Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-05-08
HE DIED At HIS POST.
PIuCky Frank Holmes Would Not
Surrender to Train Rob-
berS.

IUiCaSO, Lii, 4ilaV LII mere mas Oe6n
| question whether an attack which was
made on night express No. 3 of the Chi
ago 4 Alton road near Carlinville, ILL.,,
vas the work of organized train robbers
II revengeful tramps, but there is no
question as TO the fidelity and bravery of
engineer Frank Holmes, who died at his
0st, refusing TO surrender the trust the
abroad company had imposed upon him.
After the shooting, which resulted in
Holmes death, the trainmen organized a
oosse, pursued the attacking party and
captured two Of them The Chicago &
shooting was done by tramps, but Mail
Agent ). I. Keeyers does not agree with
hem. Mr.. keeyers was seen as soon as
he train reached here and he told the fol-
owing story:
The train was Chicago & Alton No. 3
out of St, Louis at 800 last evening
It was held up by armed robbers at Car
linville just before midnight and in a
plucky fight with the robbers Engineer
Frank Holmes laid down his life. Car
linville is tifty-Seven miles from st. Louis
and train No. 3, Conductor Conlin and
Engineer Holmes. left there on schedule
time at LII and began to run to
Brighton, the next regular stop. Hardly
had the train got under way when two
trdmpS lying flat on the coal in the ten
der were startled by the appearance Of
two masked men who came crawling over
the tender. Poking two big revolvers
into the faces Of the tramps, the neW-com>
ers enjoined them to silence and strict
attention to their own business. Pass,
ing on to the engine cab one of the
armed men ordered the two fremen Zone
man extra learning the road to put up
their hands, while the other covered the
engineer and ordered him to shut off
tnoT in6 no
the desperate ordered him to give her a
full head and be lively about it. Holmes
made pretense of doing so and the rob-
Der, apparently satisfied stepped back a
foot or two.
Engineer Holmes was on the alert for
the opportunity presented and, Selling the
fireman'S pick used in breaking coal, he
dealt the robber two quick glancing blows
on the head. Both robbers aeonce opened
fire and plucky Frank Holmes fell dead
in the gateway of his engine with at
least three bullet holes ia his breast.
The fireman snut off steam and put on the
air, and the heavy train slowed down to
: standstill. AS it did SO the two rob-
bers swung off, A number of men had
been riding on the rear platform of the
mail car, and at the first report two of
the mail clerks, working at the letter case,
heard ore Of them eXclaim: There they
ere shooting; let US set off. Jumping off,
ried. After moment Of indecision they
started to flee. The mail clerks, who
had al first supposed that the firing was
done by a brakeman as a menace to de-
faint tramps, heard the fireman shouting:
Frank Holmes is shot deadr Mail Clerk
John Il. Conefry and Baggageman ]. G.
Logan. who were in charge of the weigh
ing of mails for the government and rail
road company respectively, FASTENED to
their grips, in which lay their Smith &
W essen reyOiyers. and, jumping from the
mail car, proceeded to assist the train
men in their search for the slayers of
Frank Holmes
stumbled over q man lying IN the grass,
and commanded him to rise. Reluctantly
complying, the man claimed to be in no
way connected with the trouble. Cone
Try pushed on and came Upon 4 man with
a repeating rife and a belt full of car
tridges. His back was turned and Cone
frey covered him and ordered him to
come along. The man deHurred strong
~, claiming he lad been on 4 hunting eX-
petition. COnefTy refused TO parley and
getting his revolver in line with the sus-
poets heart convinced him that be had
an earnest man to deal with. Logan and
CCnGfry turned their men over 20 Con
ductOr Conlin and the passengers who
had come forward, COnlin in the mean
time having secured the two tramps who
had been on the tender. The man with
the rifle put up so convincing a story
to account for his presence. that Conlin
was persuaded Of his innocence and per
mitted him to go, an action which the
conductor strongly regretted when his
emotion over the killing of his Old friend
Holmes had subsidized
The passengers and others believe that
Conlin made a serious mistake. The man
with the Winchester was counterpart
of the ideal desperate in appearance and
attire The three men detained were
turned over to q deputy sheriff when the
train backed down to Carlinville. a mile
away Train 3 is said to carry at times
large sums Of money and the object of the
bandits was probably to loot the express
car, believing that their success would
compensate for the desperate chances
taken in robbing the train. Chief Agent
Kane of the Chicago & Alton, one of the
best railroad detectives n the country, is
on the scene and prosecuting a vigorous
search for the robbers.
Engineer Holmes was II years old and
was one of the mos! daring and successful
engineers in the West. Holmes had been
connected with the Alton road for TWEEN
ty-fiye years. Ee leaves wife, whom he
recently married here, and a son by a
former marriage. His home was in