The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-11-21

anu the treln began to slow down the
Sheriff whispered to the men to keep
cool, and not to fire until they were
sure of what they were shooting at
Now the train stopped, The silence
was deathlike, save for the heavy
breathing of my shadow. For at least
minute we waited breathlessly, and
then voice ont in the darkness said,
| Open up Open up the voice re.
peated, but there was no answer that
we could hear. Open up and they
began to beat upon the door of the ex.
press car with the butts of their guns.
Still the men inside were silent. Open
mp, or we'll blow this car to pieces
we've got dynamite on the door sill.
by this time we were all afoot in
the darkened car, waiting develop
ments. Now the two men in the ex
press car, preferring a fight to dyna.
mite, slid the door open and lodged
back behind the empty piano box, ex-
pectlng the robbers to jump into the
car. At that moment the stiffness was
disturbed by what was probably the
accidental discharge of "a rifle outside.
The Sheriff and few of his followers
dropped to the ground to deploy in the
darkness. a deputy peeped out at the
front end of the last car, still dark,
and Immediately became n target for
the robbers, who could see him out
lined against the sky, while they re.
NAMED i'll the darkness below. ]
reeped out ut the rear end Just in time
to see man near the steps aiming at
the deputy on the front OF the car.
shot from another robber caused
me to dodge back Running
through the dark car told
the deputy where the man was hiding.
and just at that moment n bullet cut
an upper half crop from the officers
ear. | tip-toed back, caught glimpse
OF the man aud banged away at him
through the window. Being anxious
TO know whether / had hit him / put
my face to the window and peered into
the night. Suddenly l heard a scufllo
among the coach seats, felt strong
man seize me from behind aud crush
me 10 the floor. / could not turn my
gun upon my assaiant, for it was @
rifle. Bang went the robbers gun
again, and the'window was shattered.
AS L went down I heard the voice OF
my captor, right at my ear: 'Fo' de
Lawd sakes, Mistah Blank, keep away
from dat windeh, for dat robber blow
yo' head clean off wifi dat cannon O.
his"
That was the voice of the porter,
and he had pulled me from the win.
dow in time to save my life.
"By this time the firing grew pretty
general. In the confusion, and while
| held the attention of the robbers
rear guard, the deputy with the smart.
ing car crawled under the car, and
when the robber stood up to shoot at
me the deputy located him and the
two men fought it out under the win
dow. In few seconds the robber lay
dead. Now only two Of the gang kept
up the fight. Seeing that they were
surrounded and hemmed in against
the train they called ont to the Sheriff
and surrendered.
"The battle had lasted probably not
more than five minutes, but it had
been n life time to my family, who
could hear every shot distinctly.
81 gave orders to pick up the dead
and wounded, and with our three
prisoners hastily backed into town.
1.-The wounded man died shortly
after our arrival at st. Joe.
"Ihe informer, of course, turned
States evidence, and so went free, but
that was all that remained of the orig
inal gang of five. four of whom were
desperate men. OF this four we buried
two and sent two to the penitentiary
for long term.
"All this happened some years ago, {"
added the general manager, after n
pause, "but that porter still remem-
bers, and he always SHES when the
whistle says 'tootoo. New York In
dependent