The times., 1894-09-21
BULLETS FOR BANDITS.
TRAIN ROBBERS FIND THEIR BuSl'
NESS HAZARDOUS.

An Informer Gives Away the Plot and the
Thugs Arc Welcomed with "a Shower OF
Lead, Which, However. Is Badly Aimed,
and Only One Load Is Effective.
FORT MADISON Ia, Sept. 19.-As Santa
Fe train No. was nearing Gorin, No.,
about 2:3l in the morning torpedoes on
the rails and red light moving across the
track caused the engineer, w. b. Prescott,
to leverse his engine and stop as quick as
possible Two masked men mounted the
engine and with drawn revolvers ordered
the engineer and fireman to hold up their
hands, which they did, being unarmed.
One of the desperadoes, however fired Mt
Engineer Prescott, striking him in the
right shoulder, the bullet stopping at the
bone. Both robbers then left the engine,
when the rest of the bandits began firing
in the air to intimidate the passengers.
The Santa Fe had been expecting an at
tack and had several detectives on the
train, who returned the fire with Win
chesters, killing one of the horses and put
ting the thieves to flight. The wounded engi
neer was returned home on train No. 6,
the bullet was removed and he is resting
easy.
Did Some Mighty Poor Shooting.
The popularity of this affair is that any
OF the gang got away alive. The company
had been warned of the attempt and
had made the most careful arrange
ments to welcome the robbers
with "hospitable hands to bloody
graves" Ten men armed with Winchesters
were in the smoker, which had been
cleared of passengers by ruse. The
lights were all out and the detectives sat
by the open windows with their guns
cooked. They saw the robbers plainly
and there was lot of lead wasted. Still
it is known that but one of the thugs
vast hit. The one thing the company
can congratulate itself about, however, is
that two, at least, of the robbers have been
captured, and the report is that all are
under arrest. They are all young farmers
living near Gorin and Memphis, Mo.
The company had dead cinch on the
robbers. One of the parties in the plot
gave it away to the officers about three
weeks ago. w. e. Mcdaniel, who had
advised the officers of the plot, time and
place, went with @. L. Abrams and Link
Overfield, and two others, to Gorin, while
the officers so disposed their force as TO
practically have the whole game in their
hands. When the robber shot the engin-
eer Detective Kinney, who was concealed
in the tender, raised up and shot the rob-
ber with II double -barreled shotgun, |
loaded with buck shot, while the men in
the cars poured volley of bullets into the
gang, or over it-for it seems that nobody |
was hurt.
Two of the Robbers Arrested.
The number of robbers is variously |
stated at four and seven. Charles Abrams |
and Link Overfeld, two of the bandits,
were arrested at their homes sixteen miles
from Memphis, Mo. They were only |
captured after stubborn fight. They |
both made their way directly to their homes
after the attack on the train. Their homes |
are situated in lonely part of the country. |
Abrams, who is the man who received the |
full load of buckshot in the face was |
compelled to walk the entire distance, it |
being his horse that was killed by the |
detectives. Arrived at home Abrams was |
secreted behind dresser. He had prac-
tically run the whole distance, and when |
Sheriff Sailing and his posse came up to
the house soon after the arrival he was
faint.
However, when he knew that escape |
WAS Oub VI Iu5 qutStlOn no LuduS DOiO
attempt to stand off his captors with q |
revolver, but the officers, had the drop on
him and he finally gave in. After he had
been handcuffed the search for the other |
bandits was resumed. On the farm of
Mrs. ID. Tull near by, the officers found |
Overfeld, who had crawled under a bed.
The house was first surrounded and del.
cation sent in to make O search. Mrs. |
Tull and her two daughters stoutly de.
MED that Overfeld was in the house.
Overfeld showed fight when discovered,
but before he could use revolver he was
grabbed by one of the officers. A fierce |
struggle ensued, the bandit finally being |
overpowered. Then both he and A brams, !
with two brothers of the former, around |
whom suspicion also rests. were hand.
cuffed and taken to Memphis. The search
for the remainder of the gang is being |
kept up.