Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-11

so quietly, and with so little of the sensa-
tional appearance always associated with
hold-ups, that Barnhart did not at once
realize the situation. But as he looked "a
the two men with masks over their faces
and with a revolver in each hand, he con-
Cluded that there was no chance for sue
cessful resistance. He pulled up the tele-
graph sounder, hoping that the robbers, in
ignorance of the uses of the different in
struments, would say nothing about the
key and relay. But the leader of the bandits
knew better.
Hold on there!" he cried. THAT won't
do" And he made Barnhart tear up all the
instruments and took them along with him
for extra precautions.
In obedience to a few brief
from behind the masks, Barnhart hung out
a red light over the track-the signal for
the express to stop for orders. Promptly
at 1915, it's hour for passing Big Spring, the
express drew in and slowed down to a stop,
the engineer unhesitatingly obeying the
madate of the red light.
Capture the Train.
The robbers set about Systematically and
with no loss of time to get every member of
the train crew under their power. W OF
them-it afterwards developed that there
were six in all-sprang into the cab of the
engine and covered Engineer Nrooman and
his fireman with their revolyers. AT the
command of their captors these men put
out the fire in the fire-box, no doubt to
! guard against any chance Of the escape OF
| the game by the help Of the engine. The
engineer and fireman were then taken to the
! end of the platform, and were put under an
armed guard.
Meanwhile other members Of the gang had
taken Station Agent BaTnhar to the express
car and made him knock on the door, as he
usually did when he had something for the
messenger inside. Express Messenger Mil
Ter un suspectingly threw the door part way
open, when the robbers thrust their bodies
in and forced their way into the car. They
first wrested his weapons from Miller and
then went to go through the safe, on which
there was a combination lock, This safe,
being opened only at the ends of the run,
was entirely beyond Miller's power to open
and when the robbers demanded Of him that
he open It he told them he could not. They
did not believe him and began to pound him
with their revolvers and throw him about
the car. His life was probably saved by Il
remark from Conductor Patterson, already
a captive, that Miller could not help them
any, though they beat the life out OF him.
SO they defisted, But they took from the
car three strong boxes, in each of which
were gold pieces 10 the SdIue OF S-uiuOu,
there being $50, 900 in all. There was bull
lion to the value of $500, 900 in the car, but
owing to the size and weight Of the pieces
in which it was cast, the robbers were en-
tirely unable to handle it.
About the time the robbers were ready TO
begin on the coaches Andrew Riley and ex-
Councilman Merrick Cummings of Omaha
stepped out on the platform for a little fresh
air. The first thing their eyes fell upon was
the figure Of a masked man holding a re-
yolver in each hand and pointing 1t straight
at them. Three similar forms Immediately
appeared and the two passengers were or
dered with an oath to get back into the car
and keep still. Mr.. Cummings, realizing at
once what had happened, quickly obeyed the
order, but Mr., Riley took time TO step down
to the depot platform, evidently not UNDER
standing the words. Two shots were fired
point blank at him, one bullet grazing the
back of his hand and leaving its mark and
the other lodging in the woodwork of the
car close to him. The robbers rushed upon
him and took two watches and SCI from him.
Riley was then ordered back into the car.
Holding In the Passengers.
The robbers then proceeded to execute
their wen laid plans. Two entered at each
end of the car. One Of each pair covered the
passengers with his reyolyers from the door
way while the other two went down the tive