The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-27
THE ENGINEERS STORY.
One Man Kept Him Covered With a r
vOlvsr All the Time.

One Man Kept Him Covered With Re-
vOlver All the Time.
CHATTANOOGA. Tenn. March 27-Cin-
cinnati Southern train No 3 arrived here
on time today, although it stopped few
minutes to kill three train robbers
A News representative met the train
on its arrival here and obtained the fol-
lowing interviews from the conductor
and engineer.
Engineer Tom Springfield has been
running on the road for number of
years, and is regarded as very reliable
engineer. This is his first experience
with train robbers, and he told
the following story: 1--WE were coming
along on time, engine $50 is a bumper
and Rankin, my fireman was keeping her
hot We had mail, express and baggage
car, smoker, TWO day coaches aud two
sl5epers. We left Somerset on time
slowed down a little as we ran through
the tunnel No. 9, about ten miles south of
Somerset in Pulaski county, KY.
about 300 yards this side of the tun-
mel man ON the track with a white Ian
tern tagged me down.
This is one of the loneliest spots on
the entire road. You know it is up in
the rough and rugged mountain districts
of Kentucky. There is not a house
within two miles of the place. In
nearer than Greenwood That little sta
ton was about two miles to the south
The road somewhat curves, and alto
gether better place could not have been
selected for train robbery. The fellow
in front kept swinging his lantern. He
stood In the center of the track. l could
not imagine what was the matter"
did you think of train robbers?"
"No did not"
SEDiI xz1r
was ahead?"
"No did not. I did not think any,
thing. | just saw the fellow swinging
his lantern and 1 stopped the train. /
did not see any body else. When I
stopped to see what he was swim ginq the
lantern for the fellow climbed into the
cab and said: "Stand here till l tell Won
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 a big black mous-
tache, a slouch hat and rather seedv
clothes. He looked like a rough coun-
tryman The fellow did not say another
word, but 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. i don't know
what kind of pistol it was, but it was u
big one"
With this the brave engineer straight
ened out his hand and placed his left
hand almost to his right elbow to show
the length of the robbers pistol. Il
might have besn a horse pistol
Rankin, my fireman. continued
Springfield, looked out of the cab on
his side and said: They've killed two oil
them But the fellow kept me covered
with his big gun and did not say a word
After one or two more shots were heard
up in front the robber dropped from the
cab and said Go ahead
81 opened the throttle and we ran into
Cumberland Falls about four miles fur
ther down.
When asked why he did not shoot the
roper as he left the engine, Mr.. Spring
neld said neither he nor his fireman haC
any weapons of any kind.
AFTER the fellow told me to go ahead
we had gone but a short distance when
Rankin found wounded man on tht
tender. We stopped at Cumberland
Falls, four miles from the tunnel. anc
put him off, leaving him in the TELEGRAM Dl
once. he was badly shot in the arm
and side He said that he wa:
tramp stealing a ride and tina
ne was not with the trair
robbers, but we do not believe it. w,
were not stopped by the robbers more