The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-05-09
THAT HOLD UP.
Small Sums of Money Taken,
But Not the "Plunder" the
Robbers Wanted.


patches as having been held up at
Pryor Creek by six bandits, who were
supposed to be the Parker gang, lest
considerable Booty to the amount of
si.s5 was secured from the express
car in jewelry and fully $500 from
the passengers of the smoking and
chair cars. The particulars are as
follows:
No. 8 is due at Pryor Creek at s
o'clock and as the train stopped for
water, Conductor Morris alighted from
between the smoker and the chair car.
As soon as he stopped voice COM
manded him to halt, Thinking twas
joke, he paid no attention to the
order. A secopa came, followed by a
third and three WincheSters looked
him full in the face.
up with your hands, said one OF
the trio, '.and march into that room, :"
continued the command. Morris
obeyed and walked into the waiting
room of the depot. Here about thirty
other people were guarded by man
with a Winchester. Morris was or
dered to lay down his watch, valua-
bles and the money he had on his per-
son. After delivering $40 to the man
he was returned his watch and told to
take his stand on the platform and be
quiet. Each person in the depot was
dealt with in like manner and con-
tribu.ed according to their possessions.
The entire congregation was then
made to 90 into the smoker and re-
main while the passengers were rob
bed.
While this was going on the rest of
the gang was by no means idle. As
soon as the train had stopped Engineer
Lyon and Fireman Morris, who were
in charge of the engine, were covered
with Winchesters and taken from the
cab. A pick was procured and the
fireman made to use it on the express
car door. All during this time bullet
after bullet was fired on each side of
the train and sent through the express
car. The conclusion extinguished the
lights. Messenger o. H. Sproule
grabbed his Winchester and returned
the fire. No light being in the car he
fired vigorously in the direction where
the pounding was going on. The bull
lets from Sproule's gun tore large
niece out of the iron box. Then realiz-
ing the situation he shouted that he
would open up. Immediately after
the door few open and several Win
chesters glistened in the light.
"Open that safe," demanded one Of
the men.
81 can't do it," returned Sproule,
coolly.
"Then suffer the consequences.
81 can't help that /; am powerless"
said the messenger.
THAT other one done it, )" spoke the
bandit again, referring to Williams in
the Adair raid.
II can't help it; l am powerless,"
insisted Sproule.
Then we'll kill you, and the man
took step or two backward, cooked
his Winchester and leveled it at the
head of the messenger.
"Shoot," said Sproule, coolly.
Engineer Lyon then spoke up and
informed the men that Sproule spoke
the truth. After a great deal of ours
ing they turned their attention to the
small safe. This was opened by a key,
and few packages of jewelry appro-
priated. The trio was then taken to
the platform and guarded by another
OF the band.
The other end of the aggregation in
the meantime was skinning the pas
sengers of the chair car and Conduc-
tor Morris and the leader had gone to
the rear to flag freight train. On
their return the leader noticed the
two Wagner sleepers and the Pullman
special car, President As fortune
favored, the lights were out and the
curtains drawn. The Pullman special
contained Richard Gentry and +. l..
Martin of Kansas City, and party
of eastern capitalists en- route to south
Texas, as before mentioned. The
leader said
"What the devil are these" refer
ring to the sleepers.
"Those," said Morris, ''Why those
are some dead-head cars | got from
Vinita."
The robber grunted and left. This
remark alone saved the sleepers from
being entered and the inmates from
losing their valuables.
The leader then called off his men
and took to the woods after OBTAINING
the train one hour and thirty-twc
minntes. None of the gang wal