The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-10-26
WRECKED AND LOOTED BY THE
COOK GANG.
i1E PASSENGER FATALLY SHOT
Express Car and Passengers Robbed
Two Hundred Shots Exchanged Be-
tween tho Train and the Bandits
The Car Riddled With Bull
lets-POsses In Hot
Pursuit.

WAGNER, Ind. Ter, Oct. 23.-The
Kansas City and Missouri Pacific
express, which left here at $50
Saturday night, was wrecked
and robbed by the Cook
gang of desperadoes at Correta, a
blind siding five miles south of here.
The train was going at a speed of
about twenty five miles per hour and
when within 100 feet of the switch
man sprang out from behind an en-
banlment and threw the switch for
the side track, running the train into
string of empty box cars. Engineer
James Harris applied the air and re-
versed his engine, but did not have
time to jump before the engine struck
the cars on the siding. The robbers
commenced firing at the train and
engine as soon as it struck the siding,
and two of the robbers ran to the
engine and commanded Engineer
Harris and Fireman CottrelI to come
down, and as soon as they had dis
mounted marched them to the bag
gage and express cars, where by firing
through the doors, they forced Mes
senger Ford to admit them. Mean
while, two more of the robbers had
taken up positions at the rear end Of
through the rear doors of the sleeper,
two more mounted the platform be-
tween the smoker and the baggage
car and two more the platform be-
tween the first and second coaches,
all keeping up a continual firing. Dur
ing this time the two in the ex-
press car were ransacking the car.
They got all the money in the local
safe and Messenger Ford's gun, and
Id L. g.
through safe. He told them it was
impossible, and after hearing his ex-
p1anation as to how it was locked they
left the express car
The two robbers on the front plat
form 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 plat
form started through the second
coach. When they were about half
way through this car a freight train
following close behind whistled and
Bill Cook, the leader, who had 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 outside, fired last volley at the
train and disappeared in the dark
ness. There were eight or ten men
in the party; two of them were white,
the others were half breeds or ne
groes, possibly white men with black
ened faces, otherwise they were not
disguised.
Jack Mahara, an advance agent for
Mahara's Minstrel company, was
struck in the forehead by bullet
and seriously, if not fatally, injured.
Walter Barnes of Van Buren,, Ark,
was also slightly injured by piece of
bullet striking him in the cheek. The
bullet only penetrated the skin and
was picked out by a bystander. Spe-
cial Officers Helmiclz and Dickson of
the Missouri Pacific were on the
train, also Deputy United States Mar
shals Heck Bruner and Joe Casaver,
but the attack was so sudden that
they were all covered by winchesters
in the hands of the bandits before
tkey had time to make move. Cas-
aver lost watch and a six-shooter in
the fracas
The train was backed up TO this
place for assistance and to give the
injured medical attendance. The en-
tire train was completely riddled with
bullets, every window being broken
and the engine cab was shot all to
pieces, even the steam gauge and
ground around the wreck was covered
with empty shells and the fence
along the track perforated with bull
lets. 1t is a miracle that more lives
are not lost, as fully 200 shots were
fired The Missouri Pacific immedi-
ately started n special train from Lit
tie Rock carrying Superinteh dent w.
]. Mckee and deputy marshals.
United States Indian Agent Wisdom
of Muskogee has ordered all the In
dian police to report for duty.
Express Messenger w. L. Ford de-
clined to say anything further than
that the robbers got everything they
could lay hands on ontside of the
through safe. The mail car was not
molested. The loss to the express
company will not reach $500, as in
structions had been issued to all
agents in the territory to receive no
money nor valuables for this train,
and only the company money RENTED
by local agents was carried outside
the through SAT-.