The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-24
WORSE THAN 1T EVER WAS.
Expressmen Describe the Situation
in the Territory.

st. Louis, Mo-, Oct. 23.-Bankers and
business men living in the towns in
the Indian territory, as well as those
living outside the territory but doing
business with the territory firms, are
greatly worked up over the condition of
affairs which has made it necessary
for the Pacific Express company to
refuse money 7hipments, either into or
out of the territory. SO far as the
express company is concerned, how
ever, they take a philosophical view of
the situation and not complaint has
been registered.
1.-The situation in the Indian terri
tory today said Superintendent o. w.
Case, of the company, lis worse than
it ever was. There is absolutely no
protection for life or property, except
as we furnish it ourselves. This con-
tinual carrying Of such an armed force
makes the business too expensive to
be profitable We aave lost more by
the expense than we ever did by the
actual robberies. Now, this Saturday
robbery. BY it we lost just $417. This
consisted of return c. Q. D., which we
are still handling, and our own and the
railroads remittances. But you can
see that to protect even a small amount
as that attacked the train. The other
companies are still carrying money,
but / am informed by Mr.. Simpson, of
the Wells, Fargo. that he has asked
,sythe general superintendent to issue an
order similar to ours.
A Faint Idea.
!, ITO give you a little idea of what
we have paid out, I will speak of the
Oliphant robbery. Our loss there was
about $500, but it cost us $500 to cap
fure the robbers. AT the present rates
for carrying money we would have to
take into the territory $500, 600 to get
that back. For some time before the
Dalton gang was wiped out, the Mis-
souri,, Kansas & Texas and the Pacific
had a standing reward of $1,000 each
on the eight men comprised in the
gang. This had only shortly before
been withdrawn, where, unless there is
a reward or we pay the expenses of
the deputies, United States marshals
90 not seem to think it is their duty
to capture the robbers.
There is but one way to stop this
lawressress. that is to make a state
out of Indian territory. OF course if
the federal government would send a
few regiments Of soldiers down there
instead of keeping them in the bar
racks in these eastern military sta
-
of determination such as Governor Crit
tenden waged against the James gang
in Missouri is what is needed. This
can Only be properly done by admit
ting the territory to statehood.
-'This order Of ours does not greatly
affect st. Louis as most of the money
IS shipped to those banks in the terri
tory from Little Rock or nearer points.
quite a good deal of money in pay
of ryOOdS comes ont Of fba tpy,~i-
rory bv express, but this system can
be temporarily changed
General superintendent L. A. Fuller.
Of the Pacific company. and General
SUPERINTENDENT Peck. If the Iron Noun
tain. have gone to Waggoner, and will
spend seYeral days in the territory in
.an attempt to have the Cook gang,
.kghich perpetrated the last robbery.
captured.
The information received here is that
"Bilf' Cook is Z young man. not yet %
years old, and Cherokee Bill, his chief
lieutenant. is but IS. Superintendent
Case says they are desperadoes simply
for the notoriety and NOS for the mon
ev they can get. Still they always take
all they can get The gang which eff
fected the robbery at Claremort a
short time ago was the Means gang,
headed by Columbus Means. This is a
bad gang, as is also Bill Doolan's gang,
which is said to hive sprang from the
ashes of the Dalton gang. Superin-
fendent Simpson. of the Wells, Fargo
company, is now in the territory. also
looking into the condition of the coun-
try in which the company operates It
is stated by some who are familiar
with the situation there that the