The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-22

Slly q memphis express, WHICH leII
here at $3.50 last night, was wrecked
and robbed by the Cook gang of des-
peradoes at Corretta, blind siding,
five miles south of here. The train was
running twenty miles AN hour, and
when within 100 feet of the switch a
man came out from behind an en-
bankment and threw the switch of 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 en-
gineer and fireman to come down, ant
as soon as they had dismounted march
ed them in front of them to the bag
gage and express cars.
Perforated with Bullets.
Here they forced Express Messenger
Ford to open the doors by perfora ting
the side of the car with bullets. Mean
while two more of the robbers had TAX
en- up a position at the rear end of the
sleeper, to prevent anyone escaping;
two others mounted the platform be-
tween the smoker and baggage car,
and two more the platform between
the first and second coaches, all keep
ing up a continual firing. The two rob-
bers in the express car were mean
while ransacking the car, securing all
the money in the local safe. They COM
manded Ford to open the through safe,
but when he explained that the safe
was locked at the main Office and not
opened until it reached its destination,
they left the car. The two-on the front
platform then started through the
coach, demanding money and valuables.
As soon as they reached the rear end
of the coach the two men on that plat
form started through the second coach.
When they were about half way
through a freight train, following close
behind, whistled and Bill Cook, the
leader, who had all the time remained
outside, issuing commands, swearing at
the passengers and shooting, called for
all hands to come out. The men on the
cars jumped out, and when all were on
the ground, fired a last volley at the
train and disappeared in the darkness.
There were eight or ten men in the
party. Two of them were white and the
others were half-breeds.
Jack Mahara, an advance agent for
Mahara's Ministries, was hitrin the fore
head by bullet and dangerously if not
fatally wounded.
Special Officers Held Up.
Walter Barnes, of Van Buren,, Ark,
was also slightly injured by bullet
striking him in the cheek. Special Offi-
GERS Holmick and Dickson, of the Mis-
souri, Pacific, were on the train and
also Deputy Marshals Bruner and cas-
amere, but they were covered by VIM
chesters in the hands of the bandits
before they had time to make move.
CASHMERE lost watch and six-shooter.
The train was backed up to this place
for assistance and to give the injured
medical attendance. The entire side OF
the train was completely riddled with
bullets. The engine cab was shot all to
pieces, even the steam guage and guage
lamp being shot away and the ground
around the wreck was covered with
empty shells. 1t was a miracle that
many lives were not lost, as fully 2OO
shots were fired.
The Missouri Pacific Immediately
started a special train from Little ROCK,
carving Superintendent w. ]. Mckee
and picking up deputy marshals. U. S.
Agent Wisdom, of Muskogee, has or
dered all the Indian police to report
for duty. and will 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 side-track. L thought II
was a head end collision, and knowing
we were closely followed by freight
train. I grabbed a red lamp and started
back to flag. When I reached the rear
end I was confronted by two men who
ordered me back in the car. told them
we were closely followed by freight
and would be run into and asked them
to let me go back to flag them One of
the men replied, We'll go on and hurry.
started back as fast as 1 could, but
being troubled with asthma could not
go very fast. The two men began firing
at me and told me to go faster"
Express Messenger w. c. Ford de-
clined to say anything, further than
that the robbers got everything they
could lay hands on outside of the
through safe The mail car was not
molested. The loss of the express COM
pany will not exceed $500, as instruc-
tons had been issued to all agents in
the. territory to receive no money or
valuables for this train and only the
company money RENTED by local
agents was carried outside the through
safe. Six men did the work and seemed
not the least afraid of being captured
Later-Four armed men called at the
section house at Ross station. six miles
north of here, about 10 o'clock today and
at the point of Winchesters compelled
the section foreman to prepare their din
ner. They were armed to the teeth and
were thought to be a part of the band
After eating dinner, they started west
and the section foreman followed them
to their hiding place in the brush on the
banks of Bull Creek, where the entire
gang of eight were camped They were
q md
EX-GOVERNOR BEDLE DEAD.
Succumbs to the Effects of n Sur-