The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-22
A Train on the Atchison Derailed by
Miscreants Bent on
Plumber.
They Expected to Get One Million
In Currency In tho Express
Safe.
Tho Treasure Buried Under the Debris and
tho hsbbsrs Thereby Foilsd-Killsd
and Injurod.

KANSAS CfTr, Sept. q. Passenger train
No. 9, on the Atchison. Topeka 81 Santa Fs
railroad, east bound. was wrecked early this
morning three miles west OF OsaQs City by
train robbers, who hoped to plumber the ex-
prsss car Of $1,000 being Transported
from tho City of Mexico to Boston for tho
Mexican Central railroad. A wrecked train,
four men killed and thirty-fivs men, women
and children injured. are the only results of
the attempted robbery. The robbers stole
tools from section house At Barclay, three
miles west of the scene OF the wreck. and
removed nsh plate which Joined two rails
together. The robbers selected tho top Of
. grade, going up which the train was likely
to slow down, lessening the chances Of 80
badly wrsckinR the train 10 to bury beneath
the debris the treasure they were seeking.
The precautions were unavailing, ~ every
thing they sought to avoid occurred. Whom
the train reached the spot the engine left
ths train and most of the cars followed II.
pilinR one on top of another. and making
an awful wreck. The express car was
buried 30 it required two hours Of digging
to get at 1t. Fortunately, although the on
gine was at the bottom of the pile. the
debris didn't catch fire and thus an awful
horror was averted. as many Of the injured
would, in that event, have psrishsd before
resousrs could reach them. The engineer.
fireman, express messenger and guard we're
crushed to death in the wreck. There we're
about 25S passengers on the train, but not
one was killed. Several were badly injured
and few may die. The million dollars
was rescued from the wreck by Major Llew-
ellyn, of the Santa Fe road, and turned
over to the Wells-F Fargo company. The
Santa Fe has offered $1,000 reward for the
train wreckers and several posses are
searching the country.
A special from Topeka says the wrecked
train consisted of baggage. express and
mail car. two day coaches. two chair cars
and three sleepsrs. 1t was thrown over an
embaEkment three feet high and the first
six cars we're tslesooped, four persons were
injured. The killed were Express Messen-
ger Frank Baxter, of Kansas City; Express
Guardsman Bloomenthal, Of Mexico; Fire
man James Chaddicks, Of Topeka; En-
ginger Ed Mayer. OF Topeka. The most of
the injured were western people. but
among the number was Mary Lyman, of
Bloomington. Ill.,, who 10 badly injured and
bruised about the head and face. @. r.
Wordlaw. of Elliott. ILL.,. IL also badly
bruised.
The wreck occurred at the small bridge,
where there was heavy down grade. The
train was running forty miles an hour and
it was impossible for the engineer to see
the misplaced rails in time to check the
speed of the train. The coaches piled one
over another until the baggage and express
car were completely hidden from view.
Men, women and children we're piled over
each other, caught in the SEATS and thrown
through the windows. Relief first reached
the train from Emporia. An examination
of the track shows the fshplatss had been
carefully removed and the bolts taken out
and spikes drawn from the ties and the rail
| bent over to the inside.