The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-12-10
TRAIN ROBBERS.

TRAIN ROBBERS.
Engineer Jim Tells Of the 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 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
ciiic servicen-nnows that his heart is
built in proportion to his massive
frame. Touch him right. and no wom-
an could be more tender: rile 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 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.
He 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
to indicate that his brain was conceiv-
ing flood of eloquence 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. l
wish an adequate idea of his manner
OF telling it could be given with his
story. lie seemed to see the thing he
was describing.
Hold up" said he. Il 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 early days. A
pluckier little man never breathed. lie
had been . 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 saint We had long runs
In those days. Our division-Charlie
changed with me-extended from 'Fris-
co to b" 1--we forgotten the station
named by Jim.)
s'One afternoon-we left at a:a0-as
we were pulling out of the depot at
Frisco I got the bell. As brought
her to a stand saw the Wells Fargo
man run up to the express car and
hand Charlie square tin box with a
grip handle. Looking back as she got
her head again saw the express agen,
make q motion to Charlie. Leaning
half out the door Charlie slapped his bel,
and smiled.
''Just beyond them saw something
else-two rough-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 tn,
express agent
''All afternoon / had an uneasy feel
ing. Every engineer is bit supersti
tious, suppose, and l remember tina
wondered il my uneasiness wasn't
premonition of bad luck. We ran a.oni
without mishap during the early even
ing, but when we stopped to take wate
about nine o'clock ! caught sight of ,
dark figure stealing along in the shadow
of the express
Il called to Tom, my fireman, to SC,
who it was. but when he turned it wa
gone. This didn't bother me much a
the time; it might have been BRAKE
or the conductor, but ! hadn't notice,
any lantern.
''While we were tearing away agail
at q pretty good pace suddenly caugh
clicking sound like the putting on O
brakes. 1t was a tritie up grade a
that point and hadn't called for 'em
Telling Tom to keep going as she was
climbed back over the tender to Sc
what was the matter
.'Just as | got to the rear notice,
widening gap between the tender an,
the express and realized that we wer
uncoupled and that the bell rope ha.
been cut; at the same time | saw one q
the bearded men standing at the brak
cred with . six-shooter.
'.As l clambered back to the cab
heard shot: then half dozen of then
in quick succession. Road agents
Tom yelled in ray ear as | took tn
lever. l brought her up as quick a
could and held her ready to run for
ward or backward as circumstance
might decide.
1.-THE train had almost come to
standstill, when saw CLEAN of ligh
cut through the night about midwa
of the car. Then that streak of ligh
was darkened by the lengthene
shadow of a man, which moved cross
wise of the train and seemed to mel
out into the night.
Get back, Charlie! yelled. for
thought he was about to look out 70
the cause of our stopping.
Open your head again and II
blow it off, said q voice beside me
Turning. l saw a man at each of tn
cabs front windows. They had jumpe
up on the pilot and crept back along
side of the boiler.
There seemed to be dozen OF tn
robbers. Not more than two had com
ON the train. am sure. The Who'll
thing had been planned. Those nea
the engine, with the exception of til