The news & observer., 1896-12-25
THE HOLD-UP IN BLUE CT.
MESSING r. FRsEp TELLS The
sJoK4 OF TRAIN ROBBERY.
Loss bol' $4,000. and the Job Done
in Quiet ard Ge'''l manly But
Business like Way.

Business like Way.
Kansas City, Mo-, Dec. 24.-The first
definite information from the passenger
train held up by robbers near lndepen-
dence was received here from lndepen-
dence after the arrival there OF MarenM
Keslhear's relief, train, sent out ffom
Kansas City. Beyond Independence
this train picked up the passengers and
baggage coach that had been lett BY t11e
robbers at Blue Cut and pulled 1t back
on the side track at Independence.
Conductor Nichols in an interview at
INDEPENDENCE stated that when the train
was brought to standstill at the cut
he stepped out upon the rear platform,
only to have a pistol thrust under his
nose.
.Just keep your mouth shut-don' t
want to hurt ahybody,' was what the
road agent said to him.
A moment later the bandit said: Look
here young fellow have you got any of
the eompauy's money!
The Conductor dug up four dollars and
displayed them in front of the robber.
The robber took two dollars with the
remark: well, I'll just divide it with
you"
None of the passengers were molested,
but the greatest confusion prevailed a.
board the train when it became known
that they were in the hands Of robbers.
There was a wild scramble to hide val
uables.
After taking the stranded train into
Independence Marshal Keslhear's relief
train went on to Glendale to pick up the
locomotive and the express car which
were left some distance east OF that sta
ton.
At 2:3O this morning the express ca
was brought back to Independence and
Express Messenger j.. A. Frier told thu
story OF the robbery.
MESSENGER FRIER'S STORY.
st. Louis. Me-, Dec 24.-The Chicago
and Alton express which was held up by
masked bandits in the famous Blue Gu
near Independence, Missouri, arrived ii
st. Louis this afternoon at los o'clock.
j. y. Frier, messenger in charge of the
looted express car, two trainmen and thu
pullman car porter and conductor were
the only ones of the crew aboard, the
others having changed at Slater and
Roodhouse.
The story, as obtained from these meI
stamps the robbery as one Of the cleveres1
and boldest pieces of work done by road
agents during the year
Messenger Frier is in a bad state Of
mind. He feels terribly broken up over
the robbery.
The first thing he said when the trair
crew asked how he had Jared was thai
the company had been hard hit. Hs
now says lie cannot tell how much was
taken
When seen by reporter Of the Asso
-ciated Press, Frier said: Il was busy es
pecially SO this trip and thought we had
stopped on account of n breakdown oil
something OF that sort. / heard ne
voices outside.
when the knock came | supposed i,
was brakeman and opened the door
Then / was helpless. The robbers
threw my shot gun out of the car and
broke it oil to pieces. They certainly
knew their business and were very polite,
but it would not have been safe to have
resisted them
The politeness of the robbers impress
ed all who saw them
The trainmen said they were well dress
ed.
The leader was little under the inhu-
ence of drink. He was so joyial that
when he took 81 from Conductor Mich
oil he gave 81 of it back to him. The
other 81 he presented to Frier as Christ
mas gift.
Frier has heen messenger for the Paci-
fic Express Company for twelve years
and has been connected with express
companies over twenty years and the
messenger had a good view of the robbers
and viii be able to identity them il
caught
THEY GOT $1,000.
Chicago, Ill.,, Dec. 24.-At the offices
of the Chicago and Alton Railway here
is it stated that the amount secured by
the Blue Cut train robbers foots up be-
tween $4,000 in cash and may reach $3,-
600