The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-13
HOLD UP NO. Z.
Missouri Pacific Express Stop
ped at Blue Cut
By Masked Robbers Attired in
Skirts.
THEY GET NO MONEY
From the Express Car Because
There Was None.
This is the Seventh Hold Up
Near Blue Cut
Since the James Boys Started
the Fashion.
THEY GET NO MONEY

Gu0 dSuIO0s
Kansas City, No, Nov. 13.-The Mis-
souri, Pacific passenger train known as
the St Louis fast mail which leaves
Kansas City at 9 p. m, was held up
by five masked robbers at $50 o'clock
last night at the Chicago & Alton cross
ing, just east of Independence, Mo, and
less than mile from the famous Blue
Cqt,in which three train robberies have
taken place within the past year.
Two of the robbers were disguised as
women, and when the engineer saw
them swinging a lantern across the
tracks, an apparent signal of danger
he did not hesitate to stop. The engine
crew were Immediately covered with
reVoIVers. Conductor Dennis O'Brien
and Brakeman McMichaeI stepped out
to see what was the matter and were
greeted by a VOlley of bullets which at
once caused the greatest confusion in
the passenger coaches. The conductor
ana the brakeman were compelled to
cut the express and baggage cars from
the rest of the train and the engineer
and fireman We're made to get down
from their cab. The robbers quickly
jumped aboard and took the engine and
express car about two miles further
east, where they stopped and compelled
Express Messenger Williams to open
his car. He offered no resistance as
he carried no treasure
The robbers had evidently intended
to stop the St. Louis limited night ex-
press, which leaves Kansas CITY at a
late hour, and were greatly surprised
upon discovering that the cars which
they had captured contained nothing of
value In their rage they pOunced up
on the express messenger and went
through his pocket but $285 was all
they secured. After this they quickly
left the train and disappeared in the
darkness
After a delay of an hour the train
was got together again and was start
ed on its journey. The county marshal
and his men were at the scene of the
prOba bility that the robbers were safe
ly in Independence or Kansas City be-
fore any organized effort was made to
capture them.
With the first intimation that the
train was in the hands of road agents.
CONSERVATION seized the passengers in
the rear coaches.
When the shooting began there was
the widest excitement. There was not
a man or woman on the train who had
not heard of Missouri train rObberieS it
seemed, and as soon as the first shot
was fired, a half dozen people in every
car yelled train robbers" Some of
the women began to scream, and watch
es and pocketboOks were tucked under
seats, thrown into water coolers, and
hidden in every conceivable place Aft
er the engine and express car had been
taken away the passengers did not dare
leave the coaches for some time When
they did conclude that there was no
danger of being shot, they got off the
train and some of them came back to
Independence. Most of them waited
however, until the engine had been
hunted up, and went on with the train
All reports agree that the robbers
were very deliberate in their move
ments, and they were no new hands at
the business. Several of them were
armed with Winchesters. Three other
train rObberies have taken place in that
vicinity within the last 13 months. The
first robbery was on the Chicago &
Alton at Blue Cut, in October, 1896.
The robbers that time got but little.
Just two months later another train
was held up at the same point the
bandits securing about $23, 900. About
six weeks ago the Chicago & Alton was
again q sufferer, one of its express
trains falling into the hands of rob-
berS. The outlaws, however, secured
nothing, owing to the failure of their
dynamite to explode, after which they
were afraid to return to the express car
The general opinion is that all these la
ter rObberieS have been committed by
parties closely connected, but the cOun-
ty authorities have so far been unable
to bring any of the outlaws to justice.
The theory of the county officers is
that the gang has it's headquarters in
the "Craclxerneck' district, just east of
Independence. John F. Kennedy, To-
cOmOtiVe engineer, whose parents live
in that district was arrested as the
leader in the robbery which cost the
Chicago & Alton S23 900, but upon his
first trial, the jury failed to agree,
though James Flynn, who claims to have
been member of the gang turned
states evidence and told a detailed
story of the crime. The case against
Kennedy is still pending, he being out
on bail.
The Blue Cut district was first made
famous by the notorious James gang,
who committed the first robbery in that
vicinity at Glendale, in 1870 securing
$35, 600. The James gang committed
another robbery at Blue Cut in 1891
but secured nothing. In 1889 another
hold up took place there, on the Chi
cago & Alton.
The last hold up is the seventh COM
mitted within a radius of four or five
miles.