, 1891-08-23
IN JESSE JAMES STYLE.
Masked Men Hold Up a Freight
Train in Missouri.
Conductor Hiram Cassie Loses
His Watch and Money.
Brakeman White Shot and
Killed By the Robbers.

hl1lou 10y IHO lIODDoIo'
KANSAS CITY, Aug. 22-Two masked
men held up freight train No. is on the
Kansas City. st. Joseph 4 Council Bluffs
road and wantonly murdered Brakeman
J. +. White aud robbed Conductor Hi
ram Cassie, one mile and a half from
Harlem, in Clay county, early this morn
ing. The bandits escaped and the sur
rounding country has been secured so far
unsuccessiully. The train, which was
due at Kansas City at . O'Clock, pulled
up at Murray's switch at | O'Clock this
morning. The place is on the straight
reach Of track that extends without a
curve from the Harlem station to the
bend Of the Missouri opposite Quindaro.
There is not a more lonely place in Clay
county. Thick crossing willows and dense
weeds hedge the track and there is but
one little house between the tracks and
the race course, i've miles away. Coun-
Gil Bluffs trains stop at Murray's switch
to signal for the bridge. A little box of a
signal house stands beside the track and
therein is an electric bell connecting with
the watch tower in Harlem. Incoming
conductors always stop their trains, ring
the bell and wait for an answer tinkle
from the tower. telling them that the
single track on the bridge is clear. Con.
ductor Hiram Cassie, when he reached
the bell house this morning, had trouble
with the signal. lie rang it seven or
eight times, but got no response from the
tower.
Suddenly, as he started TO try the zig.
nal again. he heard behind him a voice.
Hold up your hands," He whirled
quickly around in the doorway of the hut,
and in the dim light saw the outline of
two men. Both wore black siouch hats
pulled down over black masks. The
masks had large cyeleTs cut in them, and
came well down upon the waarers' coats,
which Cassie noticed were long aud full,
apparently irock coats. Each man held a
revolver, and each revolver was trained
well upon Castles head. The conductors
hands went mp instanter.
Have you got any money! asked one
Of the apparItions.
"A little bit" replied the railroad man.
BY - you'd better have n good
de a." was the gruff rejoinder.
The robbers then searched Cassie and
took from him a gold watch and SO in
money. As they concluded their search
there came back the rafting answer to the
bridge signal. and one of the robbers com
manded Cassie to answer. This he did
and proceeded to lock the door of the box.
The masked men told the conductor to
leave the lock alone and started him to-
ward the way car, themselves following
closely with revOlvcra ready.
The middle of the train was opposite
the signal box. As the conductor walked
down alongside his train he saw Ed
White, the rear brakeman, standing on
the top of the second car from the rear of
the train, his form clearly outlined against
the sky. The robbers saw him, too. and
one of them yelled, Come down off that
car" The brakeman started to step to-
ward the iron ladder on the eide OF the
car, but Just as he lifted his foot a pistol
cracked and White fell without a word or
groan. The murderOus robbers showed
neither fear nor excitement over their
deed. Still standing behind Cassie they
roughly commanded him to give the start.
ing signal to the engineer and to get on
his cabOose. Cassie obeyed and tie two
men climbed IN on the car upon which
White lay. Cassie going to the rear
platform of his caboose climbed up on top,
extInguIshed his lantern and lay at full
length on the footboard so that he might
watch the robbers without being seen.
The two were going forward along the top
of the train after having presumably ex-
amined the body of White for booty.
About eight cars from the engine they
climbed down a ladder, dropped from the
train and disappeared in the weeds.
The robbers gone. Cassie went forward
to see what he could do for his brakeman.
He found White lying Iull length on top
OF the car, dead. There was a bullet hole
over the right eye and from the ugly
wound blood was still ooziug. The flow
had made n great blOtch on top of the
car. The train was run into Harlem.
where Whites body waI placed in the
depot. There it was examined by
Coroner Hill and afterwards removed to
this city. Ed" W hIte, as he was known,
had worked for the Council Bluffs road
for some years. He was u sober, reliable
man. He married about six months ago.
His wife came down from St. Joseph.
their home, this morning and returned
with the body this evening. The sheriff
OF Clay county and the police and detec-
tivcs of this city are searching, but with.
out a clew, for the murderous robbers.
About $50 O'Clock on the night of
Aug. 3, 1889, an outgoing passenger
train on the Wabash road was robbed by
masked bandits very near the scene of
this mornings crime. Two men did the
robbery. They boarded the blind bag
gag at the Union depot and entered the
sleeper when the train stopped at Har
lem. Alter the train passed the station
they commanded the passengers to throw
up their hands. The robbers obtained
$l74 and two gold watches. After leav
ing the sleeper the men encountered Con
ductor James Reach on the Platform.
The conductor was ordered to THROW up
his hands. but in response he smashed
one of the robbers over the head with his
lantern. A desperate struggle ensued on
the narrow platform OF the car. Two
shots were fired BY one of the robbers. but
the conductor was not injured. The men
finally jumped from the train while 1t was
going thirty miles an hour. and the con.
ductor threw his lantern after them.
They escaped and no clew to their idcn-
tity has ever been discovered.
AImv an Old Convict.