The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1892-01-27
TWO Men Rob a Train.


KAxsss CRY. Jan. e3-Lsst night was a
thrilling one for the crew and passengers of
the southbound Missouri Pacific train The
tain wss held npt~ice, once By a iynching
party Ihst was escorting Murderer Robert
Hepler from Nerads. No, 10 Lamar. No,
where they hanged him, and second time
by train robbers. who robbed the express car
and its inmates
The train bad hardly left Nassau Junction
where the lynchiae party took possession Of
it. when a danger signal induced the eDei-
neer to slow up sgain. When the train
came to , ssandstill Two masked men enter
ed the express car and ordered the occupants
to hold up their hands. keeping them COW
cred with rcs0,vers. while the train Travelled
l2 miles 70 Lamar.
The robbers rin d the pocke;s OF the train
men, taking SO from Baggagcman Hali,
small amounts fr5m Express Messenger
IIouck and Travelling Passenger Agsn. Bar
de,t of the Missouri Pacific Rtilroad, who
had gone TO The express car 10 escape annoy
ance by the mob Of lynchers in the rear
cars.
THE ROBBERY or THE ExrREss ACCOMPLISHED
The express messenger was eompeiled 10
reveal the combination Of the Pacific Ex-
press Company safe, and that was also r.
fed. the amount secured however, being
less than s75.
When the train arrived at Lamar, the des-
tinai:on of the mob, the bandits mingled in
the crowd of lynchers and for q time were
lost sight OF One of the trainmen, howey-
er. soon discovered them boarding passing
northbound freight train on the Memphis
Railroad and sent the following dispatch to
the Sheriff and Ciiy Marshal at It. Scott,
Kansas
Watch for two men; no baggage; rough
in appearance; one somewhat taller than
the other They are wanted here for rob
bing the Pacific Express Missouri Pacific
train here this morning. Are coming tow
ard your city on 4 freight.
The freight train arrived at Fl Scott at
O'Clock this morning. Policeman Ciemore,
eolored, was on duty at the station.
AN OFFICER sHor ~ THE HEART
Two suspicious looking characters of the
description given in the dispatch arrived.
He halted them, when one of the men drew
his revolver and fired. The bullet pierced
the policeman's heart and he dropped dead.
It so happened that by this time the
freight train was Just pulling out, and the
robbers boarded an empty box car and lock
ed themselves in. Shortly afterwaTd the
passenger train from Lamar arrived. and on
it was Detective Chester, OF the Missouri
Pacific, who was in pursuit Of the bandits
He, accompanied by United States Marshal
Mapes and Marshal Abbott, Of Fort Scott,
boarded the passenger train, which pulled
out Immediately in pursuit OF the freight
train.
At Miamis:own, the freight was overtak-
en-, but was just pulling out for Pleasanion
when the passenger train arrived, the crew
having no knowledge OF the dangerous
freight they we're hauling.
Detective Chester aud his companion,
however. succeeded in boarding the moving
freight and took possession Of the car i'm
media,ely behind the one in which the ban
dts had taken refuge.
CARS BoNBAEDED FOR FIVE MILss.
The latter bad seen their pursuers enter
the car and Immediately opeaeI fire upon
them. The officers returned the Ere. and
shots were continuously exchanged through
the ends of the cars all the way to Pleasan-
ton. distance Of five miles.
A dispatch bad been seat to Pleasonton
asking that a posse meet the train, and
when the freight pulled 10 the robbers car
was surrounded and the inmates were call
ed upon 10 Surrender. They answered with
shots from their revolvers and the posse re-
turned the FIRE. The two imprisoned men
fired through the side OF the car at random,
and the posse returned the fire with Win
chesters and reyolvers. The fusilaie lasted
nearly an hour
Finally shot from a winchester Of one |
of TIE posse struck one OF the robbers in the |
head and killed him. The other bandit sur /
rendered. He gave his own name, Charles /
Meyers, of Kansas City, Kan. He declined /
to reveal the name of his companion.
- AhE LoeoE VI A4AA tEAn hANE-l-
The Coroner held an inquest on the body
of the dead robber and returned a verdict in /
accordance with the facts. Meyers was tax /
en- back to Fort Scott.
A reporter called at the house, where
Meyers gave as his address Kansas City Kan. |
Two women were found there, one Of whom
said she was Meyers wife and the other his
mother. When asked where he was they 4
said that be left last night with his brother
in-law, s C. Francis. 10 90 to Harrisonville
to trade for a farm, and were expected TO re-
turn tonight. The women exhibited much
nervousness and were much reserved in an
swering questions.
When told Of the train rObSsry and Of the
wounding Of Meyers and the killing of his
companion. they made no comment. Il is
supposed that the dead robber +. none other
than s c. Fraacis. Mrs. Meyers said her
husband had been running j9int" or
Kansas saloon, but no such man is known
to the police
MEYERS MESSAGE TO HIS WIFE.
The police of Kansas City, Kan, received
the following telegram tonight:
FoKr ScorT. Kan, Jan. % Tell nv wife
II Is US Tel her 60. to come ] am badly
wounded. CHARLES MEYERS.
The us evidently includes C. W. Fran.
CTS. He and Meyers married sisters and
and were non professional gamblers. Fran
els was a cousin of Governor Francis, whom
he greatly resembled, and a nephew Of
Judge Cowan, Of s.. Louis. He was heir to
an estate near Baltimore, bequeathed him in
trust By his father, the proceeds Of which
Re reca;,a3 Ma~.-ss r.tt.- : - III - !