The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-24
MASKED BANDITS
BOARD A TRAIN
ST. Louis and Kansas City
Express Captured by
Outlaws.
Uncouple Engine and Baggage
Cars From the Passenger
Coaches.
Start Ahead With Their Prize, After
Driving the Trainmen
Back.

KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Dec. %. - Train
40, the st. Louis and Kansas City Express,
was held up near Blue Cut tonight by
train-robbers. The tram. in charge of
Conductor Nichols and Engineer Mead,
left here on time at S:45 P. NJ. When the
Missouri Pacific crossing, one and half
miles east of Independence, was reached
al 1925 O'Clock, three men boarded the
engine and compelled the engineer and
firemen to descend. The express and bag
gage car were then uncoupled from the re-
mainder of the train and the robbers
started eastward with the locomotive and
two cars. The express-car was in charge
of Messenger Nichols
When the train reached the Missouri
Pacific crossing red light was swung
across the track, and when the train was
brought to standstill the men covered
the engineer and fireman with guns. Con-
ductor Nichols came forward with his lam
tern to see what the trouble was, when he
too was covered. He was asked to pass
over what funds he had, and he handed
one of the men 81. When asked if it was
company money he replied mo- and the
bandit handed him back 50, saying he
would make an even divide. Then he was
marched back and compelled to cut the
baggage and express cars loose from the
train.
Horace Matthews, gateman on the
train, and ear-brakeman Rogers, started
down from the train to see what was the
trouble. They were ordered back. Some
of the women on the train became
hystericaI and hid their valuabIes, and
after the robbers had pulled out with the
engine and cars some were unable to find
where they had secreted them. The
Black Crook company was on board.
Express officials here say the run. so far
as money is concerned, was light, but they
have heavy run of freight, the safe con-
tanning only three mail packages of Jew
elry. The baggage car was mum bered 13,
and contained the baggage of the Black
Crook Company, which recently stranded
in this city. When the train hau passed
Glenwood the express car was entered and
few small packages were taken. The en-
CINE was then cut from the cars and run
mile further on. where it was abandoned
and killed, and the robbers took to the
tim ber.
The "Blue Cut" as it is called, about
three miles from Kansas City, near Inde-
pendence, has been the scene of several
hold-ups. 1t is here that the James
brothers in October OF 1881 committed the
last of a series of similar crimes. Bill"
Ryan, one of The gang, was convicted of
having taken part in it and was sentenced
to twenty-five years in the penitentiary
Bob Ford, who afterward came into
prominence by shooting Jesse James, was
also member of the party. Both the
James boys are said TO have been in the
affair although Frank has always con-
tended that he had nothing to do with it.
Much punder was secured and the rob-
berry was conducted with that peculiar air
of bravado so characteristic of the opera
tions of the gang. They went through the
cars, n man in advance holding an open
bag in which the passengers were politely
but firmly advised by another man with
revolver 10 deposit what valuables they
had. One of them alterl ated his request