The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-09-24
NUMBERING
F0R MONEY,
DaStard|y Kansas Outlaws.
They Wreck a Passenger Train to Sc.
cure $1,OOO,OOO in Treasure
Many Killed and Manned The Money
Buried Under the Debris.

TOPEKA, Kan, Sept. 2l.-A million
dollars in currency-that was the prize
for which Kansas train robbers strove to-
day, and an appalling loss of human life
was the price they were willing to pay
for it. Passenger train No. 8 on the
Atchison. Topeka Il Santa Fe railroad
was wrecked early this morning three
miles west of Usage City by train-rob
bers who hoped by that means to plum
der the express car of S1,000,0OO which
was being transported from the City of
Mexico 10 Boston.
\ wrecked train. four men killed and
thirty-tive men, women and children in
jured are the only results of the attempt
ed robbery. for the robbers secured not
one penny of the treasure to obtain which
thsy imperiled So many lives.
The wreck and attempted robbery had
been carefully and deliberately planned.
TO avoid possibility of leaving a clue be-
hind them the robbers stole tools with
which to bring about their dreadful
work instead of purchasing them. They
stole a crowbar. sledgehammer and
wrench from the tool house at Barclay.
three miles west of the scene of the
wreck. and with them removed a fish
plate which joined two rails together
which would necessarily derail the train.
The robbers had evidently selected with
care the spot at which to accomplish
their villainy. They selected the top of
grade up which the tram would be
obliged to ascend. thus lessening
its speed. and at the same time lessening
the chances of so badly wrecklng the
train as to bury beneath the debris the
treasure they were seeking.
Their precautions were unavailing and
the very thing they sought TO evade.
thwarted their efforts. When the train
passed over the weakened track the en-
tire train was wrecked with the eXcep-
ton Of the rear car and most of the cars
were piled on top of one another above
the express car. burying it and its treas
ure so deep as to require several
hours digging to reach it. The engine,
when it passed over the loosened rail.
left the track, swayed to and fro for a
second. and then toppled over with
dreadful crash. The engineer and tire
man had no warning of their dreadful
fate and no chance for their lives. They
must have been killed outright wher the
engine was wrecked. The express mes
senger and express guar,;sman were
equally unprepared. and they were killed
in their car There were some
$50 passengers on the train but not one
was killed. How they escaped seems
miraculous. The cars were piled one on
another and composed mass of timber
and twisted iron in which it seemed i'm
possible for any being to have escaped
death. When the work of rescue was
completed. however. all the victims were
found alive. Several were badly injured
and few may die.
The million dollars belonged to the
Mexican Central Railway company, and
was being forwarded to that companys
headq Harters at Boston. 1t was secured
from the wreck and turned over to
Wells. Fargo IL company here to be for
warded to the destination. The Santa
Fe has offered 2l,OOo reward for the train
wreckers and several armed
parties are searching the country
in the vicinity of the wreck.
Advices from Usage City ana Barclay
state that intense excitement and in
dignation prevail among the people there
who declare that the wreckers shall be
lynched when caught. Four persons
were killed outright and twenty five
seriously injured. Those killed were:
Frank Baxter. express messenger, Kansas
City: John Bloomenthal express mes
senger. Mexico: James Chaddicks. fire
man, Topeka:Ed Maher.engineer,To Topeka. |
The wounded were Mary Lyman, Bloom
ington, Illinois. badly bruised and in-
jured about the head and face: William |