Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-10-06


made the custodian Of large sums of
money and this fact is Il standing in
Vltation to desperadoes. When his car
is boarded by some one of this gentry
and he is invited to throw UP his
hands he is placed between the devil
and the deep sea. The invitation is
always emphasized by a Winchester
rifle or an ugly revolver held in I'M
pleasant proximity to the messengers
head. If he surrenuers promptly he
saves his life but usually loses his po-
sition, while, ON the other hand, if he
shows fight he is promptly shot dead.
Along with it all comes the fact. as
vouched for by many messengers and
ex-messengers, that the entire craft is
underpaid, says the st. Louis Republic
One said only few days since that
$40 made good round salary for ex-
press messengers generally and $50
was considered really excellent
Perhaps for the work it is necessary
to do $40 or $50 is sufficient, and for
the education needed the sums named
are ample. but certainly for the risk
taken the sum seems inadequate.
Ever since the James boys inaugurat-
ed express robbing as a mode Of prof.
table employment the life of the ex-
press messenger has been at stake
The work of the Reno gang in Indiana,
the Star gang in Indian Territory and
Texas, the astonishing pursuit Ted by
Evans and Sontag both in California
and other states, has merely added to
the general risk that has constantly
lowered over these men The danger
cannot be modified or explained away
to q minimum. When it is seen, as
has often been illustrated, that these
desperadoes traverse whole states and
even the entire union to execute their
daring work, it becomes apparent.
Evans and Sontag travelled from Cali
fornia to Wisconsin to hold up the.
American Express Company's car at
some unexpected moment and out Of
the way place. Tt has since been
learned that they Travelled elsewhere
and further to accomplish their pur-
pose. The James gang did likewise
and all the southwest knew them from
St Louis to Brownville and from the
mountains Of Tennessee west to the
coast. 1t stands to reason then, that
the messenger in Florida or Oregon, in
Maine or Old Mexico, tending the
wealth Of some one OF these great ex-
press corporations is as liable to re-
oeYve visit from local desperadoes
as from outlaws who have travelled
from afar to their shadowy night work
Leaving his comfortable home for
the labor, of a long journey, the express
messenger enters the car over which
he has charge and travels forth on his
journey alone. There is usually wealth
about MIN, OF the presence OF which he
is not certain how mnny are aware
His doors are barred and bolted. His
Labor is one Of silence and speculation.
Through the long hours of the night
the various stops are to be wondered
at as meaning something dangerous.
Finally in theirs, as in the lives of all
men, there comes the critical moment.
A train has been halted in the shadow
OF a gloomy forest or tire depth of a
solitary canon. A voice has sounded
the demand for an immediate opening
and surrender; Il manly stand is taken.
Then comes the blowing open Of a door
WITH dynamite, a demand for keys
deadly shot and another hero, unsung,
has died at his post.
It is either this or the other-a sur
render because life and the pursuit of
happiness is held higher than packages
Of gold or bundles Of silver. The
is usually less thrilling and
mere painful. Usually it means that
the messenger dies a hero or fingers a
suspect I'M the service or out Of it. The
Of the dead are left to shift
for themselves or to suffer because of
to- shift. The living messen-
ger has the inadequate salary and the
perhaps moderate Odium Of having
been a coward or untrustworthy upon
him, or has no work at all and 50
drifts out Of the business entirely.
The first train robbery in America oc-
CURED at Gad's Hill, Mo-, in 1875. At
that point and time an Adams express
car, presided over by Messenger
Wilson, was held up On the Iron Noun
tain Road by the James boys and loot
ed. The Adams company lost several
hundred dollars, and the United States
mail car was robbed as well. AS most
Of the living world knows the story
Of the James band, the sequel to this
pr1mordial incident may be guessed.
1t was not the only train, however,
hot hAl Aho To
Younger brothers. All the after years
IF their outlaw experience were stained
by deeds OF which express robbing was
the mildest. Their example
also was copied by other ambitious in
tellects of an ignorant but bloodthirsty
turn.
A Reno gang sprung up in Indiana
and made their headquarters at Sey-
mour, where the senior Reno and his
family lived. Their operations covered
southern Indiana from New Albany to
indianapolis. About fifteen years
since they began holding up trains
along with otner minor enjoyments.
In their operations as train robbers
only one messenger, according to the
of several gentlemen, figures.
His name was Joe Dresbach. and for
number of recent years he ran into st.
Louis, but now has moved hence. The
incident in question occurred when he
was a messenger on the J., NJ and !. |
Road, running from New Albany to In
One midnight the Reno
gang boarded his train at water tank, |
eighteen miles south of Seymour, Ind.