Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-12-24

sengers, many of them being ladies. and
when the word was carried back through
the coaches that a hoIdup was on hand
there was the widest sort of q panic for a
few minutes. No one thought of fighting
tho bandits. but each passenger began a
wild scramble to hide what cash and valu-
ables were on hand. Car seats were over
turned purses were thrust beneath the
cushions. watches were pushed beneath the
covering of the berths and diamonds were
hidden in every conceivable place. Rolls Of
cash were thrust into shoes and human
ingenuity displayed itself in many other
ways and within two minutes there was
not an ornament visible nor a pocket with
a penny IN ii i'm any of the cars. Several
OF the ladies began to scream, but others
quieted them ard the hiding went on
methodicalIy.
Then the passengers sat down and waited
for the robbers TO come. They waited and
waited, but no robbers came. and their
suspense was soon ended by the conductor
and trainmen coming back TO tell them
the thieves had stolen the engine. baggage
and express cars and taken them away.
Then they who had hidden their valua-
bles began to hunt for them. and many
ludicrous scenes were enacted. Some had
been so rash or were scared so badly they
were at first unable TO remember where
they had put their possessions. 1t was in
convenient in many instances for some of
the passengers 10 prosecute any search for
their valuables, as they had hidden them
in their clothing, and some of them wisely
decided to allow them TO stay where they
were. a. they did not like Jewelry anyway
when travelling.
The excitement finally died away and
when a Journal reporter was at the train
an hour after the stop was made the pas
sengers were chatting about the affair and
playing cards as though they had not gone
through a panic or had their Christmas
trip interfered .-ith.: While they did regret
their stop. they were so well pleased over
the fact that they had escaped moIestatiOn
they felt that considering all they had
nothing Of WHICH TO complain. This feel
ing continued until they mad been there
about four hours. and then they began TO
feel that being only fifteen miles from
Kansas City some plans for getting them
started on or else brought back to place
of protection ought to have been made by
the railroad people. II the robbers had
but Known it they could have come back
and plundered the passengers at their ieis-
ure after Iooting the express car.
The Alton officials seemed to be very
slow to act in regard to the robbery last
evening and prolonged delays resulted. AL
though the story OF me robbery was known
in Independence and telephoned to Kansas
City at 10 o'clock it was I2:45 this morning
when a special train was ready to leave
the city for the scene of the robbery and
# would not have been sent then except
for the urgent demands of County Mar
shal Keshlear, who wanted TO take Il force
o: men and go after the robbers. Ifiasrnnch
as the Alton has engines at work M the
city all the time il would have been an
eas: matter to start one on a few inmates
notice under such urgent circumstances.
Another long and tiresome- delay was in
dulged in in the starting Of the train that
was robbed The stolen engine of the train
was not found until shortly before l
o'clock. when II was located short dis
tance east of Glendale, where it had been
KILLED" and deserted by the fleeing BAN
dts. During all of this long delay the pas
sengers were left in the train out on the
prairie east of Independence unprotected,
while the baggage and express cars that
had been robbed were standing on the
track down east of the famous Blue cut.
Had the robbers realized the speed of the
men hunting them. or dreamed of the tar1y
actions OF the railroad company IN send
ing out another engine TO move the train.
they could have easily hired a dray
and carted away the entire contents of the
express car. ~"
The train laid there on the prairie from
sa5. when IT was stopped, until daylight.