The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-09-19

Farmers Hold Up a Santa Fe
Train i'm Missouri.
.sp ARE MET BY sHoreuNs.
-. Of Their Number . Traitor-Ons
Bandit shot, snd He and An
other Arrested.

ce.sx. No, Sept. I3-The Colorado and
| rt.h express on the Santa Fe railroad
=. had np ~ robbers nj $50 g. IN. today.
!. tas railroad and express officials had =
~n.rt; On the train the bandits, when they
sseou@d tie train, met a bali Of bucksEos
- bs.iefs. They shot William Prescott,
sss engineer. before they even gave him a
<hsnce 20 bold up mis- hands. HIS wounds.
i J. believed. vii not prove fatal.
hen the train left Chicago az 5 O'Clock
r.<. e=ening railroad and express detec-
nses al walking arsenals. climbed on at
sx<,y station. Among them were Chief
ps.sctlye J. J. Kinney, of the Santa Fe,
sna J. A. Matthews. who had been acting
~.spy for tao weeks and getting news OF
- robbers' plans Matthews brought the
n<rs that the robbers early in the day de-
<ssea 20 leave their hiding place near
Memphis AZ s:30 o'clock last night and
ssxe sheir third attempt to get rich at the
srpense OF the express company. They
sspecsed 10 make q haul of at least 80. o1o
Al Fort Madison, Ia. Division saperin-
,xndent stockton. of the Wells Fargo e.
n.sss got into the treasury car. lie car
red 3 saved off Winchester that once
sesonged to Bill Dalton. With him were
soar men. Detectives Kinney and
Montgomery boarded the engine. and
superintendent Stockton and two
rooa shots we're in the express car.
n the forward end OF the smoking car,
slut Oft by partition from the rest OF the
su. dozen men were placed. Each had
trun, every cartridge having been loaded
speeiaIly for the event with dozen buck
shos. At o'clock, when Sheriff Sailing.
d Scotland county. climbed on board, all
he details OF the surprise party were arr
rsnged. According to the report brought
b. Matthews, the spy would endeavor to
be The one who Jagged the train. II so.
one torpedo would precede the swinging
Of the lantern. Orders were given that,
no matter If every one Of the robbers got
ssay there was To be no shooting to en-
danger the life OF the spy. who had. in
fact. taken bis life in his hands in order 10
irussrate the attempted robbery. In the
h.sle compartment filed with armed men
The lights were out and the windows up.
Ia each seat there were two men sitting
adewlse, the muzzIes OF their guns pro-
raiing Just trifie over the seats. Beside
them stood others with Winchesters NJ
As out from between two high emhank-
meats, Just one mile from CORN. sped the
train. there came the look sd-for signal,
sad not City yards away was swinging a
nd light Within twenty seconds the
tain Was at a staudstiii. Out from the
dense undergrowth north of the track
esme four forms, the face of each hidden
b. a black mask. One rushed TO the en-
fiae. Almost before his companions
soald reach the express car, within ten
leei Of the tender, he pointed his rifle at
William Prescott, the white-bearded engi-
beer, and shouting Hold up your hands. J."
pulled the trigger. Prescott fell To the
Hoor with bullet in the right breast.
With one bound Kinney gained the top of
,Ae tender, and bringing his gun 20 hts
shoulder, sent a shower of shot almost into
tue face of the masked man. How
tas fellow managed TO move six
lnsaes Is a mystery. but he did.
sai made for the woods. The
sAsi which land Engineer Prescott
lox was the signal for fusii!ade. also the
ngnaI for the hasty retreat of the robbers
& The shelter of the timber. They fred
sxo shots. Although men were leaning
h0m the car windows and pulling the trig-
GERS as fast rs possible. while Others were
siisr the robbers on foot they failed TO hit
sman. The place where the horses were
tied was soon found. Ii is not likely that
ne passengers in the rear end OF the
smoker those W. no were dosing in the chair
ns, and half dozen wakefal ones IN the
ssspefs. will ever forget the experience.
With The arst shot every man near win
dow o.enei Il and looked out. Within q
second he drew his head in and dropped
easo Tue ioor The cry. "Train robbersl'
vent through the train, and women went
sawn on their knees and screamed.
Eleven nights ago the bandits. shortly
Alter 10 o'clock, started To ride slowly
seross the country. Ii was cloudy ana
iasy had not gone over third of tue dis
lance shen rain began To fall. Some were
Ia favor Of turning back at once, declaring
Tat they we're not going 10 ruin a chance
q being tracked by mud tra2. Their OBJ
scsioas we're oyerruled for the time being,
tas 6Y the time the cavaicade Was within
sssen miles OF the railroad track II was
sRpaFeat to even the most foolhardy that
alsefesion vas the better part of salor.
Tie command 20 retreat was given and
Tie procession returned. The next day
sso Of hinney's men followed the trail for
kfs miles From the indications they say
eight met we're in the party that night.
LAT Saturday morning was the second
a'ns the affair vas billed 10 come of. III
I aaa bot been for the rain the attack
woaaa have been made. There Was In the
express ear hig bundle of money TO he
sssa 81 the Santa Re in settling with
'Sassasployes FOR August. IN addition -
sas Fssalsg prize. but tho rain came down
ses saziy and with too much yigor even 10
lsfmis astaTt Detective Kinney wss a
Aasy eAaerined man when the train
bAsssa TIE posut at which. according 10
sas FsagrAmme, 10 should have been
Aagssa lie Vas on the engine. clad IN
s~aei elue Jumpers. ana looked for all
= asssa ike an apprentice TO the art Of
sfss a. .susa e. snugly snsconeea Ia
saAsd@liy constructed dug-ogi IN the
sasss oeapng full OF coal Vas another Of
- msa. ho haa pat siz bullets lnse as
SAaY is.esfAph poles while riding past
esa As iasI - a pony could take him.
sassse tie express ca. behind an snnocent
$50 sFahks. eeg eases and bundles 81
~sFSaaadlse. which were ia reality haFrs-
sAass 81 cotton. we're seven men with
i = t.ltttNetcFs anu N~@tste - -
sas migasy handy in tight place, as
Aassy ras jt.
Aas eshning Of the held-up Craftsman
- sae@u 20 Jae selection al THIS spos for
aas Size ali.e trick. For Atty nlisS
- : no nlghy telegraph station Until
= rata Is Eeaeh he'd. aud there Is 20 stop
esz onee while the train taNss
sA.s< 81 Corn aaf thers IS nothing there
's@s9s ssse tstA Not within tie memory