The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-09-22
Special to the RECoRp-UNIoN.

KANSAS CITY, Sept. 2l.-Passenger
train No. on the Atchison, Topeka and
Santa Fe Railroad, east-bound, was
wrecked early this morning three miles
west Of Usage City by train-robbers, who
expected to plumber the express car of
Sl,0OO,OOO being transported from the City
OF Mexico to Boston for the Mexican
Central Railroad. A wrecked train, four
men killed and thirty-fiye men, women
and children injured are the only results
of the attempted robbery
The robbers stole tools from a section
house at Barclay, three miles west of the
scene of the wreck, and removed the
fish-plate which joined the two rails to-
gether. The robbers selected the top of a
grade, going up which the train was
likely to slow down, lessening the chances
of SO badly wrecking the train as to bury
beneath the debris the treasure they were
seeking. The precautions were unavail-
ing, as the very thing they sought to
avoid occurred.
When the train reached the depot the
engine left the track, and most of the cars
and making an awful wreck. The express
car was buried so it required two hours
digging to get at it.
Fortunately, although the engine 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 persisted before the rescu-
ers could reach them.
The engineer, fireman, express mes
senger and guard were crushed to death
in the wreck. There were about $50 pas
sengers 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 Llewellyn of the
Santa Fe and turned over to Wells, Fargo
q Co.
The Santa Fe has offered $4,000 re-
ward for the train wreckers, and several
posses are searching the country.
The wrecked train consisted of the
baggage, express and mail-car, two day.
coaches, two chalr-cars and three Sleep
ers. 1t was thrown over an embankment
three feet high and the first six cars were
telescoped. The killed were Express
Messenger Frank Baxter of Kansas City,
Express Guardian Blumenthal of Mex
leo, Fireman James Chaddicks of To-
peBa, and Engineer Ed Mayer of Topeka.
Most of the injured were Western people,
but among the number was Mary Lyman
of Bloomington, H., who is badly in
j
face. G. L. Wordlaw of Elliott, ILL.,, is
also badly bruised.
The wreck occurred at small bridge
where there was a heavy down grade.
The train was running forty miles an
hour, and it was impossible for the en-
gineer to see the misplaced rails in time
to check the speed of the train.
8 The coaches were piled one over the
other, until the baggage and express cars
were completely hidden from view.
Men, women and children were piled
over each other, caught in the seats and
thrown through the windows. Relief first
reached the train fromiEmporia.
An examination of the track shows the
fish-plates had been carefully removed,
the bolts taken out and spikes drawn
from ten ties and the rails bent over to
the inside.
Robbery was unquestionably the OBJ
ject, as the train carried 81 ,000,00 in cur
rency, en- route to the Mexican Central
headquarters in Boston.
A spot was found where three men had
lain concealed in the grass, and track s
were discovered leading from this spot to
the track.
The passengers were brought to Topeka
at 10 o'clock this morning. Some of the
wounded could not be removed, and
several will probably die.