Mexico weekly ledger., 1897-10-14

TRAIN HELD Up.
G. & A. Passenger No. 40 Stopped By
Train Robbers Near Independ-
IS ence- Messenger Fritts
of This City Was
on the Train.

r.
KANSAS CITY, Mo-, Oct. 8.-Bandits
held up q Chicago & Alton express
train tonight at point less than 9
miles from Kansas City. The robbery
is the third occurring on that road
within year, all within 15 miles Of
this city. ~
The Chicago & st. Louis express,
which pulled out of the Union Depot
at $3.50 this evening, was stopped by
eight masked men at Evanston, a
suburban stopping place Jnst beyond
Washington Park. Evanston is about
miles nearer to Kansas City than
Blue Cut, made celebrated by the
ncto-ious James gang, and which was
the scene of the two previous robber-
les on the Chicago & Alton within q
year, one of December %, last, and
one OF October %, last.
The train was stopped at the Evans
ton siding by the explosion of torpe-
does, which had been placed on the
track. When the conductor and
brakemen went out to ascertain the
cause of the trouble they were COW
cred with revolvers In the hands of
four of the eight road agents. The
other four quickly covered the
engineer and fireman. The men were
compelled to uncouple the baggage
and express cars from the passenger
coaches. While this was being done
one of the robbers busted himself by
going through the pockets of Conduc-
tor Graves, who was robbed of $22 in
coin.
In the meantime the bandits at the
head of the train had ordered Engineer
Vollette and his fireman to climb down
out of their cab. Engineer Vollette
resisted until pistol ball was sent
whistling by his ears. Then he and
the fireman, after this persuasion,
climbed down quickly, and two of the
robbers Immediately took their places.
The others of the bandit crowd jumped
aboard the baggage and express cars,
This part of the train then ran up the
track, towards Independence, Mo-,
about a quarter of a mile. There they
compelled Express Messenger Frank
Fritts, of Mexico, Mo-, to open the
door of his car. The door open, they
dragged the messenger out by the
legs, throwing him to the ground, and
then took his gun away from him
The messenger was then compelled tc
walk backward toward the other por.
t1on of the train.
After securing complete possession
of the engine aud the baggage an6
express cars the bandits placed 2.
sticks of dynamite upon the biz
through safe, and then lifted tht
smaller way safe up on top of 1t. The!
applied the fuse and the match ant
then evidently waited for the explos
ion to reveal the treasure for which
so much had been risked.
For some reason the explosion dit
not go off, and from the subsequen
Developments 1t is evident that dyna
mite had great terrors for the mel
who were not afraid to run the ordi'
nary risks of train robbery.
1t is clear that they were afraid Il
return to the express car, for afte
waiting few minutes for the ex
peeted explosion, they hurriedly lef
the place, running into the under
brush which skirts the railway in tina
section.
| The engine was then run back t.
the rest of the train and coupled on
and after full two hours delay tn
express resumed the journey towar'
st. Louis. The passengers, especial.
the ladies', were very much frighten
ed, and when the robbers begal
shooting at engineer Vallette ther
was a wild scramble in all of tn
coaches. Diamonds, watches an
other valuables were hidden in ever
conceivable hiding place.
i General superintendent W. E. Ora
was also on the train. The expires
messenger was not only roughl
handled by the road agents, but wa
robbed of 331 from his private purse
The passengers made up purse &
$25 and gave it to him.
i County Marshal Childs and sewers
deputies, together with a squad
city police, left for the scene OF th
robbery at midnight on specis
train.
j FRTTTS TALKS.
When the train passed through hel
at $3.50 this morning, Messenger Frit'
was seen and said that no was bus
writing out his baggage reports whe
the train stopped. He opened th
Aoov %o ooa ruf II uao the rnaftAr an