reached farm thirty miles
away, and then it was something in the
line of freight. therefore took things
easy, and was smoking rs did my work
| had on that night, in addition to my
own safe and S62, 900, Il paymastcr's safe
which contained nearly Il quarter OF {;
in1SIion. was sitting ON this and bend.
ing over my own when received n blow
ON the head from behind 1t fell upon
the left side of my head and glanced tc
the shoulder, but it knocked me over
sideways in heap on the floor. was
not stunned, but it came to me il a
second to ''play 'posstnn." Even Will,
falling l realized that it was a plan tc
rob the car, and wondered who Good
hue had behind him. l rolled over or
my back, groancd two or three times
and then Strengthened out, and after q
minute | heard II voice say: "Comc out
Jim-hc's settled"
1t was the voice of the man who haC
struck me, but not the voice of Goodhue
heard a second man come forward, and
then the plot was exposed. Neither was
Goodhuc, and both were strangers.
'Guess you've done for him, Tom, ;
said the last conner as no stood over me
Couldn't help it, Jim-he'd have
given us fight if hadn't Now, then
we've got things coopercd. In iiv,
minutes VIC shall be at Blankvilc
There's nothing to go off, but I'll opcr
the door. Sit here on the safe
X. The whistle blew, the train pulled up
and pretty soon we were at standstill.
The robbcr opened the sliding door and
stood as cool as you please for two OF
three minutes, and l heard him reply t.
the agent that there was nothing to g.
of. AS soon as the train pulled out hi
Shut the door and came over and said:
"Opcn the other door. Five miles
from here is the stretch of woods, and w,
must be ready to dump the safes at tn,
word"
My revolver was under me. in its
holster, and 1 was helpless. The first
move 1 made would have brought them
upon me, and they would have been Ger.
tain to make sure work of it this time
had to let them carry out their plan