New-York tribune., 1896-12-25
HELD UP IN THE BLUE CUT.
ANOTHER TRAIN ROBBED IN A FAMOUS
MISSOURI LOCALITY.
THREE ARMED AND MASKED BANDITS LOOT. AN
EMPRESS CAR ON THE CHICAGO AND ALTON
"DETAILS OF THE CRIME.


"DETAILS OF THE CRIME.
Kansas City No. Dec H-Shorily after clocN
Las, night n daring train robbery was committed
tust a mile east of Independence. MO- near "e
fa,nous Blue Cut. where several tram roD'e'iVs
have occurred and where an attempt was h,aue
10 hold up train on the night OF oc'ope' 80 ~
* train which was robbed was the 81 Lou'S "'''
CHICAGO expresr which left Kansas City over 'he
.Chcago and Alton read at S:i5 o'clock last even
ng.
When the express stopped at Independence inc
robbers climbed aboard without having been seen
by the train crew. and concealed themselves Oh
the blind baggage and engine tender. "he" inc
train reached the bridge over the Missouri racine
tracks about n mile from Independence TWO OF
The robbers climbed into the cab Of the locomotive
ard covering the engineer and fireman with re-
volvers commanded them to stop the train the
locomotive in charge of Engineer T. v Me'ce'
and he at once brought the train TO stands'hi.
The robbers had the plan Of acton Determined
upon in advance. and soon as the train was
stopped the passenger We're uncouplcd from
the express car by one OF the gang while ine men
In the cab still held ,her revolvers upon the fright
ened engineer and fireman. When the passenger
coaches had been cut off the engineer was orderod
10 go ahead which he did
All the robbers had climbed upon the locomotive
sad express car. and were soon speeding COW"
the steep grade beyond the Blue Cut Win ''e
ergine and the express and the express messen-
\. d
latter. As soon as the train stopped Conductor
Nichols jumped from the cars 10 ascertain what
was the matter. He got out in time 10 see MS en-
gine and the express and baggage cars disappear
fng In the darkness down the road. He at once
started back To lndepcndcnc" to give Tn" alarm
but II was some time before the passengers upon
TIE train realized what had happened
The bandits the section of the tram 'h'Y
had cut off about two miles Snd stopped IN the o'o
Glendale Cut, made famous as the scene OF one OF
the James boys robberics. Here they STOPPED
and rined the car. After completing their wo'k
they cut tho engine loose and ran It 10 point
mile east Of Glendale. where they disabled the
engine so that could not be used and th'n de-
serted It, Al 80 o'clock this morning the passen-
ger coaches were still standing where the roo'erS
had left them when they cut the train in TWO. Al
go o'clock the express was brought hack TO
independence. and the express messenger Frier'
told the story Of the robbery
About five minutes after the car was detached
from the train he said he heard noise at the size
door and thinking it the brakeman. he opened
H. man with shotgun compelled him 20 retreat
into the car while two others followed him with re-
volvers and ordered him TO throw up his hahds'
The men then pulled him from the cai and asked
him II he had any money. lie was too excited 10
answer They then picked him up and threw MIN
bodily back into the car and one of the men, VINO
wore a mask as did the others. climbed In. The
man proceeded to the large safe and threw down
xii of tools in front Of IT, The other two held guns
at Friers head while the third one proceeded cooly
TO break open the safe.
Frer told the who was at work on the large
safe that il was useless for him to blow it open as
there was no money in it. one of the men who
sfocd at the door, covering Frier ali the time with
a revolver then said: 'WeL - you, give us the
key Of the small safe Frer refused TO 90 thiS'
and the two men who had remained on the outside
leaned into the They jumped on frer pinned
him TO the floor and took the keys of the small saie
away from him. He was then thrown into a corher'
and With guns held TO th his 9 HeSa 1Te Hpened ed tSs small
safe and took from it number oil PACKAGES o'
money. - ,.a, ,ho roorov in the
smaller safe ran up into the thousands c,. ,
brought the stranded train into Independence AT
2:30 O'Clock Engineer Meade and ms hreman
morning. After the robbers had made Meade ana
the fireman leave the engine. The latter followed IL
on foot and found their engine dead IN Il cut one
mile east of the station at Glendale. The bandits
had let the water out of the boiler and IL was IN,
When another locomotive was sent out from lnde-
pendence and the dead" engine lowed , PACK TO & tne
there were but three bandits, and says that they
are the. same men who held up his tram on 'ne
4 party left Independence to search for The rob.
bers soon after the news received there and at
II o'clock last night Marshal Keshlear with a num-
Der Of deputies and detectives: left Kansas City on
a special train for the scene OF tnr ropDefy
Eli Lewis. superintendent Of the United S,atsS
Express Company here, says. in positive terms
that the large safe was not blown open
ST Louis Dec 2i--The robbed train arrived here
at l5 o'clock this afternoon. and Messenger Frier
was seen by a reporter of the United Associated
Presses He said that tho big safe which was con-
signed through from the Pacific Coast TO ShicaSo,
was not robbed. one of the robbers placed a gun
Frier's head and ordered him TO hold up ms
hands The robbers then secured the keys of the
small safe from Friers pockets and rihed the safe
of its contents. consisting OF great deal OF Jewery
and considerable amount Of money me robbers
demanded that Frier operate the time-lock on s the
big safe, but were finally persuaded by him mat
such an Accomplishment, was Impossible. AT which
they began to drill hole and prepare a dynamite
stick. Frer argued with them that their efforts
value and finally ne persuaded o let it alone
Frier says that in the money secured from me
dollar pieces and one OF the men declared: That's
the Kind OF stun are after
they searched Friers clothing and took all the
money on him. lie demurred at this. and the leader
self a drink for Christmas present"
The robbers finally declared that they must SKID
car ran TO the engine and started II down the track
10 a point about mile below Glendale station,
where they aehted and disappeared in the woods
When the passengers in the train learned that the
express car was being robbed they became greatly
excited. but nobody ventured out OF the cars In
the Pullman coach. which contained one woman
and four men passengers. there was great confu-
drawn. while the passengers hid their money and
jewelry in every conceivable place or safety
car was uncoupled and the locomotive handled. the
Sormer railway employees and understood the nature
Of the train and the fact that ordinarily carried
large amount of money in the exprcss car,
Frier was eose'sd w,h sGpsrnenGTni Wi'am ana
several detectives from local agencY. and gave
them his Information reeardng ihc hold-up , ne
three men engaged in the robbery. all o whom were
masked and armed m oner sscnred Sy h
robbers IS small. and at wide estimate VIII not
reach s,ooo.
THE OLD GTARD'S BALL.
-,,.e aoo,od ,,o..rorc b.vo l,Lorod