The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1891-12-10
TRAIN ROBBERS.
Engineer Jim Tells of tAe Express
Messengers Fidelity.

We were sitting in the sun on the
south side of the Montana union depot,
in Butte, when Jim told the story.
There was a tremor in his voice and a
moisture in his eyes that marked how
deeply his feelings were moved by the
tale a chance remark led him to tell
Everyone who knows Jim Cook-and
who doesn't know the rugged engineer,
one OF the oldest men in the Union Pa
cific service?-knows that his heart is
built in proportion to his massive
frame Touch him right, and no wom-
an could be more tender; rifle him, and
no grizzly could be more fierce Jim
has seen exciting times in the service
of the Union Pacific, and his mind is
stored with "reminiscences of the early
days Of transcontinental railroading
We had been chatting in 4 rambling,
desultory way of snow-bound trans,
when the subject was suddenly shifted
and happened TO mention the robbery
of Northern Pacific train near Fargo
Jim's manner changed instantly.
lie had been leaning forward, resting
his elbows on his knees and supporting
his chin with the palms of his hands
Now he sat bolt upright; his eyes
flashed and his whole manner seemed
10 indicate that his brain was conceiv-
ing a flood of eloquencc his tongue
could not fashion into words. One
could see tragedy in his face, but the
next minute the expression changed to
one of pity. Then he began TO talk. ]
wish an adequate idea of his manner
nj telling il could be given with his
story lie seemed TO see the thing he
was describing.
Hold up" said he. II never was in
but one, and never hear of one that
doesn't call up the ghost of poor Charlie
White TO haunt me. Charlie was an
express guard in the carly days A
pluckier little man never breathed. He
had been a telegraph operator in 'Fris-
co before he got on our run, and ]
knew him first rate. Knew his wife,
too, for he was married-a little pink
and white wax-doll sort of woman who
looked like a saint We had long runs
in those days Our division-Charlie
changed with me-extended from FRS
co 10 II" I've forgotten the station
named by Jim.)
One afternoon-we left at 2:20-as
we were pulling out of the depot at
Frisco ! got the bell. As brought
her to a stand ! saw the Wells-Fargo
man run up to the express car and
hand Charlie a square tin box with
grip handle. Looking back as she got
her head again saw the express agent
make a motion 10 Charlie. Leaning
half out the door Charlie slapped his belt
and smiled
Just beyond them saw something
else-two rou.h-looking, bearded men,
swinging up one after another on the
rear platform of the last car. Then
thought nothing Of it; afterward
knew they had been shadowing the
express agent
"All afternoon I had an uneasy feel
ing Every engineer is a bit supersti-
tious, suppose, and I remember that
wondered IL my uneasiness wasn't
premonition of bad luck We ran along
without mishap during the early even
ing. but when we stopped to take water
about nine o'clock caught sight of q
dark figure stealing along in the shadow
of the express
II called to Tom. my fireman, TO see
who il was, but when he turned it was
gone. This didn't bother me much at
the time; IL might have been brake
or the conductor, but ] hadn't noticed
any lantern
While we were tearing away again
at a pretty good pace suddenly caught
clicking sound like the putting on Of
brakes II was q tri1e up grade at
that point and hadn't called for 'em.
Telling Tom to keep going as she was,
climbed back over the tender to see
what was the matter.
Just as ] got to the rear / noticed
a widening gap between the tender and
the express and realized that we were
uncoupled and that the bell rope had
been cut; at the same time ! saw one of
the bearded men standing at the brake
wheel Of the express He had me COW
cred with q six-shooter.
As ! clambered back to the cab
heard q shot; then half dozen Of them
in quick succession Road agentsc
Tom yelled in my ear as ] took the
lever. ] brought her up rs quick as
could and held her ready to run for
ward or backward rs circumstances
might decide
The train had almost come to q
standstill, when ] saw . CLEAN OF light
cut through the night about midway
of the car Then that streak Of light
was dsrkensd by the heightened
sbsdav Of . man, which uo1ed crosa'