The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-09-20
floor of his cab with bullet ip his
rior Mt hraASt

|
top OF the tender and bri lging his
gun to his shoulder sent shower of
shot almost into the face of the
masked individual. How on earth
the fellow ever managed to make 6
inches is a mystery, but he did,
and made for the woods. The
shot which laid Engineer Pres
cott low was the signal for q
tusilade and was echoed and re. echoed
from bank to bank and through the
woods. 1t was also the signal for a
hasty retreat to the shelter OF the tim
Der on the part OF the surprised indi-
vidusls, whose features were hidden
by maskes. Not until they ,Eeached
timber did they answer, aS4 then
they only fired two shots. But their
aim was not good, and although men
were leaning from the Car windows
and pulling triggers as fast as posi-,
BILE while others had jumped to the
earth and were after Them on foot.
they failed to hit man.
According to the program their
horses were hitched not over 100
yards away. When the posse from
the train reached the spot they
saw one animal; gray, galloping
north. A we'll directed shot brought
1t low, but there was no rider on its
| back. The place where the horses
were tied was soon found, and cut
hitching straps showed that one man
at least had life enough left to make
his escape. sheriff Salin took the
saddle, blanket and bride from the
dead horse, and says by their aid he
will have no trouble in identifying the
owner. The search for dead and
wounded was postponed until day.
light, but the chase after thG one or
ones VINO escaped was started within
ten minutes after the shooting. The
| sheriff secured horses hele and with a
half dozen men started north,
The passengers in the rear of the
smoker and half dozen or more in
sleepers will never forget the exper.
ience. With the first shot every man
near window opened it and looked
out. With the second he drew his
head in, and when the volleying COM
menced he had no time to close the
window but just dropped flat down
on the floor OF the car. Then the cry
"train robbersn went through the
train and women went down on their
knees, lifted their hands and scream
ed vigorously and persistently as if q
mob was in sight, 1t was absolutely
impossible to walk through the cars
without climbing over the seats.
When the excitement was at its high.
est the brakeman put his head in the
door and shouted: keep your heads
down, ladies and gentlemen. Train
robbers are Outside'
In the sleeper Selma two women
ran shriekiug from their berths and
were headed for the danger spot when
Conductor Blue captured them and
forcibly prevailed on them to go back
to bed And there were at least d
dozen individuals who snored
throughout 1t all and did not miss q
note.
When the train reached Gorin En-
gineer Prescott was removed to pri-
vate house and doctor who was on
the train attended his injuries. Fire
man McGraw took the train west.
Twice before last nights attempt
the bandits left their hiding place and
started for the spot sele cted for their
deed of violence. Each time copiOus
rain baked them. Eleven nights ago
they saddled up shortly after
IS o'clock and started 10
ride slowly across the
country. 1t was cloudy. and thsy
had not covered more than third of
the distance when rain began to fall.
Some were in favor of turning back
at once, declaring that they were not
going to run the chance Of being
tracked by mud trail. Their objec.
tions were overruled for the time be-
ing, but by the time the cavalcade
was within seven miles of the rail-
road track it was apparent to even the
most foOlhardy that discretion was
the better part of valor. The com-
mand to retreat was given and the
procession returned. The next day
two of Kinney's men followed the
trail TOR five miles. From the iudica-
tioDs they say eight men were in the
party that night.
Last Saturday morning was the
second time the affair was billed to
come off. If it had not been for the
rain the attack would have been
made, tor in addition to the regular
prize" carried on the express Car
on the train were big bundle
OF money to be used by the santa Fe
in settling with its employees for
August. At least that is the informa'
tion on which the robbers were act
ing. But toe rain came down too
early and with too much vigOr even
to permit start. Detective Kinney
was badly chagrined man when the
train passed the point at which, ac-
cordiDg to the program, it should
have been tagged. He was ready for
them that night even more go than
he had been before. He was on the
engine, clad in suit of blue jumpers,
and king all tine world like an ap-
prentice to the art of firing an engine.
SnugIy ensconced in tkilfully con-
trusted "dugout" in the heaping
tender full of coal was another of his
good men, man who has put six
bullets into as many telegraph poles
while riding past them as fast as a
pony could take him. Inside the ex-
press car, behind pile or trunk bar
ricades, were seven men with loaded
wincbesters and couple of big colts,
nigh y handy in n tight place, as
Kinney puts it,
rhe cunning of the "hold- d-up''
craftsmen was shown in the selection
- : thagnnt for Hturninp the little trickU