The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-24

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Kansas City, Dee. 23.-Train No.
40. the St. Louis & Kansas City ex-
press train, was held up near Blue Cut
/ tonight by train robbers. The train.
; in charge of Conductor Nichols and
Engineer Meade, left here on time at
S:45 p. M, and when the Missouri Pa
cific crossing-one and one-half miles
east of Independence-was reached at
1925 o'clock, three men boarded the
engine and compelled the engineer and
fireman TO descend from their machine.
The express and baggage car were
then uncoupled from the remainder of
the train, and the robbers started
eastward with the locomotive and two
cars.
A red light was swung across the
track, and when the train was brought
to a standstill the men covered the en-
gineer and fireman with guns. Con-
ductor Nichols came forward with his
lantern to see what the trouble was,
when he, too, was covered with a gum
He was asked to pass over what funds
he had, and he handed one of the men
81. Asked if it was company money,
he replied, No" and the bandit hand
ed him back g. saying he would make
an even divide. Then he was marched
back and compelled to cut the bag
gage and express cars loose from the
train.
Horace Matthews, gateman on the
train, and Rear Brakeman Rogers
started down from the train to see
what was the trouble, when they were
ordered back under pain of being shot.
The passengers were apprised of what
the trouble was and the usual scenes
followed. Some of the women became
hysterical and hid their valuables and
after the robbers had pulled out with
the engine and cars, some were I'M
able to find where they had secreted
them. The Black Crook" company
was on board
Express officials here say the run, so
far as money was concerned, was
light. but they have a heavy run of
freight, the safe containing only three
mail packages of jewelry. The baggage
car was numbered Is and contained the
baggage of the BLACK Crook COM
pany, which recently stranded in this
city. When the train had passed Glen
wood the express car was entered and
a few small packages were taken.
The engine was then cut from the cars
and ran a mile further on, where it
was abandoned and killed, and the rob-
bers took to the timber
THE Blue Cut" as il is called about
ten miles from Kansas City. near Inde-
nendence, has been the scene of several
''hold-ups.' 1t was here that the James
brothers, in October of 1861. committed
the last of a series of similar crimes.
"Bil!" Ryan, one of the gang, was con-
victed of having taken part in it, and
was sentenced to % years in the peniten-
tiary.
Bob Ford. who afterward came into
prominence by shooting Jesse James, was
also member of the party. Both the
J2mes boys are said to have been in the
affair, although Frank has always con-
tended he had nothing to do with it,
Much plumber was secured, and the rob-
berry was conducted with that peculiar
br2vado so characteristic of operations
of the gang. They went through the
cars, man in advance holding an ,pen
bag in which the passengers were politely
but sfirmly advised by another man with
a revolver in each hand to deposit what
valuables they had. One of them alter
mated his request with quoting Scripture,
ard at times descanted faGctiously upon
the uncertainty of things in this life
Only men were robbed the women being
treated with a most ceremonious polite
ness.
Many who were greatly alarmed, were
told to quiet themselves, as nothing from
them was wanted.
A vigorous pursuit was begun by the
authorities and railroad company, but it |
w2s a long time before the real parties !
were known, although the James boys
were always suspected of having been |
for 1t.