St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-10-22
ROBBERS NUMBERED TEN.
They Went Through the Train
Carefully From End
to End,
BUT SECURED ONLY $500.
The Desperadoes Unable to
Get Into the Big Through
Safe.


sas City and Memphis express, which
left here at $50 last night. was wrecked
and robbed by the Cook gang of des-
peradoes at Correta, blind siding, five
miles south of here. The train was
running twenty miles an hour, and.
when within 100 feet of the switch,
man came out from behind an embank-
ment and threw the switch for the side
track. running the train into string of
empty boX-cars. Engineer James Har-
rison applied the air-brakes and re-
versed the engine. The robbers COM
menced firing at the engine and
coaches. AS soon as the train stopped
two of the robbers commanded the en-
gineer and firemen to come down, and,
as soon as they had dismounted,
marched them TO the baggage and eX-
press cars. Here they forced Express
Messenger Ford to open the doors by
pertorating the side of the car with bull
lets. Meanwhile two of the robbers
had taken up a position at the rear end
of the sleeper to prevent any one es-
Gaping Two others mounted the plat
form between the smoker and the bag
gage car and two more the platform be-
tween the first and second coaches, all
keeping up
4 Continual Firing.
The two robbers in the express car
were meanwhile ranSacking il, securing
all the money in the local safe. They
commanded Messenger 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 il. The two
Oh the font platform then started
through the coach, demanding money
and yaluaOleS. AS soon as they reached
the rear end OF the coach the TWO men
on that platform started through the
second coach. When they were about
halfway through, a freight train. fol-
living close behind, whistled. and Bill
Cook, the leader. who had all the time
remained outside issuing commands,
swearing at the passengers and shoot-
ing, called for all hands to come out.
Tie men Oil the cars jumped out, and
when ali 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
Mahar, all advance agent for Mahar's
mlnstrels. was in hit the forehead by
bullet and dangerously. if not fatally
wounded. Walter Barnes, of Van Bu-
rem, Ark. was also slightly injured by
a bullet striking him in the cheek.
Special Officers Helmick and Dicks
son. of the Missouri Pacific, were OH the
train, also United States Deputy Mar
shals Drummer and Casaver. but they
were covered by Winchesters in the
hands of bandits before they had time
TO make move. Casaver lost a watch
and a siX-Shooter. The train was
backed up to this place for assistance
to give the injured medical attendance.
The entire train was completely rid
died with bullets, every window being
broken. The engineers cab was shot
all to pieces. even the steam-gauge and
gauge-lamps being shot away, and the
ground about the wreck was covered
with shells. 1t was miracle that
many lives were not lost. Fully 200
shots were fired. The Missouri Pacific
Immediately started special train
from Little Rock. carrying Supt. W. j.
KEGS and picking up deputy marshals.
United States Indian Agent Wisdom,
of Muskogee. has ordered all the In
dian police to report for duty, and will
take the train early in the morning.
Conductor ". Duncan, in charge Of the
robbed train, when interviewed, said:
Conductor Duncan Talks.
~ was in the sleeper when we struck
the cars on the side track. | thought it
was a head-on collision, and knowing
we were closely followed by freight, 1
grabbed red lantern and starte d back
to flag. When reached the rear end
l was confronted by two men vino
ordered me back in the car. ! told
them we were closely followed by
freight, and would be run into, and
asked to let me go back and flag them.
One of the men replied: well, 20 ON
and hurry up l started back as fast
as l could. but, beng troubled with
asthma, could not go very fast. The
two men began firing at me and told me
to 20 faster" .e
Express Messenger W. T. Ford de-
clineu 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 company will
not exceed $500. as Instructions had
been issued to all agents in the terri.
tory to receive no money OF valuables
for this train, and only the company