Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-05-04
ATTEMPTED TRAIN ROBBERY


ATTEMPTED TRAIN ROBBERY.
AT an early hour on Tuesday even
ing the passenger train on the NJ. X.
& L. Ry, to which was attached the
special car bearing the Kansas City
Capitalists, en-route to our city, was
stopped by band of robbers, when
nearing Vinita, in the Indian Terri
tory. After securing control or the
train, the desperadoes proceeded to
pilfer the express car, but thanks to
the nerve and daring of the messen-
ger, the bandits were foiled in the
main object of their desperate under
taking and were forced finally to de-
part without gaining entrance to the
company's through safe, which con-
tanned the golden plum, the possession
of which had formed the main spring
Of the hazardous enterprise. Upon
entering the express car, the robbers,
after placing the messenger "hors du
combat proceeded to possess them
selves of the contents of the small
safe, used by the messenger for route
service. When they had secured its
contents, amounting in all to less than
two hundred dollars, the robbers or
dered him, on pain Of instant death,
to open the company's through safe,
enforcing their demands by a gleam-
ing knife and deadly revolver at the
throat and head of their victim.
Finding all remonstrance unavailing,
the plucky fellow coolly told them to
proceed, as he had not the power,
even had he the WILL to save his life
by compliance with their demands,
at the same time reiterating to them
the fact, that aside from the local
agents at each end of the route, that
no living soul possessed the combina-
tion to that safe. Seeing the utter
futility of further efforts In this di-
rection, the robbers proceeded to va
cate the express car, turning their at
tention toward the occupants Of the
two regular passenger coaches OF the
train, from whom they secured every
visible article Of value, either In mon
ey, jewelry or personal effects. While
the bandits were engaged in ri1ing
the passengers Of the forward cars,
some Of their companions in crime
kept up perfect fusiade Of shots
from their winchesters to terrify the
passengers Of the other coaches. Cur
ious to know the cause Of the firing,
Mr.. r. Il. Gentry, Gen. Mang'r. of the
Kansas City, Pittsburg Il Gulf rail-
way, who was one Of the occupants of
the special car, left his coach and adj
vancing some distance along the train
stopped down to peep under the coach
at the scene of disorder on the other
side. He had scarcely taken the first
glance when ball from the ever
ready winchester, IN the hands of
watchful robber carried away his
hat, leaving slight furrow across his
forehead, upon subsequent examina-
tion, the hat, a creased felt, was found
to have three distinct holes In it,
through which the bullet had passed.
This satisfied, to the last degree, Mr..
Gentry's curiosity concerning the
disturbance, and he gracefully retired
to his coach, where he was content to
await quietly, with his companions,
the final departure of the robbers.
Upon the completion of their search
of the regular passengers the bandits
rode of, firing as they went, without
once interfering with the special car
of the capitalists or the sleeping
coaches of the train, fearing, perhaps,
an ambuscade from the easily conceal
ed passengers Of same. After a de-
lay of 40 minutes, the train proceeded
on its way bearing the car Of our
guests, who arrived at their destina-
tion in this city without further acci-
dent.