The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1895-04-12
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY.

Daring sold'up ON the Rock Island Rail-
road Which Proved Almost "A Watsrhaais
the Robbers securing Very Little for
| Their Trouble The fiucky Express Mcs-
senger shat Through the Arm The fas-
l senger- Robbed.
lIrSNEssEy. Okla. April 5Rocls
| Island train No. |, fast mail. due here
mt 1880 p. H., was held up and robbed
Wednesday night at Dover. n small
| station nine miles south of here. The
train left on time, and proceeded a.
usual until it reached the Dover tank.
where stop is always made for wa
ter
While standing ut the tank two
masked men came out from between
the tank and the coal shed. where they
had been concealed. and, covering tho
engineer and fireman. comman ded
them to proceed down the track about
twenty rods To where small ravine
crosses il.
The engineer complied. but either
could not or would not stop at the ex-
act spot designated. pulling by il a
few rods. lie and his fireman were
then commanded TO come down from
the engine, which they lost no time in
doing.
About this time the conductor ca me
forward to see what was the cause OF
the unusual stop. but he had no sooner
come in sight than he was greeted
with the stern command: Hands up"
The robbers then proceeded to unbur.
den him of his money, valua bles. etc.
and the porter. who put in his appear.
ance about the same time, was treated
in like manner. the robbers securing
comparatively nothing, however, from
him.
The outlaws, with three or four
more Of their number who had put in
their appearance as soon as the train
Stacked speed. together with the four
train men now proceeded to the ex-
press car. where the order was given
to open up
Messenger Jones was alone in his
car. the guards who had accompanied
him since the Texas robbery having
been recently taken of. He was
plucky, however. and refused to open
the door. Then the robbers. evidently
more with the object of frightening
him than with any murderous intent
began firing into the car. Fifteen or
twenty shots were fired. one of which
took effect in the fore arm of the brave
messenger, making a painful though
not dangerous wound.
They then ceased firing and de-
manded again that he open the door,
but he still refused. in spite of his
wound. They got the coal hammer
from the engine and, putting it into
the hands OF the fireman. compelled
him to batter down the door.
The safe, which was the object Of
their attack, was what is termed the
through safe. and is large affair. al.
most burglar-proof They tried to
compel Jones to open il for them. but
he declared he did not have the COM
bination for the safe. which was ope ned
only at the end of the route.
They then, assisted by the engineer
and fireman, together with the porter,
all OF whom were compelled TO take a
hand, tried to drill hole in which to
insert a charge Of dynamite. They
succeeded in drilling hole to depth
OF half an inch after some little time
and labor had been expended. They
finally decided il was too slow work,
however, and withdrew.
In the meantime members Of the
gang had entered the coaches. and sew
eral OF the passengers we're relieved
of their valuables. The whole band
now mounted their horses and rode
rapidly westward toward the hills OF
the Cheyenne country.
1t is believed that their haul did not
aggregate over $500. The train was
detained about one hour. reaching
Kingfsher, the next stop, l:5o min
utes late. Messenger Jones was left
here, as he could not take his train