The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-09-19
Bandits Attack a Train in Missouri,
But Are Beaten or by
Officers
Ono OF the Livolisst Episoden in
the History OF Train
RobbinG
fpV Had Been Among tho Robbers
and Told tho Company OF
Their ComlnE.

GoRIs, No., Hept. Is. -Th, Colorado an d
Utah express on The Santa Fe was held up
by robbers at 800 a. IN. to-day. As the
railrosd and express officials had a spy on
The trail OF the bandits, when they stopped
tho train thoy we're met with a bail OF
bnokshot and bullets. and ID 10 said at least
two are dead In tho surrounding woods,
while 90 many others rode for tho roLdez-
yous, tvenhI-one milos away, Iiddlsd With
bulleta
When the train leii Chicago at hvo
o'clock last evening railroad and express
detectives. all walking srsensls, climbed on
at eyery station. Among them were Chisi
Detective J. A. Kinney. OF the santa Fs
and J. A. Matthew'S. who has been acting
90 spy for two weeks and getting news Of
the robbers plans. The latter brought the
news that the robbers. oar.y in the dag. do-
eided TO lehvs their hiding place, near
Memphis, NJ $3.50 o'clock last night, and
make their third attempt 10 got rich al ths
expense Of the express company. They sx-
pected to mako q haul OF at least $50 000
Al Fort Madison. lows. Division Super
intendent Stockton, Of the wells-FsrQo
express. got into the treasure car. He
earricd a sawed-off Winchester that onoo
belonged to "Bil" Dalton. With him we're
four mon. Detectives Kinney and Mont
Romery boarded the engine. whilo Supsrln.
tsndsnt Stockton and two gooi shots tat
ried IN the express car. In tho forward end
Of the smoking ca. shut OF By n Partition
from the rest OF the car. q dozen men wore
placed. Each had gun with every cart
ridge loaded especially for the svent. with
a dozen buckshot.
Az two O'Clock. when Sheriff Sailing, Of
Scotland oounty. climbed on board, all the
details OF the surprise party were arranged
According TO the report Matthews. the spy
would ondsavot 10 be the one who Jagged
| the train. II 90 one torpedo would preesde
the swinging OF the lantern. Orders were
given that no matter n every oae OF the
robbers got away, there was 10 be no shoot.
ing to sndanRer the life of tho spy. who
had, In fact. taken his life 10 his hands In
order 10 frustrats the attempted robbery.
In the little compartment filled with
armed M, the lights were out and the
windows ur. In each seat were two men.
sitting eideways. tho uuzzles Of their guns
ptotruding iusi a hifie over the seats. BE-
i
at half cock. resting across their arms,
An Out from between two high embank-
menta juAt one mile from Gorin. spod ths
train, there came the looked-for signal. and
not fifty yards away was a swinging rad
light. Within twenty seconds the train
was al q standstill. Out from the dense
undsrgrowth north OF the track came fou'
forms, the face OF each hidden by q black
mask. One rushed 20 the engine almost
| bal hta . .ntn ooplI ah tha ~
press car. Within ten foet of the tender be
pointed q rifle at dad" Prescott, ths
white bearded engineer. and as he shouted.
Hold up your handsl' pulled the trigger.
Dad" fell TO tho floor with bullet In the
4 right b'east.
With one bound Kinney gsin,d the top
Of this tender. and trin7ing bis Gun to his
shoulder sent shower OF shot almost into
the face OF the marked man. How ths fel-
low managed TO movs 10 mystery. but hs
aiI, and made for tho woods. The sho,
which laid Engineer Prescott Low was the
signsi for fusilAde, and also signal fol
the basty retreat OF the robbers to the shel.
tst OF the timber. They fired two shots
but although men were leaning from the
oar windows and pulling triggers as fast al
possible. while others were ,fler the rob
bes on foot they failed to hit mao.
The place where tholr horses wee tied
WAS soon found. A cut hitohing straI
showed that ono msn ct least had lii,
enough TO esohps. rbs search for the dead
aud wounded was postponed until daylight
bat the chase after the one or more who
sscst ed was started within ten minutes.
Twice before last nights astempt The
bandlts started for the spot selected for tn,
TobberJ, hus each tim, n oopious fall oI
rain htill,d them. Tho Santa Fe ane
wella.F Fargo officials received Zip OF th'
oon empisted aid neHr three weeks ago
aud every night siscs thsu not lsss thar
= half.dozfn necret service men hive bees
on the train until the denger point was
passed.