The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-07-16
DARING TRAIN ROBBERY.
Thieves Capture a Kansas and Texas
Passenger Train.


By Telegraph to the State Chronicle.
PARSONS, Kan, July l5.-News has
reached here that Missouri, Kansas and
Texas passenger train was halted and
robbed at Adair station, Indian territory,
seventy miles from here late last night.
The desperadoes who committed the
chine are the Dalton brothers who
have been guilty of more crimes
of this nature than any of the
other gangs of ruffians that make the
nation their headquarters.
The thieves blew open the safe and
secured the contents which it is asserted
by an official who knows, were certainly
between $50, 900 and $75, ,OOO The rob-
berry was not accomplished without a
hard fight, however, in which Captain
J. J. Kinney, chief of detectives of the
M. K. & T. road; L. A. Flora, a mem
Der of the Indian police and two doctors,
passengers on the train and residents of
Adair were wounded. None of them,
however, are likely to die from the in
juries received.
The train left Vinita, forty miles east
of Adair on time. Nothing wrong was
noticed until few miles from Adair,
two men with faces masked jumped
down from the tender into the cab and
presenting revolvers at the engineer and
fireman ordered the train brought to a
halt. This command was obeyed and
the train soon came to standstill. AS
soon as the train stopped shots were
heard outside. Captain Kinney, Flora and
the two doctors who live in Adair rush
ed from the cars. They saw two men
standing at the side of the express.
Captain Kinney and Mr.. Flora opened
fire on the men, who promptly fred sew
eral bullets at them while several men
came from one side toward them. They
too opened fire and lively fusilade en-
sued, in the course of which Kinney,
Flora, and the two doctors were wound
ed. None of the other passengers came
to their aid and they we're forced to re-
treat into the cars, their revolvers being
empty
The men who had last appeared KEEP
up lively firing for the purpose of in
timidating the passengers on the train
and with excellent effect, no body ap
pearing AS matter of fact, most o
them were under their seats or lying il
4 |
press car were Joined by third, onl,
, one man being left with the engineer ant
, fireman. Up to this time the messenger hat
persisted in his refusal to open the door
f One of the Dalton boys then shouted
that he had placed dynamite under tn
q car and would blow it to atoms if tn
f door was not opened, firing, by way Q
o emphasis, several shots into the Cal
! which passed uncomfortably near tn
+ head of the messenger. At this the mes
senger gave in and opened the door
The three men sprang into the Car an
! while one covered the terrified messenge
8 with his gun the other two turned the
9 attention to the safe. The work of blow
!. ing it open was soon accomplished an
, the contents quickly extracted. Aftt
n relieving the messenger of his watch tt
4 robbers bound him and dumped him
! a corner of the car. They then leape
+ to the ground, and after firing sewers
=, more shots disappeared.
.r After it became a certainty that tt
Y robbers had got away the train starte
10 for Adair. AS soon as the station w
reached the alarm was given, pos
hastily formed and returned to the scel
- ~ of the robbery. No trace of the thiev
" was discernable. That they were mer
~ bers of the Dalton gang, headed by tt
m Daltons themselves, is known beyo1
,r peradventure. The officials here are +
ticent as to the amount of money receive
at by the thieves, but the sum given abo
10 is vouched for by an official of the e
- press company here. The railroad pc
# pie, while admitting the facts state
il express surprise that the affair shou
have taken place without the loss of Iii
Capt. Kinney, the chief of detectives,
;, man noted for his bravery, and t
10 10 odds must have been greatly against h
~ ~ to force retreat on his part. The D
ne - ton gang are famous even among
~ ~ host of desperadoes that rendezvous
~, ~ the nation, and the pillaging and MI
"a, a., ders with which they are credited TO
:" =, lengthy chapter of crime.