Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-12-31
A TRAIN HELD UP.
Chicago g. Alton Express Stopped
at the Famous Blue Gut
ROBBERS RIFLE The EXPRESS CAR.
O0cials Admit That Much Of the Matter
In the Car Was IN the Form Of valu-
able Christmas Presents-Pas-
sengers Not Mole~ted.

KANSAS Cry, Mo-, Dec. 4-0ne Of
che most daring and up.to-date train
robberes that has ever occurred since
the pioneers In the business, Jesse
James & Co., made 1t famous, took
place Just east Of Independence last
night. The place where the robbery
occurred was near the famous Blue
cut, where there have been several
other hold.ups. The train that was
robbed was the st. Louis and Chicago
express on the Chicago & Alton. 1t
left Kansas City at s.45 and left In
dependence at Glib About mile
east Of Independence, near where the
road crosses the Missouri Pacific, Ii a
deep cut and last night as the train en-.
tered the cut Engineer witten. who
was at the throttle. saw man stand.
ing In the middle Of the track, wildly
waving red lantern He at once
brought the train to q standstlll, and
Conductor G. ). Nichols jumped
from the train and ran forward
to see what was the matter As he
came up to the man with the red Ian
tern the man threw his lantern down
and covered the conductor with re.
volver. Another robber came out Of
the darkness by the side Of the car,
while third man was discovered up
on the side Of the cut, covering the en-
gine crew with a double-barrel shot
gun. None Of the robbers seemed In
the least excited, and the leader Of the
gang, who was the man who had
Jagged the train and held up the con-
ductor, said: snow, you fellows, be
careful, and do Just as We tell you, for
va do not want to have to hurt any
body" He then demanded that the
conductor uncouple the express and
baggage cars from the rest Of
the train there we're two baggage
cars, one on extra, carrying
the baggage Of the Black Crook com.
pany, which stranded In Kansas City
some time ago. The conductor said
that TO do this he would have to 70 TO
the rear OF the train TO FIX the brakes,
but the excuse did not 70 with the
bandit for moment "Cut those cars
apart, and be quick about IT," he com.
manded, and the three guns enforced
the command Conductor Nichols
took out his knife and cut the pipe Of
the air brake and the bell cord and cut
of the train. In the meantime the
second robber had ordered the en-.
glneer and fireman out Of the cab and
they had climbed out without stopping
TO argue the matter The man up
aloft with the double-barrel shotgun
acted as lookout and the big gun he
held was an able second to all the
commands Of his partners
Everything that the robbers did had
evidently been carefully planned be-
fore hand, and none Of them were
masked. After cutting loose from the
train the robber crew Of the impro-
vised special ran their train as far as
the Glendale cut, TO the very spot
where occurred the famous Glendale
robbery, one Of the most famous Of all
the exploits Of the James boys. Here
they stopped and riaed the express car.
After footing the car they cut the en-
CINE loose and ran It to point mile
east Of Glendale. Here they deserted
the engine and took to the woods.
They took the precaution to kill" the
engine before they left 1t, and the fact
that this was done In workmanlike
manner Is another reason for believing
that the men were ex-railroad EN-.
ployes
Conductor Nichols made as good time
~ he knew how in his walk back to
Independence and gave the alarm.
Deputy Marshal Ross headed a PARTY.
which, after some time spent In get
ting guns and ammunition together,
started for the scene OF the robbery
After the news OF the robbery had
been received at Independence the po-
lice officials and the officials Of the ex-
press company at Kansas City were at
once notified, but there was long de-
lay before any action was taken. The
Alton officials rendered the use of
special train to Marshal Keshlear, and
at 1890 o'clock the special left for the
scene Of the hold.up, with Marshal
Keshlear and o number of his deputies
aboard
The express car was loaded with an
enormous amount of miscellaneous
express matter. Officials deny that any
large sum OF cash was carried but al
init that much Of the matter in the car
was OF great value. 1t was chiefly
Christmas packages and many Of them
were from Kansas City, The United
States Express Co. operates the ex-
press over that line, The train
carried o large number of passen-
gers, many Of them being ladies', and
when the word was carried back
through the coaches thata hold.up was
on hand there was the widest sort of
a panic for few minutes. No one
thought of fighting the bandits, but
each passenger began wild scramble
10 hide what cash and valuables were