The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-03-28

to tho aouth. Tho road curves too and
altogether u bc!tor place could not have
been selected for q train robbery.
DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING.
"Tho follow in front kept swinging
hia lantern. lilo stood in the centre Of
tho track. could no. imagine wha,
was the natter"
did you think OF train robbers?''
asked tho reporter.
mo, l did not"
did You suppose that a freight wreck
was ahoadP"
mo, ] did not. Ibid not think any.
thing. jus. saw tho fellow swinging
bis lanio.n aud | stopped tho train,
did not 500 anybody else. Whom !
stopped to SEQ what no WIS swinging
tho lantern for tho follow climbed into
the cab, and said: Stand hero til |
tell you TO 20 on, and pointed a pistol
at me. l1o stood on tho left hand sido
OF tho cab. lie looked like dcspurado.
As near as ] can recollcct. hc had biz
black moustache, a slouch Int and
rather seody clothes lie looked like u
rough countryman. The fellow did not
say another word but jus. kept his
pistol pointed at me-"
ibid he seemed alarmed whom tho
shooting was going onH'
"No, he just kept standing thcre with
his pistol pointed at me. don't know
what kind OF pistol it was, but it was
big one"
With this tho bravo engineer straight.
! ened out his left hand almost to his
right elbow 10 show the length Of the
robbers pistol. 1tmight have been a
horse pistol.
Rankin, my fremen," continued
Springfield. "looked out OF the cab on
his side and said: They've killed two
| Of them.'
EEPr lin COVERED.
"But the fellow kep. mo covered with
his big pistol and did not saga word.
After one or two more shots were heard
up in front. tho robbor dropped from
the cab and said: Go ahead. !"
II opened the throttle and we ran on
to Cumberland Falls, abou. four miles
further down"
When asked why he did not shoot the
robber as he left tho engine, Mr..
Springfield said that he nor his fireman
had no weapons OF any kind.
AFTER the fellow told me to 20
ahead We had gone but shor. distance
when Rankin found wounded man on
the tender. We stopped at Cumber.
land Falls, four miles from the tunnel,
and put him of, leaving him in the tel.
egraph office. They ssy he Was badlyshot
in the arm and side. he said he was n
tramp stealing a ride and that he was
not with the train robbers, but we do
not believe 1t. We were not stopped by
the train robbers more than ten min.
utes. We came on to Chattanooga and
got here on time. That's all / know
about 1t and l don't want to experience
any more fellows standing in my cab
and pointing big pistol &. me-"
Engineer Springfield Is citizen OF
Chattanooga and resides on Montsom.
cry avenue.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
A later dispatch gives the following
details:
At $50 o'clock Engineer Thomas
Springfield, in charge OF the engine
drawing train No. s. was signaled down
by large man having rod lantern
and giving a regular railroad sigual,
near tunnel No. Q. He quickly brought
his train to hal, and was Immediately
confronted by revolver in the hands
of m unknown man aud told TO stand
still until he was ordered to 20 on. The
The others started for the express car,
carrying Winchesters on their shoul-
ders, but making mistake entered the
baggage car. The company had been
appriaed some days ago that there
would probably bo 3 hold.up on tho liuo
shortly, and Detective Chief Tom
Griffin, viii Eddy. OF Oakdale, and Wnl
Algood. OF Chattanooga, were on the
train looking out for tho highwaymen.
When the train was stopped the de-
teclives suspected tho trouble and Al.
good alighted from the train in timc to
intercept one OF the robbers. who was
standing on the platform OF tho baggage
car making his way to the express car.
A running war opened, which drew
oCt the other highwaymen and the de.
tectives, and perfect fusilade fol-
lowed. Presently the firing from the
robbers ceased. and when the smoke
cleared away it was found tina. two OF
the robbors werc killed. Tho entire
time taken in the melee was just three
minutes.
The detectives remained at tho scene
| OF the action, and this morning posso
is in pursuit OF the escaped bandits,
supposed 10 be three In number.
At Cumberland Falls, four miles be-
low tho scone of the hold-up. wounded
OF tho engine, who proved to bo ono OF
the would.be robbers. He was turned
over to the agent OF the company and
has aimee died; The captured mau said
he was from Pennsylvania, and refused
| 10 giyo bis name or that OF any OF tho
others. Tho dead men have not yet
boon identified and 1t Is supposed that
they are strangers in tho community.
Tho 6Ipross officials claim there was
nothing laree in their car, but recently
they have been hauling valuablcs and it
Ia iasuppo.od 1t was known 10 tho robbers.
THE CONDUCTORS STORY.
Conductor Peto German, who was in
charge oi the train, said:
"We were sixteen miles south OF
Somcrse. and had come up through
tunnel No. 0. ! was III tho rear sloepor
checking up my fares, when the lrain
| clInn to a HtoD unt MI nm tho pFnunI