Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1893-09-28
4 BATTLE IN AN EXPRESS CAR
WITH THE CONDUCTOR AND
EXPRESS MESSENGER.
Three Men Attempt TO Hold Up an III
inais Central Express Train, But
are Beaten OFF.

iiihiteu express train on Inc lli1nOl:
Central, which arrived here from
Chicago two hours late. The at
. tempted robbery occurred at the Goa
chute Just south of the city. The
, robbers were given awarm reception
and were finally beaten off. One Of
the robbers was badly wounded and
! three of the trainmen, two of them
| seriously.
Yesterday afternoon three stran-
gers were noticed lounging about
the Illinois Central depot here as if
waiting for train. 1t is supposed
that these were the robbers. 1t is
believed that when the train pulled
up here the robbers got on the front
end of the express car. When the
coal chute was reached. where coal
was taken on, they climbed over the
tender. As the train was about to
start, after coaling, two of the men
confronted Engineer Ben Young and
Fireman Ed MeDonough and com
manded them to stop.
"Don't move for your life," cried
one of the robbers, but the engineer
and fireman paid no heed to the
command, and made a spring for
the robbers. They were met with
shots from the revolvers in the
hands of the robbers, which laid
them low for the time being. Engi-
neer Young was seriously wounded.
He was shot twice. The fireman
received a shot in the forehead and
one in the leg.
The two robbers then proceeded
to the express car and demanded
admittanee, but they were met with
a voiley from the express messenger
and Conductor Odum, who had gone
to the express car to see the messen-
ger. Volley after voiley was fired
by both besieged and besiegers, un-
til the door was shot full of holes.
Finally, the bandits, with sledge
hammer, broke in the door. The
trainmen had erected barricade of
boxes and express packages, and a
regular f1silade began.
When the men in the express car
had emptied their revolvers and
were reloading them, the robbers
tried a plan for which they had pre-
pared. They had graphing hooks.
These they fastened on top of the
express car and with ropes lowered
themselves from the roof to the top
of the door. This was done to avoid
being target for the bullets that
soon began to pour through the door
from the inside. The railroad men
were aiming low, while serenely
above them the two robbers were
welding a heavy sledge. The door
did not withstand the assault and
soon an opening large enough for
the robbers to enter showed itself.
Through this they leaped and, re
volvers in hand, faced the conduc-
tor and messenger, both similarly
equipped. Then followed the battle
royal.
In the meantime one of the
brakemen had gone to the rear and
aroused the passengers and asked
those who had arms to come to the
, assistance of the tralnmen. Among
the passengers was an old time
brakeman named Jake Sanders.
He had been out hunting and had
shotgun with him. He immedi
, ately proceeded to the express car
, shotgun in hand, and on arriving
+ there began firing on the two robbers
in the car, who were slowly y gaining
: supremacy over Conductor Odun
and the eXpressman. One OF San
ders' shots took effect on one o
the robbers and he sank to th'
floor of the car.
While Sanders was doing yeomal
service the third robber, who haC
kept in the shade up to this time
came out and began firing at Sander
from the shadows of the coal chute
Sanders escaped unhurt.
When the wounded robber fel
to the floor the two others, seein
the game was ups started on a ru
and disappeared in the darkness.
There was considerable talk {
lynching, but the cooler heads con
!, trolled, and the wounded man wa
Il taken to Jail where a physical
dressed his wounds. It is NJ
thought he can survive.
I'd When the shooting in.the expires
was going on Conductor Odur
he was slightly wounded in the hand
.s ns The wounded robber is know
"a q as D. L. Jones. He carries a cal
from the Order of Railway Trail
"a men, issued by one Of the Chicas
W lodges, and he also has a switc
a as mems card from the Atchison, T
"a peka & Santa Fe at Kansas City.
= 1t is learned from reliable sourc
& that one of the safes contained full
$50, ,O0Uin currency.
VA The passengers hurrledly s,ecret'
. their valuables and stood about Il
ret cars terror stricken.
| The wounded bandit was thre;