Omaha daily bee., 1894-10-22
HELD Up MARSHALS AND ALL
Cook and His Gang of Outlaws Go Through
the Entire Train.
TWO PASSENGERS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED
Over Two Hundred shots Fired and the
Coachc'. Express Car and Engine Cab
Completely Riddled-Did Not
Make Much OF a Haul.


City 6 Memphis express, which left here at
$3.50 last night, was wrecked and robbed
by the Cook gang Of desperadoes at Cor
reta, blind siding five miles south Of here.
The train was running twenty miles an
hour, and when within 100 feet Of the
switch a man came out from behind an
embankment and threw the switch for the
stdetrack, running the train into a string
of empty box cars. Engineer James Harris
applied the air brakes and reversed the
engine. The robbers commenced firing at
the engine and coaches. As soon as the
train stopped two of the robbers commanded
the engineer and fireman to come
down, and soon as they had
dismounted marched them in front
of them to the baggage and express
cars There they forced Express Messenger
Ford to open the door by perforating the
side Of the car with bullets. Meanwhile two
more Of the robbers had taken up a pc
stion at the rear end of the sleeper to pre-
vent any one escaping; two others mounted
the platform between the smoker and the
baggage ear and two more the platform
between the first and second coaches, all
keeping up a continual firing The two rob
bers in the express car were meanwhile ran
sacking the car 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 the car.
The two on the platform of the car then
started through the coaches demanding
money and valuables. AS soon as they
reached the rear end the two men on that
platform started through the coaches. When
they were about half way through freight
hEi nd hSgfI InI nd Hrnly IrA
leader, who all the time remained outside
issuing commands, swearing at the passen-
gers and shooting, called for all hands to
come out. The men on the cars jumped
out, and when all were on the ground fired
a last vOlley at the train and disappeared
men in the party. Two Of them were white
and the others were half breeds.
TWO PASSENGERS WOUNDED.
Jack NIahara, an advance agent Of Mahara' s
ministries, was hit in the forehead by a
bullet and dangerously If not fatally
wounded. Walter Barnes of Van Buren,
Ark, was also slightly injured by a bullet
striking him in the cheek. Special Officers
Helmck and Dickson of the Missouri Pacific
were on the train, also United States Deputy
Marshals Bruner and CGsaver, but they
were covered by Winchesters in the hands
Of the bandits before they had time 10 move.
Casaver lost a watch and siX-shooter. The
train was backed into this city for assist
ance.
The entire train was completely rddled
with bullets, every window being broken.
The engine cab was shot all to pieces, even
the steam gauge and gauge lamp being shot
away and the ground around the wreck was
covered with empty shells. 1t was a miracle
that many lives were not lost, as fully 200
shots were fired.
The Missouri Pacific Immediately started a
special train from Little Rock. carrying
Superintendent w. j. Mckee, and picking up
deputy marshals. United States Agent
Wisdom Of Muscogee has ordered all the
Indian police to report for duty and will
take the trail early in the morning. Con-
ductor W. Duncan, in charge of the robbed
train when interviewed, said Il was in
the sleeper when We struck the cars on the
side track. l thought il was a head-end
collision, and knowing we were closely fol-
lowed by a freight train. l grabbed a red
lamp and started back to flag. When
reached the rear end, I was confronted by
two men. who ordered me back in the car
told them we were closely followed by a
freight and would be run into. and asked
them to let me go back to flag them One
Of the men replied; Well, go on, and hurry
up l started back as fast as | could run
but being troubled with asthma l could not
go very fast. The two men fired at me
and told me to go faster"
Express Messenger w. G. Ford declined to
say anything further than that the robbers
got everything they could lay hands on out
side 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 for this train. and
only the company money is remitted by
local. outside the through safe
Six of the gang passed through Waggoner
today, going at a slow trot, and seemingly
not the least afraid of being captured.
Later four armed men called at the section
house at Ross station, six miles north OF
here, about l o'clock today, and at the points
of Winchesters compelled the section fore
man to prepare their dinner. They were
armed to the teeth and were thought to be
part OF the band. After eating dinner
they started west and the Section foreman
followed them to their hiding place in the
brush on the banks Of Bull creek. where the
entire gang of eight were camped. They
MErh Sill In IhGra o.