Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-10-27
GOT BUT LITTLE.
Cooks Gang of Train Robbers
Make Another Haul.
They Rob an Express In Indian Territory
Two Mon Shot-Passengers Forced
to COMMUNICATIONS $1,000
Stolen-They Escape.

PARSONS, Kan, Oct. 22.--The Mis-
souri, Pacific passenger train No. 22S
on the Kansas and Arkansas Valley
branch, was held up by four or five
masked men at Coretta siding, miles
east of Wagoner, |, r., at 10 o'clock
Saturday night. An empty car
was placed on the main track and the
train struck it. The robbers com
menced terrible onslaught and
two men are reported shot. But little
money is said to have been secured.
All the cars excepting the sleeper
were shot full of holes and not a
whole window remained.
The moment the train stopped the
bandits began firing into the forward
cars. There were eight or ten men
in the gang who distributed them
selves along the side of the train.
Two of them mounted the engine
and forced the engineer and the fire.
man to alight. They were marched to
the express car and threatened with
instant death unless they compelled
the express messenger to open the
door of his car, The messenger re-
fused to open at first, but as the rob-
bers kept firing fusilade of bullets
through the side of the car
he finally complied to the, com
mands of the robbers and the
entreaties of the engineer and fireman
and threw open the car doors Two
robbers Immediately entered and Sc
cured all the money in the local safe.
They commanded Messenger Ford to
open the through safe, but when he
explained that the combination was
only known at the main Office at the
end of the line they left the car
Meanwhile the other robbers had
been going through the train demand
ing the money and valuables of the
passengers. Before they had COM
pleted their work freight train
which had followed the passenger
closely out of Wagner drew in
sight and Cook ordered his fol-
lowers out of the train. The
gang instantly remounted their horses
and firing u parting vol]ey at the
train rode off in a northerly direction.
While the robbers were at work in.
side the car their confederates on the
outside kept up a continual firing
which had the desired effect in soaring
the passengers and trainmen and pre-
venting resistance. Two men were
wounded, one of whom, John Mahara
advance agent of minstrel company
may die. He was wounded in the fore
head.
The entire train was complete
riddled with bullets, every window be
ing broken. The engine cab was sho
all to pieces, even the steam gaug,
and gauge lamp being shot away arc
the ground around the wreck covered
with empty shells. 1t was miracle
that many lives were not lost, as fully
200 shots we're fired.
FORT SMITH, Ark, Oct. 22.-Expres
officials here say that their loss by tn,
Wagner train robbery will not ex
ceed 81 1000. The train carried small
amount in the local safe and the rob
bers were unable to break into tn,
through safe.
The robbery was the work of Cool
and his desperate gang of outlaws
who have recently been terrorizinl
the citizens in the territory. For tw
months past all railroads passing
through the territory have beel
heavily guarded in fear of a
attack and many shipments int
the territory have been refused b
the express company. Many depre
dations of the gang, especially With
the past week or two, have shown thi
precaution to have been timely. Fo
days the gang has been represented a
being at different points planning
robbery, and thorough preparation
were made to meet the expected a
} sack. The outlaws evidently antic
: pated desperate resistance and bt
gan their work with fierce fighting.