The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-09-29
WRECKED By ROBBERS.
| PASSENGER TRAIN DlTCHED
NEAR Usage CITY, KAN.
Twenty-Five Passengers Inj"red-A Mil
lion Dollars In Treasure Was the Prize
Sought Robbers VIII BE Lynchcd IL
Captured-IIow Twas Done.
Four Train NJ III Are Killed.

million dollars m currency.
That was the prize for which Kansas
train robbers strove. An appalling loss
of human life was the price they were
wiling to pay for it.
Passenger train No. S, on the Atchi-
son, Topeka 4 Santa Fe Ralroa |, east
iound, was wrecked early in the MORN
ing three miles west of Usage City by
train robbers who hoped by that means
To plumber tn express ear of 81 900 COO,
which was Icing transported from the
city of Mexico TO Boston
wrccke | train, four men killed, and
thIrty-fivc men, women, and children
injured are the only results of the at
tempted robbery, for the robbers Sc
cured not a penny of the treasure TO
capture which they imperiIed 50 many
lives.
The wreck and attempted robbery had
been carefully and deliberately planned.
To avoid the possibility of leaving a clcw
behind them the robbers stole the tools
with which they did their dreadful work,
instead of purchasing them. They stole
IL crow bar, wrench and -l"dgc hammer
from the tool house at Barclay, three
miles west of til" scene OF the wreck,
and with them removed the fish plate
which Joined two rails together, which
Nouil necessarily t'iali the lFdiH- L ne
robbers hal cvidcntly selected with care
the SPOT at which TO wreck TIL" train.
They selected the top of Il grade, up
which the train would t." obliged To as
ccald, thus le seeming its speed and al the
same time ie4Scning the chances OF so
badly wrecking tn" train a. to barry be
meath the debris the treasure they were
seeking. These precautions We're UNI
ayaiing, and the very thin, they sought
to cva1c this. rtnl their efforts.
When the train passed over the weak
en"d track the entire train was
Wrecked, with the exception OF
the rear car, and most OF the
ears were piled one OH top of the
other above the EXPIRE s car, III ying it,
and its treasure SO deep as to require sew
era! hours digging 10 reach it. The en-
CINE, when it passed over the loos"nel
rail, left the track, eway"d To and tro
for second OF time and taen topped
over with a dreadful crash.
Four Ira ann n KILLED.
The engineer ard fireman had no
warning of their dreadful fate and no
chance for their lives. They must haze
been killed outright when the engine
was wrecked The express messenger
and express guardsmcn were equally
anu w ~ hiIl'7' M tli'iI
car. There We're some 100 passengers
Oh tn" train, but not on" was killed.
low they escaped seems miraculous.
The cars We're piled one Oh another AM
composed a mass Of timber and twisted
iron III which it seemed Impossible for
any being to have escaped death. v hen
the work of Rescue WAS completed, how
ever, all the Passengers Wer. found 10 te
alive. Several We're Ia lily injured and
Il few may die. The ) ,nnh, 6tt Le.onged
10 the Mexican Central Railroad Com
pany, and WAS being forwarded to that
company 5 headquarters at Boston. 1t
WAS rescued from III" wreck and turned
over to the Well, Fargo company at
Topeka TO be forwarded 10 its dcStina-
tim.
Reward Tor the Nrer.cr~.
The Santa Fe has offered Sl0GO re-
ward for III. train wrecker.. and sew
eral osse7 are searching the country in
The vi,iI ~ % tin. wreck. -idvice- from
Osage City and barclay state that IN
tense excitement and Indignation pre-
walls among the people there, who de-
clare broadly that the wreckcrs shall be
lynchcd when caught.
The train consisted Of a baggage, ex-
press and mail ear. two day coaches,
, two chair cars and three si"rpers. 1t
was thrown over an "mbankment three
feet high and the first six cars tele-
seemed