, 1897-10-07
BANDITS IN KANSAS.
AN EXPRESS TRAIN ON THE CHI
CAGO AND ALTON HELD
UP AND ROBBED.
Frightened Away Before the Express
Safes Could be Blown Up-The
Messengers and Conductor Robbed
and Then the Highwaymen Take to
Their Heels.

ANASA ~ NAcp
held up the Chicago and Alton express
train tonight at a point less than six
miles from Kansas City. The robbery
Is the third occurring on that railroad
wtrhin a year and all within Is miles Of
this city. The express was stopped by
eight masked men at Evanston. Evans
ton is about eight miles nearer Kansas
City than Blue Cut, made celebrated by
the notorious James gang.
The train was stopped at Evanston
siding by an explosion OF ~torpedoes,
which were placed on the track. When
the conductor and brakeman went out
10 ascertain the cause Of the trouble. they
were covered with revolvers in the
hands OF four Of the eight road agents.
The other four quickly covered the en-
gineer and fireman. The brakeman was
compelled to %uncouple the baggage and.
express cars from the passenger coachea.
While this was being done. n Of the
robbers busted himself by going through
tlIt pUChctS Vi SOlutRClOl utdNCS ~
was robbed Of $22 in coin.
In the meantime the bandits ahead o.
the train ordered Engineer Vollette and
his fireman to climb down gu Of theif
cab. Engineer Vo,lette hesitated. until
a pistol ball was sent whistling by mis-
ears. He and the fireman, after this per.
suasion. climbed down quickly. and two
Of the robbers Immediately took their
places. Others OF the bandit crowd
jumped aboard the baggage and express
cars. This part Of the train they ran
up the track about a quarter OF a mile.
There they compelled the frightened ex,
press messenger to open the door Of his
car. They dragged the messenger out
by the legs and compelled him to walk
back toward the other portion Of the
train. The bandits then placed "a sticks
Of dynamite upon The big through safe
and lifted the smaller way safe upon the
top OF 1t. They applied q fuse and match,
but for some reason the explosion did
not go OF. After waiting a few minutes
for the expected explosion they hurried
ly left the place, running into the under.
brush which skirts the railway in that
section.
The trainmen then ran ahead to the
engine and two cars. After some delay.
they succeeded in lifting down the small
safe and throwing out the dynamite. The
engine was then run back to the rest OF
the train and coupled on, and after q
full two hours delay, the express esum
ed its journey toward St Louis.
The passengers were very much
frightened when the robbers began
shooting there was a wild stampede in
all the coaches. Diamonds. tewelry and
other valuables were hidden in every
place conceivable in the passenger
coach. Two Chicago and Alton detec>
tives were on the train. Both were 90
badly scared that neither Of them put
in an appearance outside Of their coach
until all was over. General Superintend-
ent w. e. Gray was also on the train.
The express messenger was not only
roughly handled by the road agents, but
robbd Of $3l from his private purse.
The passengers made up a purse Of SIS
and gave it to him. County Marshal
Chiles and several deputies as we'll as a
squad Of city police, left for the scene
Of the robbery about midnight on a spe-
cial train. There seems little chance Of
their overtaking any robbers, ns it lie
believed the gang will have little trou-
BILE in getting back into Kansas City
or Independence.