The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1892-04-09
TRAIN ROBBERS.
Engineer Jim Tolls 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 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
citic service?-hnows 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
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 a rambling,
desultory way of snow-bound trans,
when the subject was suddenly shifted
and l 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
Now he sat bolt upright; his eyes
flashed and his whole manner seemed
to indicate that his brain was conceive
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. 1
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. 81 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. He
had been telegraph operator in FRS
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
with me-extended from Ifris-
co to b" Owe forgotten the station |
named by Jim.)
"One afternoon-we left at 2:a0-as |
we were pulling out of the depot at
Frisco got the bell As / brought
her to 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 l saw the express agent
make motion to Charlie Leaning
half out the door Charlie slapped his belt
and smiled.
just beyond them I saw something
else-two rough-looSing, bearded men,
swinging up one after another on the
rear platform of the last car Then |
thought nothing of it; afterward l
knew they had been shadowing the
express agent.
"All afternoon had an uneasy feel
ng. Every engineer is a bit supersti-
ious, | suppose, and | remember that
wondered if my uneasiness wasn't a
'remonition OF bad luck. We ran along
Without mishap during the early even
ng, but when we stopped to take water
.oout nine o'clock | caught sight of a
lark figure stealing along in the shadow
I
# the express
81 called to Tom, my fireman, to see
Who it was, but when he turned it was
one. This didn't bother me much at
he time; it might have been brake
r the conductor, but hadn't noticed
ny lantern. ,
while we were tearing away again
t a pretty good pace / suddenly caught !,
clicking sound like the putting on of ,
rakes' 1t was triflc up grade at :
lat point and l hadn't called for 'em.
cling Tom to keep going as she was,
climbed back over the tender to see
hat was the matter.
Just as | got to the rear 1 noticed /
widening gap between the tender and
lie express and realized that we were =
occupied and that the bell rope had !.
zen cut; at the same time | saw one of :
e bearded men standing at the brake !,