The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-25
HID HIS MONEY
Young CattIeman Puts $1,000
in His Shoe.
THREE WICHITA PEOPLE
On the Train Held Up Near
Kansas City.

were occupants Of one of the Pullmans on
the train when the hold-up occurred Fri
day night near Kansas City.
There were only three persons IN this
car. the other being Mrs. Palite of Hutch
inson Mr.. and Mrs. Vilars were preoar-
| ing to retire, when he noticed with some
surprise the well-known signal Of five short
blasts from the whistle pf the locomotive
| which TO railroad men means, Guard the
rear end of last coach" and is to take
precaution against another train coming
along from behind and running into the for
ward one hlch has the right-of-way. Just
| why such a signal should be given al
such a time puzzled Mr.. Villars, who Is an
| experienced railroad man himself, IN the
employ Of the Missouri Pacific at the Thlr-
teenth street Offices. He at once dressed
partially and went forward to see the cause
of this unusual engine signal. In mo-
ment the teh-tdle grinding OF the ar
| brakes warned him there was something
wrong The train come TO a stop just at
Bet Junction, where the Pittsburg and
Gulf, Frisco and Missouri Pacific cross
Immediately following this came pistol
shots and loud talking forward of the train.
He at once guessed the situation and hur-
ried first to his wife to quiet her. She
was greatly frightened, but cool and self
possessed, and at once began secreting all
! their jewels, money and other valuables.
In variols parts of the berth she carefully
hid everything, until her husband sug-
gested that if the robbers should come
through the car they must be given some
thing. At that suggestion Mrs. Villars dug
up a ten-dollar bin to contribute to the
bandits to keep them satisfied.
A few minutes later the baggage car was
uncoupled from the rest of the train and
taken a short distance down the track and
the operations commenced on the express
car. The bandits first demanded that the
messenger remain in the car during this
operation, and had he done so he would
surely have been blown to pieces. At his
piteous appeal, however, they finally con-
scented that he leave the car.
About ten minutes elapsed between the
separating of the baggage and express cars
from the train before the terrific explosion.
During this time repeated pistol shots were
fired, probably as a bluff to brighten off
any possible brave ones in the rear cars
who might feed called upon to recklessly
come to the defense of the express and
baggage messengers.
The explosion was deafening, completely
wrecking the car and tearing away every
vestige of the upper portion, leaving only
the platform, and looking like an ordinary
fat car. Shortly after the marauders at
tempted to uncouple the engine from this
wreck, and not being successful opened
steam in the engine and took the whole
affair about four miles down the track.
There they let all the water out of the
engine, and taking a large spring-wagon
made their escape
Mr.. Villars is convinced beyond doubt
that the men were experienced railroad
men, as every act showed familiarity with
rules, signals and handling of trains. For
I instance, when the engineer slowed down
at the crossing he noticed man close to
the side of his engine and yelled at him to
look out or he would get run over. The
man menacingly replied: II will, will I?
l will show YOU and at once covered the
driver with two sixshooters. Later the
accepted signal to guard rear coach showed
due acquaintance with the signal code.
Again, Mr.. .Villars heard distinctly a re-
mark from one of the masked men to an
other of his comrades: Say. pardner.
don't you know enough to shut off that in
jector?" addressing the remark to the man
assigned to take charge of the engine. The
injector was at once Closed.
There can be no doubt that the men
were not familiar with the use or the
strength of dynamite, as they made no at
tempt to drill into the safe but awkwardly
placed the charge somewhere on or under
the safe, and certain it is also they put
altogether too heavy a charge, as it wiped
on the tntire car, without sufficiently
SCATTERING the safe to get into. There they
missed their aim, and baffled and frus-
trated they gave up the quest, as they had
taken so much time they dared not remain
/ to make another effort.
Three discharges in an were distinctly
/ heard by Mr.. Vinars. the first big one
/ while the car was at standsull and two
more after the cars had started down the
+ track. After they had gone, a sack Of
/ 800 silver dollars was found which had
nit been noticed by the hold-ups. So far
| as could be learned then, the bandits Sc
| cured little or no booty.
They had previously covered the tele-
graph operator and broken his instruments
to pieces. and compelled him to go with
+ them 70 the junction.
/ No one was hurt save the baggagemaster.
/ One Of the men cost his mask, and as it
! dropped of the baggageman gave a quick
/ glance into the face of the owner. The
latter at once struck him on the head
with his revolver. but not seriously injuring
/ him.
Young Mr.. Hedger Of Klngman was on
! the train. He had s. 900 on his person, hav-
/ ing just been 10 Kansas City with cattle.
/ When the train came % a standsJl Mr..
/ Hedger went to the platform OF the car.
/ The car porter stood just IN front OF him.
/ A pistol shot rang out and bullet whizzed
In front Of the poyter's face. Mr.. Hedger
Immediately stepped back into the car and
! slipping OF his shoe put al hs money
into j except SO, which he showed back
into his pocket a. a blind for the robbers
John Nelson Of South Topeka avenue
the postal clerk. was n the mail car.