The Globe-republican., 1896-10-29
BY ARMED BANDITS.
CHICAGO g. ALTON TRAIN
HELD UP AT GLENDALE.
Hot . single Shot Fired-The Work Wa
Evidently Done BY Amateurs. ~ They
Secured Only . Small Sum of Money
Cut the Engine Loose From the Train.

Alton passenger train No. 4S, due IN
Kansas City at $50 yesterday evening,
was held up and robbed by four masked
men one-haf mile east of the old Blue
cut, between Glendale and Independ-
ence, about 6:15 yesterday evening.
The robbery consisted of taking SIS. 20
from Fireman A. E. Post, who was on
the engine, and the ransacling of the
United States express car, from which
it is said two packages of jewelry of
little value, consigned to Kansas City.
were taken. The express company and
the messenger, Andrew Shields, deny,
however, that the express companyis
loss was anything.
The train was in charge of Con-
ductor A. J. Fell, of Roodhouse, ILL.,,
and Engineer James Wetton and Fire
man A. E. Post, of Slater, Mo-, and
was stopped by the robbers in the time
honored manner of swinging a white
lantern across the track just before the
curve leading into Blue cut was
reached. Engineer Wetton brought
his train to standstill when he saw
the signal, and was ordered from his
engine by q small man, who mounted
into the cab. The actual robbery oc-
cupied but a short time, but, owing to
the fact that the robbers cut the engine
from the train and ran it a mile and
half east towards Independence. where
they deserted it, and where the en-
gineer, James Wetton, and his fireman
had to walk for it, it made the train an
hour and fOrty-five minutes late in ar
irving in Kansas City.
The holdup was evidently the work
of novices, the leader of which, by his
actions and conversation with En-
gineer Wetton and Fireman Post,
plainly demonstrated that he was not
an old hand in the business OF holding
up trains.
All the robbers were about thirty
years old, in the opinion of Engineer
Wetton. and wore dark colored masks.
The tall man, like his companions,
wore good clothes, but had neglected
to place them under disguise.
Although the robbers all carried fire.
arms and fourished them dangerously
because of their seeming nervousness,
not one shot was fired during the pro-
eress of The robbery, and but for the
long wait incident to the recovery of
the engine, the passengers would not
have been apprised at all of any
thing being wrong. The latter were
not molested, however, by the robbers,
there are accounts of many
becoming excited and slowing away
their valuables after it was rumored
the train was in the hands of bandits.
When it was known that the robbers
had taken the engine and fed, many of
the passengers filed out of the cars and
stood about in a sort of trance ex-
planning what they would have done
in case they had been ordered to stand
and deliver.
There have been three robberies at
or near Glendale before. On October
z, 1879, the James boys, accompanied
by Jim Cummings, Dick Liddel, Ed Mil
Ter, Bill Ryan, Tucker Basham and
Sc se-al others of the gang, rode into
Glendale and locked up the three men
In charge of the station, and waited
for the eastbound train, which was due
at Gas p. m. The robbery was success
full and the bandits secured $4,000.
Two years later the gang again held mp
a train at this point, but the third rob-
berry, which occurred about seven years
ago. was not done by the James boys.
Inspector Flahive and eight picked
men left Kansas City on a special inn
mediately after the first report IF the
hOldup reached here and proceeded at
once to the scene. Not trace of the
robbers could be found anywhere, and
they had disappeared as completely as
If tho earth had swallowed them up.
They are known to be either railroad
men or else men familiar with ma
chinery, as their handling of the engine
testified.