The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1898-12-09
TRAIN ROBBERS TRAPPED.
Detectives Were On the Engine
and Baggage Car.
WERE GlNEN AWAY BY A PAL.
Two Railroad Mon stopped Missouri
Pacific Train Near Sodaiia, but the
Company had Been Warned-One
Shot and Both Captured

SEpALIA, Mo, Dec. 1.-The Missouri
Pacific passenger train which left Kan
sas City at 5:4j o'clock Tuesday after
noon was held up four miles west OF
here a few minutes before 10 o'clock
Tuesday night. The attempt was tc
have been made by three men Friday
night, but Robert r. Cunningham, a
butcher here weakened. 1t was
planned again for last night, but Gun
bingham stayed away and warned the
railroad company. Six of the COM
pany's detectives were on board as the
train left Kansas City, Before it left
Georgetown, six miles west of here,
two detectives were hidden on the en-
CINE Two others were in the baggage
car.
A red lantern was swung across the
track to stop the train one-half mile
cast of Georgetown AS the engine
slowed down the robbers began firing
AS the detectives returned the fire the
robbers ran for the woods and were
pursued by the detectives, who con-
tinued firing. One of the fugitives
was captured and identified as James
West, locomotive engineer, Fully
thirty shots were fred.
When West signaled the engineer to
stop the train both of the robbers
opened fire, the trainmen and detec-
tives returning it with their Win
chester rifles. Stubblefield and West
saw they were trapped and began re-
treat, firing as they ran. The detec-
tives closed in on West, but Stubble
field managed to escape.
Stubbletield was arrested at his
home in North Sedalia. He was COW
cred with revolvers and rifles and COM
inanded to throw up his hands. He
lid SO and wanted to know who in
Che hell gave me away"
SEDAIIA, Mo-, Dec. 2.-Engineer
James l. West and Conductor Stubble-
field, who held up the Missouri Pacific
Grain near here Tuesday night, will
have preliminary hearing December
8. The confession of R. R. Cunning
ham, who weakened at the last mo-
ment, was made public to-day.
The first time | was ever spoken to
about the affair was by man named
Stubble field last May" said Cunning
ham. "Stubbleield was at that time
brakeman for the Missouri, Kansas &
Texas. He met my brother, Charlie
Cunningham of Kansas City, and my
self in Hailer's saloon one night last
May and asked us if we would assist
him and another man to hold up
train At that time | thought Stubble-
field was drunk, and | told him l
would do anything for a little fun, and
thought no more about the matter.
Then Stubblefeld came to me again
and stated that Engineer West was 60
ing to help him about the job, and
that l had better come and get my
share of the 'spoils.
about two months later West came
to me and asked me to take hand in
Che hold-up, but l refused. Later
both came to me and told me they
would kill me if | gave them away.
talked to West four times about the
hold-up. Last Monday evening West
came into my shop and said: Bob,
we are going to rob that train Tuesday
night. If you won't come we'll do the
job ourselves. refused to have any
thing to do with the job. At 1920
that night, while in Pcht's restaurant
with Mr. Stevens, a Kansas City meat
salesman, heard that the train had
been held up. That's all l know
intended to inform the chief of police
about the robbery, but could not find
him"
The foolhardiness of two old rail
road men attempting to hold up a
train on bright moonlight night still
puzzles the acquaintance of the men.
Friends of Stubblefeld claim that he
is insane and has been for years, aud
ought to have been confined IN an asy-
lum long ago, but the eX-conductor'
record shows that he worked almost
daily for the Missouri Pacific for pe-
Rod of ten years and performed his
duties intclligently and faithfully.
The friends of West are dumfounded,
and can offer no excuse for him unless
he also was crazy with liquor.
1t is intimated that the defense will
be that the attempted robbery was
Matched by railway detectives in order
that they might get notoriety.
West has always stood high in this
community and had the confidence of
the railway officials. He was a men,
Der of the Broadway Christian church,
was popular with railway men and
his arrest caused a sensation. He told
his pastor that he was drunk and en-
tered into the scheme at the last mo-
ment, not knowing what he was really
doing.
Kansas Soldiers Reach Manila