The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1894-09-22
DIDN'T KNOW TWAS LOADED.
Masked Men Try to Hold Up a
Santa E.e Train in Missouri.
Met by a Voliey From Armed Rail.
road Detectives,
Engineer Shot aud Badly wounded-Thc
Santa Fe- ohioials-asaei n spy in
the Desperadocs' Camp and
Were Ready for the At
tack-Robbcrs be-
ing Chased.

maslecd men attempted to hold up train
No. 3, the Utah and Colorado express.
on the Atchison. Topeka and Santa Fe
road, near Cory, Mo. seventy-fve
miles west Of here, at 3 o'clock this
morning.
AS II result Dad Prescott, engineer
of the train. was probably fatally
wounded. Two of the bandits are be-
lievcd to lie dead or wounded in the
woods that surround the track and
the other two arc fleeing across the
country pursued by railroad detectives
Were Ready for the Robbers.
The attempt to rob the train failed
completely. 1t was predestined to be
a future from the start. The plot was
formed three weeks ago and the rail,
road people have had a spF in the camp
of The bandits ever since. From tho
time the train left Chicago at 5 o'clock
last evening railroad and express de-
t~ectives heavily armed climbed aboard
ut every station, and when this city
was reached there We're fifteen men
armed to the teeth. in the compartment
baggage car which is used for Il smoker. |
All the passengers were requested to
retire from this car, the lights were
put out, aud as the train nearcd CORN
the railroad forces, each man armed
with u winchester OF Sawed Off shot
gun was ready forthc attack, which tho
spy had discovered would be made THU
morning.
o the Engineer.
About n mile on this side Of CORN
the train sped out from between two
high embellishments and Il moment later
the sharp crack ola railway torpedo was
heard. The engineer applied the air
brakes and as the train Stacked speed
four men whose faces were hidden by
black masks rushed out from tho
bushes. The first one bounded upon
the engine and leveling his rifle ut En-
gineer Prescott ordered him to hold up
his hands. but without waiting for his
order to be obeyed he pulled the trig,
ger and the engineer fell from his seal
with u bullet in his breast. As he fell
a detective who had beer secretca on
the tender sprang up and fired full
IN the face of the robber, who gave q
yell of pain and. ~scrambling from tho
engine, hobblea into the underbrusl,.
The two shots We're the signal for a
general fusilade. Tho detectives on
the train fired from the windows and
those on tho platform discharged shot
after shot at the bandits, who hastily |
.,..N-l rs --I III r.. -- \ =
ter OF the woods. Once under
cover they returned the fire,
but We're evidently conscious they
outnumbcred by the officers on tho
train. They fred a few Ineffective
shots, then ran to a spot where their
horses were tethercd and ganoped off
in the darkness.
1t is believed that at least two of the
robbers are seriously if not fatally |
wounded and probably all of them are
hit. When the train reached CORN the
wounded engineer was removed To II
hotel for surgical treatment. The Off
GERS took mp the pursuit of the robbers
with Il pack of bloodhounds which had
been held i'll readiness for the contin-
gency. 1t is believed that all Of them
will be captured before night as the
sheriff of Scotland who was with the |
detectives on the train is confident that
he knows all of the gang and will be
nble TO go direct to the rendezvous.
The bandits had planned the robbery
for three weeks and had twice before
started for CORN to tdo the trick, but
on both occasions We're deferred from
their intention by heavy rains which
would have rendered tracking them in
the mud an easy matter.
The Passengers Badly Frightened.
Tho news of the decision to hold nm
the train which ended so disastrously
this morning reached here only yester-
day, and was promptly communicated
to the railroad officers by Matthews,
the spy in the camp of the bandits.
There was great alarm on the train
when the shooting began. The passcn-
gers on the chair car lodged under the
seats, and in the sleeping ear the
women screamed andahe.lnen hid their
v~aluables. No. one was injured, how
ever, except Prescott, the engineer,
although fifty shots We're exchanged
during the fight.
Nothing has been heard from the
pursuing party up to lOio'cloclt this
morning. and the news of the capture
of the robbers lnny not reach here for
some time rs the region of the pursuit
is a wild country far from the telegraph
lines.