The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-02
Rock Island Train stopped Near Min
co in Broad Daylight and Plum
dered by Five Masked Men.
PASSENGERS STOOD In LINE
AND RELIEVED OF ALL THEIR
MONEY, WATCHES AND JEwELRY.
One Mans Ear Shot OFF Because He
Didn't Obey the Order "Hands Up!"
-FruitIess Attack on the Safe.

Ell RENO, o. T., Oct bandits robbed
the south-bound Rock Island passenger
train and all it's passengers at IL o'clock
this forenoon at siding No. l, about five
miles south of Minco, in the Indian Terri
tory. The railroad and express officials
have feared hold-up in that section for
several weeks, and armed guards have been
put aboard all-night trains at El Reno and
carried through to Chickasaw 1t had not
been thought that the outlaws were bold
enough to attack train in midday. This
morning the tranimen were completely sur
prised and they were not prepared to offer
any resistance when five masked men came
upon them at the lonely siding. The place
is uninhabited and the only persons in the
vicinity at the time were four section men.
These men tagged the train, the robbers
having compelled them to do so. The BAN
dts were hidden at the time in a brush
pile and jumped out as soon as the passen-
ger train had taken the siding.
Under the pressure of Winchesters and
ugly-looking six-shooters the trainmen, the
express messenger and all of the score or
more of passengers We're made to climb
down from the train and stand in line,
hands up, on the prairie along the railway.
While three of the robbers covered the bad
ly frightened crowd with their guns, the
other two coolly and carefully robbed them,
passing from one passenger to another
down the line. The bandits secured about
$500 in cash and such other valuables in
the watches, pins and jewelry as were in
sight. The few women passengers were
not compelled to give up their valuables,
and Rev. Mr.. Roe, one of the passengers,
who was sick, was not compelled to leave
the coach. Jim Wright, Of Minco, showed
a disposition to resist when the bandits or
dered Hands up" They shot one of his
ears off to prove TO his satisfaction that
his bravery was ill-advised. Wrights hands
then went up. No one else was injured.
The passengers and trainmen having been
thoroughly plucked, three of the bandits
turned their attention to the express and
mail coaches, the others standing guard
over the helpless crowd on the prairie. The
registered mail pouches were quickly rified,
but the through safe in the express car re-
sisted all the force and ingenuity of the
road agents. When the messenger had con-
vinced the bandits that he could not open
the strong-box. they resorted to dynamite.
Several heavy charges were exploded, but
the safe proved bandit proof, ard, though it
was badly battered, its contents were saved
to the express company. Having taken
forcible possession of everything that they
could carry away, the bandits mounted
their horses and rode off toward the west.
AS soon as the trainmen could collect
their wits they got their scared passengers
aboard and hurried on to the next station
south--Chickasha, from which point the
railroad officials were notified of the hold
up. At Chickasha a posse of citizens was
hurriedly formed. These citizens set out in
pursuit of the gang, and officers have been
dispatched from FL Reno and other points
in this section. 1t is hardly possible that
the bandits can be overtaken in the prairie
country, and they will probably be able to
reach the Wichita mountains, to the west
of the scene of the hold-up. Officers here
believe the gang to be the same one that
held up Santa Fe trains at Edmunds twice
during last month.