The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-10-14

passengers Were in the very widest con-
fusion. One of the robbers, looking out
of the window, pulled the bell rope and
the train came to a full stop. Stimuli
taneously two men appeared from the
adjacent woods, coming up on either
side of the train, with red handkerchief
tied over their faces. Both carried win
chesters and began using them to in
tlmidate the passengers. They began
shooting over and under the train in the
Widest manner imaginable.
The negro porter dashed out of the
rear coach and took to the woods, only
to be shot at by one of the robbers. The
negro promptly got behind the cover of
tree and emptied his revolver at the
robber, but none of the shots took effect.
though the robber returned the fire sew
eral times.
With the passage of this little episode
the passengers, who up to this time had
thought the row drunken one or some
thing of the sort. began to realize that
they were enjoying regular Texas train
robbery, in broad open daylight, and
within whistling distance of the state
capital. They soon became reconciled
to their fate and watched the proceed
ings with interest, but not pleasure. As
soon as the conductor was shot he fell to
the floor and the two men on the train.
after intimidating the passengers with
their revolvers, proceeded to rob him,
. l.,, III tho hn had
BY this time the two pals outside
were at either side of the train, and the
party repaired to the express car. AS
soon as the train stopped the express
messenger looked out of the car, and.
taking in the situation, leaped to the
ground and bolted for the woods.
The robbers advanced on the car and
found no one but the baggage man
therein. They demanded that he open
the express safe, but he told them that
he could not do so, as he was not the
messenger and knew nothing at all
about the combination. This satisfied
the men, and they walked back to the
passenger coaches and proceeded to rifle
the pockets of all the passengers.
With two men together, back to back.
so as to keep an eye on all the passen-
gers. the robbers walked down the aisles
of the cars. demanding that everybody
shell out. This they promptly did, under
threat that if they did not give up all
their money they would be given a
thrashing.
In this manner all the passengers were
Heeced even to a poor woman on the
train with two children, who was forced
to give up three nickles and dime that
she said was all that she had. The engi-
neer even was called on for 30 cents that
he happened to have on his person, and
in this manner not single person was
overlooked, the robbers securing some
thing like 5000.
With the winding up of this work the
gang of robbers concluded that their
! labors were about done and proceeded to
the engine. There they forced the en-
gineer and fireman to get down and out
and taking charge of the engine they
mounted it and after cutting loose from
the train started on down the road
toward Austin. They steamed along
| this way for several miles, and when
near Duval set the gauge and deserted
the engine to its fate With little steam
| on the engine rolled slowly down to
Duval, where a freight train was wait
| ing for the passenger to pass.
Seeing the engine coming without any
one in charge, one of the crew of the
| freight train mounted the cab and
| stopped the engine. 1t was reversed and
| the freight crew took the engine back to
the scene of the robbery, where they
found all the passengers sitting demurely
in the cars, afraid to put their heads out
of the window.
The engine was quickly coupled onto
| the train, preparatory to leaving. but be-
fore pulling out it was suggested that the
| negro porter be looked for A careful
search failed to show him up, and the
train was backed into Mcneil in the
| hope of finding him. There they found
| news of him, but the negro had gone on
| to Round Rock. 1t seems that as soon
as he emptied his revolver the negro had
lit out up the road to tell the news.