The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-09-26

train. The orders were, tnat no matter
If every one of the guilty ones got away.
there was to be no shooting to endanger
the life of the man who had in fact
taken his life into his hands, in order TO
Illustrate the attempt at robbery. and so,
as the minutes sped on, an unwonted ST.
lence settled down on the train. Pullman
car conductors and porters sought places
of safety and even the tr1inmen did not
expose themselves unnecessarily. In the
little compartment filled with armed
men, the lights were turned out, and the
windows were up. In each seat were two
men, sitting sideways, the muZZles or
their guns just protruding a trifie over
the side. Behind them stood others with
Winchesters at half-cock, resting on
their arms.
Out from between two high embank-
ments just one mile from CORN, sped
the train. One minute more and the
anxious watchers would know whether
they again had the labor in vain. Then
came the crack Of the signal. There was
but one. a sharp whistle gave token that
the engineer had heard, and almost be-
fore his hand had left the valve, across
the tracks not fifty yards away. swung
a red light. Within twenty seconds from
the explosion of the torpedo, the train
was at a standstilsl.
But from the dense underground north
of the track came four forms. The face
of each was hidden by a black mask.
One more agile than the rest. rushed TO
the engine almost before his companions
could reach the express car He carried
a rifle, and when within ten feet Of the
tender brought il to his shoulder, pointed
It at Dad" Prescott. the white-bearded
engineer. and, as he shouted "ho.d up
your hands" pulled the trigger. His aim
was true and Dad" fell TO the floor of
his cab with a bullet in his right breast.
With one bound Kinney gained the top
Of the tender, and, bringing his gun to
sI,o a shower of shot AL
most into the face of the masked in
dividual How on earth the fellow ever
managed to move six inches is mys-
terry, but he did. and made for the woods.
The Bandits Retreat.
The shot which laid Engineer Prescott
low was the signal for a fusiuade, and
was echoed and re-echoed from bank to
bank and in the south woods 1t was
signal for a hasty retreat to the timber
on the part of the surprised bandits,
whose features were hidden by masks.
Not until they reached the timber did
they answer. and then they only fired
two shots. But their aim was not good,
and, although men were leaning from the
car windows and pulling triggers as fast
as possible. while others had jumped to
earth and We're after them on foot, they
failed TO hit a man. According to their
program, their horses were hitched not
over one hundred yards away.
When the posse from the train reached
the spot they saw one ANIMAL, gray,
galloping north. A well-directed shot
brought it low. but there was no rider
on its back. The place where the horses
were tied was soon found, and cut hitch
ing straps showed that one man at least
had life enough left TO make his escape.
Sheriff Sailing took the saddle, blanket
and bride from the dead horse, inG
nv haf nj hn will haT M l.
Guilty in identifying the owner.
The search for the dead and wounded
was postponed until daylight, but the
chase after the one who escaped was
started within ten minutes after the
shooting The sheriff secured horses
here, and, with half a dozen men, started
north. They know the men, and are con-
fdent they will have them in custody
soon.
1t is not likely the passe lgers in the
rear end of the smoker and a half-dozen
or so in the sleepers will ever forge,
! the experience. With tn first shot
| every man near window opened 1t and
looked out. With the second ne drew
| his head in, and when tie volleys be-
| gan he had no time to close the window.
| Of the car. Then the cry train robbers
went through the train, and women
went down On tfer knees. lifted thei
hands and sc-ea med as vigorously and
persistently as If mouse vas in sight.
1t was absolutely impossible 10 walk
through the cars without climbing over
the seats. When the excitement was at
its hight the brakeman put his head in
| the door and shouted: Keep your heads
! down, ladies and gentlemen. Train rob-
bers are outside"
In the sleeper Selma two women ran
| shrleking from their berths, and they
| were headed for the danger spot, when
| Conductor Blue captured them and pre-
| vailed on them to go back to bed. There
were at least a dozen individuals who
snored Throughout ii all, and did not miss
| a note. When the train reached CORN.
| Engineer Prescott was removed 20 a priv
| ate house. and a doctor. who was on the
| train attended to his injuries. Fireman
/ McGrow took the train west.
Previously Baked by Rain.
Twice before last nights attempt the
bandits left their hiding place and started
! for the spot selected for their deed of
violence. Each time a copious fall of rain
baked them. Eleven nights ago they sad
| died up shortly after 10 o'clock, and
started 10 ride slowly across the country.
] II was cloudy. and they had not covered
! more than a third of the distance when
rain began to fall. Some We're in favor
| OF turning back at once, declaring they
/ were not going TO run the chances of be-
Il
| tons were overruled for the time being,
| but by the time the cava,cade was within
seven miles Of the railroad track ii was
, apparent TO even the most foolhardy that
| discretion was the better part of valor
| The command to retreat was given, and
| the procession returned The next day
/ two Of Kinney's men followed he trail
| for five miles II is said eight men were
| in the party last night
Last Saturday morning was the second
time the affair was billed to come off. II
] IL had not been for the rain the attack
would have been made, for, In addition
/ 10 the regular prize" carried on the
express car on that train was a bic
| bundle Of money TO be used by the Santa
! Fe in settling with its employees for Au-
/ gust. At least that is the information
/ on which the robbers We're acting. But
4 the rain came down too early and with
7 too much vigor even 10 permit a start
Defective Kinney was a badly chagrined
man when the train passed the point al
( which according to the program il should
have been tagged. He was ready for
them that night even more so than he
/ had been before He was on the engine
clad in a suit of blue jumpers, and look
ing all the world like an apprentice Ia
the art Of firing an engine SnueIy
ensconced in a skillfully constructed
/ 'dugout' in the heaping tender full OF
I coal. was another Of his men, a man who
has put six bullets into as many tele-
graph poles while riding past them as
fast as a pony could take him. Inside
! the express car, behind a pile of trunks
which were barbados, were seven men
with loaded Winchesters and couple OF
big colts. mighty handy in a tight
o -