Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-10-22
WRECKED And ROBBED
Bold Work Of a Gang Of Train
Pirates Out West,
TWO HUNDRED SHOTS FIRED.

-
in the Head, and Another Pas
senger Wounded - The Train
Riddled With Balls - Only q
Small Amount of Cash Secured.
WAGNER, /. T., October 21.-Ths
Kansas City and Memphis express,
which left here at $50 last night, was
wrecked and robbed by the Cook gang
OF desperadoes at Correta. blind sid
ing FIVE miles south Of here. The train
was running at the rate Of twenty miles
an hour, and when within one hundred
feet Of the switch q man came out from
behind an embankment and threw the
switch for the siding, running the train
into q string OF empty box cars. Engin-
eer Jams Harris applied the air
brakes and reversed the engine. The
robbers commenced firing at the engine
and coaches. As soon as the train stop
ped two OF the robbers commanded the
engineer and fireman TO come down and
as soor as they had dismoanted,
marched them in front OF them to the
baggage and express cars. Here they
forced Express Messenger Ford to open
the doors by perforating the side OF the
car with bullets. Meanwhile two more
OF the robbers had taken up a position
at the rear end OF the sleeper 10 pre-
vent any ore escaping. Two others
mounted the platform between the
smoker and baggage car and two more
the platform between the hrst ana
second coaches, all keeping up con-
tinual firing. The two two robbers In
the express car were meanwhile ran
sacking the express car, securing all
the money in the local safe. They
commanded Messenger Ford to open
the through safe. but when he explain
ed that the safe WAS locked az the main
office and not opened until II reached It's
destination, they left the car. The
two on the front platform then started
through the coach, demanding money
and valuables. 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 half way through freight
train following close behind whistled,
and Bill Cook, the leader, who had all
the time remained outside issuing COM
mands, swearing at the passengers and
shooting, called for all hands 10 come
out. The men on the cars jumped out
and when all were on the ground fired
last Volley at the train and dlsap-
ueared In the darkness. There were
eight or ten men In the party. Two OF
them were white and the others were
half-breeds.
Jack Mahara, an advance agent for
Mahara's Minstrels, was hit In the fore
head by bullet aud dangerously, II not
! fally wounded. Walter Barnes, OF Van
Buren, Ark, was also slightly Injured
by a bullet striKing him In the cheek.
Special Officers Helmick and Dickson,
OF the Missouri Pacific, were on the
train, also United States Deputy Mar
shals Bruner and Casssver, hut they
were covered by Winchesters In the
| hands OF the bandits before they had
| time to make q move. Cassaver lost .
watch and 4 six-shooter.
The train was backed up to this place
for assistance and TO give tho injured
medical Attendanck. the entire train
was completely riddled with bullets,
every window being broken. The en-
gine cab was shot all to pieces, even the
steam gusge and guage lamp belog shot
away and the ground around the wreck
covered with empty shells. It.was a mir
acle that many lives were not lost, ~
fully 200 shots were fred.
The Missouri Pacific Immediately
started q special train from Little Rock
carrying Superintendent w. J. McKes
and picking up deputy marshals.
United States Indian Agent Wisdom,
Of Muskogee, has ordered all the Indian
police TO report for duty and will take
the train early 10 the morning.
Conductor Duncan, In charge OF the
wrecked train when interviewed, said:
II was in the sleeper when We struck
the cars on the side track. / thought
| it was q head end collision, and know
Ing that We we're closely followed By .
freight, l grabbed 9 red lamp and start
ed back 10 flag. When | reached she
rear end / was confronted by two men,
who ordered me back IN the car. 1
told them we were closely followed By .
freight and would be run into and ask
ed them TO let me go back 10 flag them
One OF the uen replied: We'll, go on.
hurry np.' started back as fast IS
could, but being troubled with asthma,
could not 60 very fast The two men
began firing at me and told me to 20
faster"
Express Messenger w. T. Ford de-
clined to say ANYTHING further than
that the robbers got everything they
could lay hands on outside OF ths
through safe. The mail car was not
molested. The loss OF the Express
Company will not exceed $500. as In
structions had been issued TO all agents
In the territory 70 receive no money or
valuablss for this train, and only the
company money rsmltted By local
agents was carried outside OF the
through safe. Six OF the gang passed
through Wagner to-day. going ~ .
slow trot and seemingly not the least
afraid of baln0 cnutured