Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1896-12-26
DARING TRAIN ROBBERY
St. Louis and Chicago Express
Held Up by Robbers at
Blue Cut.
Locomotive and Express Car
Uncoupled and Run Down
the Track.
The Bandits Secure Several
Thousand Dollars and
Escape.

Cut, made historic through the opera.
tions there of the James and Younger
raids when they were pioneers in the
train robbing industry, was the scene
of its fourth hold-up by road agents.
AT 8: 20 2. M. the st. Louis and Chi.
cago express which left Kansas City at
3 40 was tagged at Blue Cut and came
to standsGill. Masked men imme.
diately covered the engineer and fire.
man and compelled them to get down
from their cab. At the same time,
another member of the bandit gang un-
coupled the express car from the rest
of the train. The robbers quickly
climbed aboard the locomotive and the
express car, and before the surprised
trainmen had time to collect their wits
the bandits were speeding down the
steep grade beyond Blue Cut with the
engine and express coach. and Express
Messenger A. J. Frier of st. Louis was
prisoner in the express car.
About five minutes after his car was
detached from the train, the messenger
said, he heard rap at the side door,
and thinking it was the brakeman,
opened it. A man with a shotgun
compelled him to retreat into the car
while two others followed with revolv.
ers and
Ordered Him to Throw Up His Hands.
One man proceeded to the large safe
and threw down kit of tools in front
Frier's head, while the third one pro.
ceeded coolly to break open the safe
Frier told the man who was at work OH
the large safe that it was useless for
him to blow it open, as there was no
money in it, and the robbers then de.
manded keys for the small safe. Frier
refused to give them up and the men
took the keys away from him. One of
them then took the keys, opened the
small safe and took several packages
of money, and, after the robbers had
secured the contents of the small safe,
they again attempted to open the large
one. A small hole was made in the
large safe and two sticks of dynamite
put in. Frier again talked to the men,
telling them they were wasting time,
as there was not penny in the large
safe. At this time they desisted from
their attempt to open it and prepared
to leave.
1t is now known that large amount
was secured. They then started to
leave the car, but before doing so
turned to Frier and told him that
They Had Used Him Fair
and that he ought to give them some
thing out of his salary. Frier said he
did not have any money on his person
but they did not believe him and made
a search of his clothing. Two of the
men then jumped from the car and the
third one pushed Frier through the
open door down to the side of the
track. They then compelled him to
climb upon the front end of the car
and set the brake. After the brake
had been set the robbers drove Frier
back, closed the door, telling him
at the same time to remain there on
peril of his life. He was badly fright.
ened. AS soon as the express messen-
ger had been driven into the car, the
robbers boarded the engine and went at
a high rate of speed about two miles,
where it was abandoned. 1t was i'm
possible to estimate the amount of
money taken from the small safe as
the express messenger refused to state.
He admitted, however, that there was
a great deal of money which was being
shipped for Christmas. 1t is fair to es.
timate il as several thousand dollars