The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-07-08
MANKATo FREE PRESS,
A BOLD DEED.

was made Friday night to rob the ex-
press car on the through Omaha train
from the Twin Cities, due in Mankato
at lilo p. M. The train was stopped
by masked.robbers at point between
st. Peter and Kasota known as Spring
Lake, desolate spot between the
Minnesota river on one side and
swampy piece of ground on the other,
with only switch house in sight.
Through the rare presence Of mind
and deXterity of the express messen-
ger, John F. Kennedy, of Council
Bluffs, the robbers were thwarted and
failed to secure cent of booty.
The train, as usual, was well filed
with passengers and was little late.
Two masked men boarded it at ST.
Peter and when the train had pulled
out short distance they crawled over
theltender and and leyeled their revolv-
erS at the engineer and fireman, whom
they ordered to keep quiet and not
to stop the train until ordered to do
so. One of the robbers produced two
cigars and made the fireman light
them and hand them back. These
the men smoked so hard that the
ends gave bright lights, which it is
surmised was intended as signal to
confederates
When near Spring Lake they made
the engineer stop the train and dis
mount with the fireman. They were
then marched back to the express car
and ordered to knock on the door and
ask the messenger to open it. Mes
senger Kennedy thought that the
train had reached Kasota and opened
the door to find a masked robber lev
cling revolver at him. He was re-
Quired to jump down from his car
and surrender his revolver. The
robbers asked for the guard, but were
informed by the messenger that there
was no guard on the car as he had no
money with him. They then made
him Renter the car and one of the
men followed him in, but before the
robber could get in Mr.. Kennedy open
ed the safe and locker and conceal
ed what money there was, aboutS2, 900.
The messenger permitted him to
search the car and convinced him
that there was no money.
The robbers then took their pris-
oners and required them to walk ahead
of them to the top of hill and then
sent them back to the train. The
men then started in an easternly
direction through the country, and
this was the last seen or heard of
them.
Two shots were fired by the would
be robbers while at the train. One
was fired at too inqusitive brake
man, who came forward to see what
was the matter, and the other at a
light that was displayed toward the
rear of the train. This satisfied
everyone, passengers and brakemen,
that it was safest not to venture out.
No one was injured, and the occupants
of the sleeping and passenger coaches
were immensely relieved when the
robbers had departed. Wonder is
expressed that they did not attempt
to rob the passengers.
Conductor Fred Blaser made the
following report of the occurrence to
Superintendent Spencer, which by
his courtesy we are permitted to pub
lish:
On train No. tonight just as we
pulled out of ST. Peter, two men with
masks on came in cab of engine and
covered the engineer and fireman
with guns and told them to keep still
and go ahead until they told them to
stop. One of the robbers produced
two cigars and made the fireman
light them and hand one to each of
themselves and they smoked them
hard keeping end of cigar burning
brightly. This we judged was sign
to their confederates. When we had
got about 60 rods west of West
Spring Lake they told the engineer to
stop, which he did. They then made
the engineer and fireman get down on
the left-hand side and go back to the
express car and knock on the door
and ask the messenger to open it.
The messenger was busy and did not
notice where we were or how far the
train had gone from st. Peter, but
supposed we were at Kasota, :and he
threw the door open and faced gun.
They made him Jump down and
took his revolver and threw it down
on the ground, and then inquired for
the guard. They were told that the
guard was not on tonight as he did
not have any money at all. They then
made him get back into the car and
one of them followed him, while the