Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-02-26
HARD AFTER THE TRAIN ROBBERS
a SUNDAY EXPEDITION oN The
COTTON belt.
Five HeaviIy-Armed Men, Whose
Movements Alarmed the nsiiroad
omciaIs--A strange Camp Fire Was
Seen.

The Gazette was informed Sunday
night in regard to a unique exhibition
which left the city Sunday night al
lo'2O, but also knowing that 1t would
be perfectly safe in Withholding the
information until the denouement. nc
publication was made OF the facts as
certained, since Its contemporaries, al
ways in the dark in regard train rob-
oers and their pursuit. were known to
be blisyfully ignorant in regard to
this matter.
sunday night between and 10 o'clock
message was received here to the ef-
rect that hold up was expected on
the Cotton Belt Railroad, and the offices
OF the sheriff and chief Of police were
soon in communication with the Cot
ton Belt officials. Assistant Chief Mat
Kin had quite lengthy conversation
Win superintendent j. W. White at
commerce, In the course Of which he
was Informed that party OF nye
! heavily armed men had been seen In
the vicinity of the Elm creek tank.
! which is situated ut the end OF a long
trestle mile and half this side of Car
rolton, 1t was suspected that they had
designs ON the Cotton Belt train when
II should reach that locality. which
Is most favorable one for the per
petratlon Of robbery.
1t seems that the FIRST Information
came from Katy officials who had
heard of the party OF suspicious look
ING characters crossing their track In
the evening going south. The Cot
ton Belt is few miles distant from
the akty at that point As the party
would reach the vicinity Just about
the time the Cotton Belt passenger
train would approach the elm creek
crossing. 1t was naturally supposed
that robbery would be committed
there according to the latest and most
approved methods, all the conditions
being favorable to the execution OF the
same plan which has been followed In
recent robberies The engine could he
stopped at the tank just beyond the
trestle and the engineer and fireman Ia
ken care OF in the usual manner. while
two or three Of the robbers, by keep
ing sharp lookout and firing a few
shots along the sides Of the train,
could intimldate the passengers, just
as had been done at the Mary's creek
robbery near here a short time ago.
II was therefore with antlcipations
OF making a notable capture, or al
least participating in very lively
AFFAIR, that the officers here made ready
to so out with the Cotton Belt pas
senger train, which had been held here
for the express purpose Of taking them
out, and if possible giving the supposed
band of robbers a red hot surprise.
They left here at 1920 all heavily
armed with wluchesters and revolvers.
Two of the men were placed on the
engine. Assistant Chief MatlSin and
Deputy Hord Gunlels. took their po-
sition in the front Of the express car
and the others disposed themselves in
the manner best calculated to make
life miserable for any SET of unsuspect-
Ing robbers who might try to fool with |
that train. The party consisted Of !
Superintendent Edgell OF the Pacific |
Express company, u. 5. Marshal Henry |
Sisk formerly sheriff OF Parker coun- |
ty; Deputy Sherlifs Rea and Gunnels, |
and Assistant Chief Matkln, and |
Messrs Tom Talbot and Sid Waller |
of the city police force AS the train
approached the Elm creek crossing the
officers breuthed hard and grlpped their |
weapons tightly, for there before their |
eyes was a camp fire burning brightly, |
and casting shadows around, which |
might easily be mistaken for the forms |
OF living, moving train robbers.
Suppose some tramp had tried to |
the returned officers, describing the |
scene last night,
But the officers had not much time |
to grit their teeth and think strange. |
wild things about glory and death and |
all that. The train, moving slowly |
along. soon passed the danger point |
without the expected attack being |
made. The officers, peerlng anxlously |
into the edge OF the woods where the |
FIRE was burning. could see nothing OF |
any men. Then II was surmlsed that |
the party with the guns might have |
been out hunting for horses Some OF |
the officers were Inclined to accept this |
theory OF the case and some OF them |
laughed, but all Of them did not They |
remained on the passenger until they /
reached Commerce. where they took the |
next train coming back. As they near
ed the vicinity OF the camp fire they |
again looked around for robbers. but
could sec none. They reached the city |
at o'clock this morning, when those
OF the party who were not night owls
went to bed, and tried to discover I'm |
their dreams where the robbers went
30 or what mystery was lurking around |
that strange camp fire In the woods |
which will long continue to cast htful |
shadows over their lively recollections
OF that interesting night.
There are some people who still be-
lieye that train robbers camped there
and went on to the Texas and Pacific.
u few miles further on to see what
could be done in their line of bust
ness there. For It IS conjectured that
they might have gotten straight tin
that the officers We're coming on the |
Cotton Belt and It would moi be safe
10 tackle that train.