The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-04-02
BANDITS MEET BULLETS.
TWO OF THE ROBBERS KILLED.

Will Certainty Die-The Compam
Had Warming OF the Attempt ani
Armed Detectives Were Ready FOL
the lsObbers.
One of the most daring, but unsuccess
full attempts at train robbery occurred
at 2:30 a. m. on the Goth ult. in the
southern portion of Kentucky, wher
six men undertook to rob the Queer
and Crescent train, which left Cincin
natl at 3 p. M. the night before.
One of the six was killed outright
another died at O'clock the next
morning, u third giving the name oi
Miller was severely wounded, and the
other three have not yet been heard
rom. The train was delayed not
more than ten minutes, and reached
Chattanooga on time.
The reason for this summary dis
posal OF a body of train robbers is
found in the fact that some intimation
OF their purpose had been given to the
railroad or express authorities, and
that Mr.. Il. Il. Griffin, who serves as
| superintendent OF police ON the South
ern road, had with him two trusty as
sistants.
The train had just reached the south
end of the tunnel No. ., which is one
mile north of Greenwood, when the
robbers sgnalled it to stop. They
had scarcely disclosed their purpose
until Mr.. Griffin and his assistants on
the train began offensive operations,
and in ten minutes tn, &c of the robbers
huta bitten the dust, the other three
had iown, and the train was speeding
| on it's way.
Not a single injury WAS suffered by
any one on the train. OF course, the
treasure in care of the Adams Express
messenger, was entirely safe.
THE ENGINEER TELLS THE STORY.
Engineer Tom Spring field has been
running on the road for number OF
years and is regarded as q very reliable
engineer: This is his first experience
with train robbers, and TO a reporter
ho told the following story:
I'VE were coming along on time
Engine 5o6 is bumper, and Rankin,
my fireman, was keeping her hot We
had q mali, express anu baggage car,
smoker, two day coaches and two
sleepers. We left Somerset on time
| slowed down a little as we ran through
tunnel No. ., about sixteen miles south
of Somerset, in Pulaski County, Ken.
lucky. About three hundred yards
this side OF the tunnel u man on the
track with white light lantern
lOneliest spots on the entire road.
You know it is up in the rough and
rugged mountain district OF Kentucky.
There Is not Il house within two miles
OF the place. In fact do not know of Il
house that Is nearer than Greenwood.
That little station was about two miles
to the south. The road somewhat
curves, too, and altogether better
pace could not have been selected for
train robbery.
THE fellow in front kept swinging
4 1.al
the track. | could not imagine what
was the matter"
Did you think of train robbers?" !"
asked the reporter.
I--"--1.Ne Ne, ,4,Gid not"
Did you suppose suppose hat freight
wreck was ahead ?"
|, |. No, did not. did not think any,
a.Ang. just saw the fellow swinging
his lantern and stopped the train.
did not see anybody else.
When | stopped to see what he
was swinging mis- lantern for the fellow
climbed into the cab and and said,
Stand here till | tell you to go on )
and pointed IL pistol at me. He stood
Oh the LETT hand side of the cab. lie
locked like IL desperado. AS near rs
| can recollCct, he had a big black
mustaCh, a slouch hat and rather seedy
country man.
The fellow did not say another
word but just kept his pistol pointed at
me-"
Did he not seem alarmed when
the shooting was going on ~
No, he just kept standing there
with his pistol pointed at me. | don't
know what kind OF Il pistol 1t was, but
1T was big one"
With this the engineer Strengthened
out his right hand and placed his left
hand almost to his right elbow TO show
the length OF the robbers pistol. 1t
| must have been "hoss" pistol
Rankin, ny fireman. continued
Springfield, "looked out the 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 say q
| word.
after one or two more shots wore
| heard up in front, the robber backed
out OF the cab and said, Go ahead
opened the throttle aud we ran
ON to Cumberland Falls about four
miles further down.
! When asked why he did not shoot
the robber as he left the train Spring
| field said that neither he nor his fire.
man had any weapons of any kind.
after tho fellow told me to go
ahead we had gone but u short dis
tance when Rankin found q wounded
man OH the tender. We stopped at
Cumberland Falls four miles from the
tunnel and put him off. leaving him in
the telegraph office. They say he was
badly shot in the arm and side. He
said he was II tramp stealing a ride
and that he was not with the train
robbers. but we do not believe it,
1--WE were not stopped by the rob-
bers more than ten minutes. We
came on to Chattanooga and got here
on time. That's all [ know about 1t
and | don't want the experience of any
more fellows standing in my cab and
pointing big pistol at me-"
| THE CONDUCTORS STORY.
Conductor Pete German, who was
in charge OF the train, says 1--WE
were sixteen miles south of Somerset
and had come through tunnel No. 8.
| was in the sleeper checking up my
fares when the train came to ~ stop. /
got off on the ground with tho flag man.
| saw the blaze of IL pistol and then
another one. told the fagman he
had better climb back on the train as
the shooting was going lengthwise OF
the train and he might get shot and |
did the same. | tfen went forward
and found out that urain robbers had
boarded us.
There were five OF the train rob-
bers. One watched the engineer.