The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-03-28

turouBn passenger express train NO. +,
southbound from Cincinnati, on the Gin.
cinnati Southern road, was held up early
this morning, sixteen miles south of
Somerset, near Greenwood, Ky, near
tunnel No. 0. by gang OF train robbers
numbering six men. Two OF the rob :
bers were shot down, one ina family
killed and the other died at 4 o'clock
this morning. One was captu red at
Cumberland Falls and turned over to
the station agent OF that station. The
captured man is wounded.
The details are as follows: At 800
o'clock Engineer Thomas Springfield,
in charge Of the engine drawing train
No. 8, was signslled down by o large
IAN having 81 red lantern and giving q
regular railroad signal near tunnel No.
,. He quickly brought mis- train to a
halt, and was Immediately confronted
by revolver in the hands of an UNI
known man, and told TO stand still till
he was ordered to go On. The others
started for the express car, carrying
Winchestsrs on their shoulders, bu:,
making mistake, entered the bsprsge
car.
The company had been appraised some
days ago thnt there would probably be
hold up on tho line shortly. aud De-
tcctive Chief Tom Griffin, Will Eddy.
Of Oakdale, and Win Osgood, of Chatta-
noCgs, were on the train locking out
for the highwaymen. When thu train
was stopped, tho detectives suspected
the trouble and OsGood alignted from
the train in time to interc apt one of the
robbers who vas standing on the plat
form OF the baggage car. making his
way to tho express car. a running fight
opened, which drew out the other high
waymcn and the detectives, ard per
feet fusilado followed.
Presently the firing from the robbers
ceased and when the smoke cleared
away it WAS found that one OF thu rob.
berS was killed or mortally wounded.
The wounded man WAS placed on q bank
near the track and the train cana on to
Chattanooga and arrived in this city on
time. Tao entire lime taken'up In tho
meleo was just three minutes The
detectives remained at the scene OF
action and this morning posse is in
pursuit Of the escaped bandits.
AZ Cumberland Falls, four milos
below tho gcenr Of the hold M, =
wounded man WAS found concealed in
the tender Of an engine, who proved to
be one of the would-be robbers He
Woo va 4iN0 ONSl W bub 0HGlg Oh tnB
company. The captured man saws he
is from Pennsylvania. but refuses TO
give his name or that OF any others.
Tne dead men have not been identih ed,
and it is supposed that they are
strangers in tho community. The ex-
press officials claim there was nothing
large in the car, but recently they have
been handling valuables, and it is sup
posed 1t was known to the robbers
Engineer Tom Springfield has been
running on the rosd for number of
years, and is regarded rs q very reliable
engineer. This is his first experience
with train robbers, and to q reporter he
told the following story: 1--WE wore
coming along on time. The engine is d
bumper, and Rankin, amy fireman, was
Keeping It hot. We had mail, ex
press and baggage car, smoker, two
day coaches and two sloepers. We left
Somerset on time. I slowed down a
little as we ran through tunnel No. O.
about sixteen miles south OF Somerset
in Pulaski county. Kentucky
About 800 yards this side of the tun-
mel man on the track with a white
light lantern tagged me down. This is
one OF the lon!iess spots on the entire
road. You know it is up in the rough
and rugged mountain districts Of Ken.
lucky. There is not house within two
miles OF the place. In fact, l don't
know Of house that is nearer than
Greenwood. That little station was
about two miles south The road some.
how curves. too, and altogether better
place could not have been selected for e
train robbery.
THE fellow in front kept swinging
his lantern. He stood in the center of
the track. 1 could not imagine what
was the matter" Ibid you think of
train robbers?' asked the reporter. mo
did not" Ibid you suppose that
freight wreck was ahead? p" mo, 1 did
not. did not think anything. I just
saw the fellow swinging his lantern and
l stopped the train. 1 did not see sny.
one else. When l stopped to see what
he was swinging the lantern for the
fellow climbed into the cab and said:
Stand here till l tell you to go on and
pointed pistol at me- He stood on
the left hand side Of the cab. He looked
like desperate. AS near as can
recollect he had big black moustsche,
SLOUGH hat and rather seedy clothes
He looked like rough countrymsn.
Inc fellow did not say another word, but
just kept his pistol pointed at me-"
Odd he not seem alarmed when the
shooting was going on?"
mo, re just kept standing there with
his pistol pointed at me. Rankin, my
fireman. continued Springfield. Cooked
out OF tho cab on his side and said
They've killed Two Of them but the
fellow kept me covered with his big
pistol and did not ssy word. After
one OF two more shots were fired up in
front, the robber dropped from the cab
and said Go ahead opened the thros-
tie and we ran on to Cumberland Falls,
about four miles further down"
When asked why he did not shoot