Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-06-17

tonight
MENA, ARK, June 16.-(Special) The
Pittsburg & Gulf south bound passenger
was held up and robbed about o'clock
this morning one mile south of Shady Sta
ton, 1. T., by three masked men. The
express and mail cars were cut off and
taken down the track a couple of miles,
where the express strong box was rified.
The amount of booty is not known. The
messenger says they only got a few dol
lars of loose change. In the mail car they
got one registered letter and S bill from
the postal clerk. Passengers were not mo-
Tested, but were badly frightened when in
formed that the train was being held up.
Lights were turned out and valuables hid
den. The train was delayed about an hour.
H. H. Rodman, the engineer, was seen
by reporter and related his experience
as follows:
I'VE were just coming out of the creek
bottom a mile this side of Shady Station,
and as We swung around a sharp curve
l saw red light swinging across the track.
slowed up and came to a stop opposite the
man with the lantern, thinking some
freight train ahead of US ttsofkTwmw
freight train was ahead of us broken down.
l turned around in my seat to see who it
L was confronted by a couple of guns in
the hands of men with masks on. realized
that 1t was a holdup, but / did not see the
other two men until they showed the guns
at me. They We're undoubtedly hidden
along the track, and only the man with
the red lantern showed himself until we
stopped. The spokesman, in gruff voice,
commanded us to keep quiet or he would
blow our heads off, and a number of shots
We're fired in the air as a reminder that
their guns were in good working order.
My fireman, C. B. Penrod, was COM
manded to go back and uncouple the eX-
press and mail car from the rest of the
train. he went back. but was so excited
that he could not. get them uncoupied, so
l was taken back and 1 uncoupled the
cars. In the meantime, Penrod escaped
by going into the smoker. / had to pre-
cede the two robbers so that If the express
messenger, Mr.. Patterson, should take Il
shot at them / would stop the bullets.
We returned to the cab and one of the
robbers took hold of the throttle and han
died it as one thoroughly acquainted with
running a locomotive. He turned on the
injector to lower the steam so the safety
pop would not be popping and making a
which is convincing proof that he was a
railroad man. About two miles down the
track we stopped. Then, as before, they
compelled me to go in front of them to
senger saw there was no use to resist.
They entered the car, but how much booty
they secured do not know. They also
went into the mail car and secured the
registered letters and S from the postal
clerk.
Il cannot give much Of description of
the robbers. All were men of medium
height. One was rather heavy set 1 could
not see their features for the masks. The
spokesman talked in gruff voice with a
negro accent. l do not know how they
were dressed. After they were satisfied
that they had secured the booty in the ex-
press car, l was ordered to return and get
| tlA IN 1a1 hnpl lao rft,fr q Ia
| three robbers standing by the track, with
guns leveled at me-
T. NJ Sullivan was in charge of the
train, but did not know of the holdup until
| the fireman came through the coaches and
1 informed the people. He and the Pullman
car conductor secreted their money in case
| the robbers come through the coaches
| The direction the robbers took is not
known, but they are supposed to have gone
into the hills west, where it will be difficult
| to follow them.