The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-22
COOK DESPERADOES
WRECK AN EXPRESS TRAIN AND
RIDDLE 1T WITH BULLETS.
Territory, Resulting in the Rob-
bers Making n Small Haul.

WAGNER. /. T., Oct. 21-Perhaps the
most daring and fearless train robbery
ever perpetrated in this country was exc
cuted by the notorious Cook gang of des-.
peradoes at Correta. siding five miles
south OF here, last night. The Kansas City
and Memphis express train which left here
at $50 o'clock was wrecked and the train
gutted by the desperadoes, who must have
fired two hundred shots during the time Of
the hold-up.
The train was running twenty miles an
hour. When within one hundred feet of
the switch man came out from behind
an embankment and threw the switch for
the side track. running the train into a
string Of empty box cars. Engineer James
Harris applied the air brakes and reversed
the engine. The robbers commenced firing
at the engine and coaches As soon as the
train stopped two OF the robbers commanded
the engineer and fireman to come down,
and they had dismounted
marched them In front Of them to the bag
gage and express cars. Here they forced
express messenger Ford to open the doors
by perforating the side Of the car with
bullets. Meanwhile two more OF the rob-
bers had taken up a position at the rear
end of the sleeper to prevent any one es-
Gaping, TWO others mOuntcu the pldllOTiiiS
of the smoker and baggage car and two
more the platform between the first and
second coaches. all keeping up continual
nre The two robbers IN the S express ,n,sr;ar car
securing all the money in the iocal safe
They commanded messenger Ford 10 open
the through ,h sSas locked oIs a the main office
and not opened until IL reached its destina-
ton they left the car.
The two on the. front platform then
-fa rfoA oh q
money and valuables. AS soon as they
reached the rear end of the coach the two
sennS on 6as ben heg were about
way through freight train following close
behind whistled. and Bill Cook, the leader,
who had all the time remained outside
gers and shooting. called for all hands TO
come out The men on the cars jumped
last volley at the train and disappeared
In the darkness. There were eight or ten
men in the party. Two of them were white
Jack Mahara, an advance agent Tor ma
hara's Minstrels. was hit in the forehead py
asr Sgss aRd 5esay G TSn saren Ark
also slightly injured by a bullet striking
him in the cheek;
the train. also United States deputy mar
shals Brun and Cassiver. but they were
covered by Winchesters In the hands Of the
bandits before they had time TO make a
move. Cassiver lost watch and six
shooter The train was backed up to this
place for assistance and to give the in
jured medical attendance. The entire train
was completely riddled with bullets every
window being broken. The engine cab was
shot all to pieces. even the steam guage
and guage lamp being shot away and the
ground around the wreck covered with
empty shells. II was wonder that many
lives were not lost as fully two hundred
shots were fired.
The Missouri Pacific Immediately started
a special train from Little Rock carrying
Superintendent Mckee and picking up
deputy marshals. United States Indian
Agent Wild Wisdom OF Muskogee. has or
dered all the Indian police TO report fol-
duty and all take the train early in the
morning. Conductor w. Duncan in charge
OF the robbed train when interviewed said:
'I was in the sleeper when We struck
the cars on the sidetrack. / thought that
IL was a head-end collision and, knowing
that we closely followed by freight.
| grabbed a red lamp and started back tc
flag. When 1 reached the rear end was
confronted by two men who ordered me
back In the 1 told them were
closely followed by a freight and would be
| run into and asked them TO let me go bach
| TO flag them One OF the men replied: Well
20 on and hurry up / started back a,