The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-05
TR AIN ROBBERY AvERTaD.
An Exciting Night on the Missouri
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An Exciting Night on the Missouri
Pacific.
Plans were oil made for big train rob-
berry on the Missouri Pacific railroad last
night, says st. Louis special of Sept. 2 30
the New York Times. q short distance this
side Of Kansas City, but it 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 behind time, and a fast freight was
sent out ahead Of it. At point called
Dead Mans Curve the freight was slowed
up. the piece of track being very dangerous.
Suddenly two red lanterns appeared on
each side OF the track, and Engineer Jack
Townsend whistIed for brakes AS the
train came 10 a stendstill men came leaning
down from the sides of the cut, two of them
coming straight for the engine. The train
men had barely time to notice that all Of
them were armed, had white handkerchiefs
with eyeholes in them over their faces, when
Que Of the party shouted from the middle Of
the train: Here. you blamed fools. this is
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 tho train dashed ahead.
The engineer realized that the robbers
were after the passenger train that was fol-
lowing him, ana be determined 60 try and
block their game lie threw everything
wide open. and made the fastest possible
time to Pleasant Hill at that point he
wired back to Curry Station TO heed Off the
passenger train, which his message caught
at a station called Little Blue.
There was another freight at Little Blue
at the same time waiting for the passenger
to pass. A nasty conference was held and
it was decided to send this out ahead of the
passenger, to fool the robbers end give time
to put an armed possee on tbs passenger.
The freight went along slo WY through
Dead Mans Curve and vas stopped by the
lanterns. The trainrae7 were around, but
they did not intend to show fight. OF course
there was little danger TO them, but it took
some courage. nevertheless, to stop in this
cut near midnight and wait for orders from
a gang of desperate men.
The train stood still fer nearly five min
utes and not man showed himself by the
side OF the track, The engineer stood
quietly at his lever and the other trainmsn
were in the caboose. Presently there came
an impatient shout from the darkness on
one side of the track: "What are you wait
ing for; why don't you move onr The
freight was started and the train moved to
Pleasant Valley.
The engineer telegraphed back to the pas
senger train at Little Blue. When No. 4
moved out Of Little Blue it was thirty min
utes late. ana IL had ten men, armed with
rifles and shotgGns, stationed in various
parts OF the train. Two were on the en-
CINE, two were In the sleeper. two we're in
car in the middle Of the train aud the
others were in the express and mail cars.
The trainnau had all armed themselves
with pistols, borrowed from people about
the station aud it would have taken reei-
ment Of robbers to get within touch Of any
OF the cars.
When the train got to Dead Mans Curve
speed was slAckened, and il went through
almost creeping, as il challenging an attack
There was no sign Of robbers, nor was there
any signal to stop. This morning the posse
examined the ground and found where six
horses had been hisched. A man hunt was
begun, and this afternoon one arrest was
made. the suspect having the appearance of
a tramp. He denied all knowledge OF the
robbery. All the passengers on the train
knew that robbers were expected, and were
badly frightened.
J. g. Ellison. a merchant of Wichita,
Kan. was in the Pullman with his wife aud
little girl. Tho passengers were just get
ting ready TO go TO bed ;" said he. land the
men were in the smoking room when the
story got out. We had been wondering
why we were so long at Little Blue, aud
the trainmen had told us it was a hot box.
| Well, sir, 1t was funny TO see how the pas
| sengers acted. Some had been through that
sort of thing before, and knew that there
could be no danger after the warning, but
some Of them swore at the company for
being willing to take the train through I'M
der the circumstances, aud talked about
getting of the traia, and staying there.
MOST of the passengers had ali the
money they had and their watches stuck
away in all sorts of places, and after we
got past the place there was a great turning
Of things upside down to get pocketbooks
The fruit man told me that half a dozen
men put their valuah1es In his basket under
his peaches"