The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1892-09-13


got on our train at Grand avenue
station, bound and gagged me. robbed
my safe of everything and got of at
Sheffield. Hewas about feet inches
tall; weighed about $50 pounds (;
smooth shaven; wore linen duster."
Thus briefly did Messenger G. P. Nc.
Laughlin of the Pacific Express COM
pany notify his superiors last night Of
one of the most daring of train rob
berries The work was done by two
men almost within the city limits.
They have carried away as a reward
for their nervy work $1,000 and some
jewelry.
Messenger McLaughlin's run is on
the Little Rock and Kansas City ex.
press No. 223. This train left the union
depot last night on time at 9:lO OF clock.
The train was made up of one comb.
nation baggage and express car, three
coaches, two sleepers Conductor Can
non was in charge and Engineer Frank
Slocomb was in the cab.
One Robber Concealed In the Car.
Messenger Mclaughlin had the bag.
gage and express car all to himself
1t was his duty to attend to the hand.
ling of both baggage and express mat.
ter. At stations he is always very busy.
What happened in the car during last
nights run nobody can tell but Nc
Laughin and the robber. who is yet
to be found.
This is the story as gathered here:
When the train stopped at Grand
avenue the messenger had his haAds
full for awhile receiving baggage md
express matter. He did not notice
what was going on in the car. While
he WAS thus busy q man crept into
the car and concealed himsel&l
behind some of the Trunks AS|
the train was running SLOWLY
out of the city, somewhere between|
Grand avenue and Paola Junction,
jus. this side of the Blue. the robbeEI
came from his hiding place. He|
covered the astonished messengefI
with a revolver and Mclaughlin. being
helpless under his menace. was bound
securely and then gagged.
Took the Safe Key From Him.
Then the robber went through thu
pockets of the haplcss messenger; d
one of the pockets of his trousers Id
found the big key to thu
old fashioned safe. This SAID
was a very light one; it had
no combination but was locked with
key. altogether a most primitive a
fair. II was no trick at all for tn
robbcr to unlock it, rake out tn
money packages, and stow them awad
about his person
There was abundant time to do thi1
before Paola junction was reached.
When the train slowed up there tn
robbcr jumped from the car At tn
same instant another man was seen q
jump from the baggage car. Bot
together in the darknesa
Then the plight of Messenger Ne
Laughlin was discovered and the trail
crew released him as the train went q
its way.
From there on through Kansas a
tails Of the robbery came dribblin
back to Kansas City over the. wires
few facts came from Dodson. KaA
and a few more from Garnet. Osawa1
omie and even from Cofeyville. whes
the train is due to arrive At 5:45 . Z
All of the stories wers meager q
some of them contradictory.
1t was from Dobson, only ten mil
from Sheffield, that Mclaughlin wirl
to the officials of the Pacific Expro
company their first news of the 20
berry. The message was received
X. Johnston at 1914
Mr.. Johnston at once went TO poll
and notified the of3ee
there.
The off .ials of the Missouri Pac11
road have been expecting this robbes
indeed, they have been on the a1G
ever since the night of September
when a mysterious man tagged TIN
trains al Dead Mans curve. Il
night at Independence q POI
Of officers care aboard train
s. which left Kansas ( City
$40 o'clock, and searched all the q
The officers left the TT
at Sedalia- There is room for
belief that the same man who held
the trains at Dead Mans curve on q
TENDER robbed Messenger McLa1
lin last night