, 1897-10-02
THE LIGHT OF DAY..
BOLD INDIAN TERRITORY BAN
DTS HOLD UP A ROCK ISL
AND TRAIN.
Passengers and Trainmen Are Relieved
OF Their Valuables-One Passenger,
as an Evidence OF Good Faith, Has
an Ear Shot On-The Express Safe
Proved to be Dynamite Proof.


bed the south-bound Rock Island pas
senger train and all its passengers al
II o'clock this forenoon at Siding No
]. about five miles south OF Minco, in
the Indian Territory. The railroad and
express officials have feared a hold-up
in that section for several weeks and
armed guards have been put aboard all
night trains at Ell Reno and carried
through to Chickasaw. 1t had not been
thought that the outlaws would be bold
enough to attack a train in midday.
This morning the trainmen were COM
p.etely surprised, and they were not
prepared to offer any resistance when
five masked men came upon them at the
lonely siding.
The place is u%ninhabited, and the only
persons in the vicinity at the time were
four section men. These section nen
tagged the train, the robbers having
compelled them to do 80. The bandits
were hidden at the time in a brush pile,
Ii JuiiPCu u uo Sooi 40 bhV PocSSh"
ger train had taken the siding.
Under the pressure OF Winchesters
and u~gly-looking six-shcoters the train
men, the express messenger and all OF
he score or more OF passengers were
made to climb down from the train and
stand in a line. hands up. on the prairie
along The railway. While three OF the
robbers covered the badly frightened
crowd with their guns. the other two
coolly and carefully robbed them, pass
ing from n passenger to another down
phe line. The bandits secured about
$500 in cash and such other v%aluables In
Inc way Of watches. pins and jewelry as
were in sight.
The few women passengers were not
compelled to give up their v%aluables. and
Rev. Mr.. Roe, one o: the passengers.
who was sick, was not compelled to
leave the coach.
Jim Wright Of Minco showed a dispo-
sition to resist when the bandits order
ed Hands up" They shot n Of his
ears of 70 prove to his satisfaction that
his bravery was ill-advised. Wright's
hands then vent up. No one else was
injured. .,
The passengers and trainmen. having
been thoroughly plocked, three OF the
bandits turned their attention to the
express and mail coaches, the others
standing guard yer the helpless crowd
on the prairie. The registered mail
pouches were quickly rifed, but the
through safe in the express car resisted
all the force and ingenuity Of the road
agents. When the messenger had con
WINGED 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, and
though it was badly battered. it's con-
tents were saved to the express com
pany.
Having taken forcible possession OF
everything that they could carry away,
the bandits mounted their horses and
rode of toward the west.
AS soon as the trainmen could collect
their wits they got their scared passen-
gers aboard and hurried on to the next
station south, Chickasaw, from which
point the railroad authorities were no.
titled OF the hold-up. At Chickasaw q
posse Of citizens was hurriedly formed.
These citizens set out in pursuit Of the
gang, and officers have been dispatched
from El Reno and other points in this
section. It 10 hardly possible that the
bandits can be overt2ken In the prairie
country. and they will probably be able
to reach the Wichita mountains to the
west of the GENE Of the hold-up. On
GERS here believe the gang to be the
same one that held up Santa Fe trains
at Edmunds twice during hst manth.