The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-09-11
TEAM ROBBERS FOILED.
Lucky Delay In Schedule Time on the MIS-
souri, Pacific.

st. Louis lMO.J ulSpatch say D l"N'
were all made for big train robbery on
the Missouri Pacific railroad recently a
short distance this side of Kansas City,
but il was frustrated by slight accident:
The train that was to have been robbed
was Passenger No. 4, from the West
This train was about ten minutes be-
hind time. and fast freight was sent out
ahead Of it. At a point called Dead
Mans Curve the freight was slowed up,
the niece Of track being very dangerous.
Suddenly two red lanterns appeared on
each side of the track. and Engineer Jack
Townsend whistled for brakes. AS the
train came to a standstill men came leap
ing down from the sides of the cut, two
of them coming straight for the engine.
The trainmen had barely time to notice
that all of them were armed, had white
handkerchefs with eyeholes in them over
their faces, when one Of the party. shouted
from the middle of the train: Here, you
blamed fools, this is a freight.
Pull out. you" ordered one OF the men
near the engine, throwing the shotgun he
had down on the cab The engineer
obeyed. and in an instant the train
started. The engineer realized that the
robbers were after the passenger tram
that was following him. and he deter
mined to try and block their game. lie
threw everything wide opea, aud maze
the fastest possible time to Pleasant I'M.
AT that point he wired back to Curry sta
ton to head off the passenger tram
which his message caught at station
called Little Blue. r,.
There was another freight at Little
Blue at the same time waiting Tor the
passenger to pass. A hasty conIeTenLt,e
was held, end it was decided to send this
out ahead of the passenger, to fool the
robbers and give time TO put an armed
posse on the passenger. The freight went
along slowly through Dead Mans Curve,
and was stopped by the lanterns. The
trainmen were armed, but they did not
intend TO show fight. OF course there
was little danger to them, but 1t took
some courage, nevertheless, 10 stop IN
this cut near midnight aud wait for or
ders from gang Of desperate men.
The train stood still for nearly five min
utes and not a man showed himself by
the side of the track. The engineer stood
quietly at his lever and the other train
men were in the cOboose. Presently
there came an impatient shout from the
darkness ca one side of the track; What
are you waiting for; why don't you move
on:" The freight was started and the
train moved on to Pleasant Valley.
The engineer telegraphed back to the
passenger train at Little Blue. When No.
moved out of Little Blue it was thirty
minutes late, and it had ten men, armed
with rifles and shOtguns, stationed IN
various parts of the train. Two were on
the engine, two were in the sleeper. two
were in a car in the middle of the train
and the others were in the express and
mail cars The trainmen had all armed
themselves with pistols borrowed from
people about the station, and IL would
have taken a regiment of robbers to get
within touch Of any Of the cars.
When the train got TO Dead Mans
Curve speed was slackened, and it went
through almost creeping. as II challenging
an attack There was no sign Of robbers,
nor was there any signal TO stop. In the
morning the posse examined the ground,
and found where six horses had been
hitChcd. A man hunt was begun,
and in the afternoon one arrest was
made. the suspect having the appearance
of tramp. lie denied all knowledge Of
the robbery. All the passengers on the
train knew that the robbers were eX-
pected. and were badly frightened.
!. ). Ellison. a merchant of Wichita
Kan, was in the Pullman with his wife
and little girl. "1he passengers were
just getting ready TO go 10 bed. said he
land the men were in the smOkingroOm
when the story got out. We had been
wondering why we were 50 long at Lit
tie Blue. and the trainmen had told US it
was hot box. Well sir. it was funny
to see how the passengers acted. Some
had been through that sort of thing be-
fore, and knew that there could be no
danger after the warning, but some of
them swore at the company Cor being will
ing to take the train through under the
circumstances, and talked about getting
off the train and staying there.
Most of the passengers had all the
money they had and their watches stuck
away in all sorts of places, end after we
passed the place there was a great turning
of things upside down to get pocketbosks.
The fruit man told me that half dozen
men put their yaluables in his basket
under his peaches"