The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1894-09-21
HAD A HOT RECEPTION
Missouri Train Robbers Met With a
Fusilade From Many Win
chesters.
THEIR PLANS WERE KNOWN
And the Train Was Loaded With
Armed Guards---TWO Of the
Bandits Caught.

NAOhlINo, 1lOs, hoCpu. ~ AAS SOAoAee>tO
and Utah express on the Santa Fe was
held up by robbers at $3.50 a. m. Owing
to the fact that the railroad and express
officials had spy on the trail of the
bandits when they stopped the train
they met hail of buckshot and bullets,
and it is said that at least two lie dead
in the surrounding woods, while as
many others rode for their rendezvous
81 miles away, filed with leaden pellets.
They were novices in the art Of train
robbery, and brutal ones at that, for
they shot dad" Prescott, the engineer,
before they even gave him a chance to
hold up his hands. His wounds, it is
believed, will not prove fatal. The raid
was planned three weeks ago, but not
put into execution.
Walking Arsenals Aboard.
When the train left Chicago at p.
H., railroad and express detectives, all
walking arsenals, climbed on at every
station. Chief Detective J. J. Kenny Of
the Santa Fe, with G. c. Montgomery
his right hand man, boarded it at
Joliet. At Streator, they were joined
by two more men, who have been
patrolling the line for 20 days. J. A.
Matthews, who has been acting the spy
for the last two weeks and getting the
news of their plans, put in an appear
ance at Galesburg. He brought news
that the would-be robbers met early in
the day and decided to leave their hid
ing place near Memphis, at $50 in the
evening, and make their third attempt
to get rich at the expense of the express
company. They expected to
Make Haul of at Least $4,000,
the Monday run being always much
heavier than any other day of the week.
When the train reached Fort Madison,
Ia, shortly after midnight. Division
Superintendent Stockton of the Wells
Fargo Express company got into the
treasure car He carried a sawed off
Winchester with history. 1t be-
longed to Bill Dalton, and it was to be
poetic justice to turn it loose upon fol.
lowers in the footsteps of the Kansas
desperado. With him were four men.
Their guns were in the car and had
been for several days.
The Plan of Campaign.
The plan adopted was this: Detect
ives Kinney and Montgomery boarded
the engine. Superintendent Stockton
and two of his good shots tarried in the
express car. But it was. in the forward
end of the smoking Car that the forces
were massed. A partition and door in
closes half a dozen seats and shuts of
the rest Of the car from it,
There the men, a dozen of them, were
planted. Each one had one of the sawed
off guns, every cartridge being loaded
especially for the event with two dozen
bucl1shot, by Superintendent Stockton
! At o'clock, when Sheriff Sailing Of
Scotland county came aboard, all de
tails of the surprise party were ar
ranged.
The Longed For Signal Game.
Out from between two high embank
ments, just a mile from Goring sped
the train. One minute more and the
| duA1Ouo NOu1Nl huOW WuSl1Cl
they had again labored in vain.
Then came the crack of the looked
and-longed-for signal. A moment anc
shrill, sharp whistle gave token thai
the engineer had heard, and almost be
fore his hand had left the valve, across
the tracks not fifty yards away swung {
red light. A grinding of wheels along
the rails told the air had been applied
and within 20 seconds from the explo
sion of the torpedo the train was at a
standstill. Out from the dense under
growth north Of the track came foul
forms. The face Of each was hidden by
black mask. One, more agile thar
the rest, rushed to the engine almost
before his companions could reach the
express car. He carried rifle an6
when within 10 feet Of the tender
pointed it at "Dad' Prescott, the white
bearded engineer, and as he shouted
"Hold up your hands," he pulled the
trigger.
His aim was true and "Dad'' fell tt
the 1ioor Of his cab with bullet in his
right breast.