Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1900-12-04


hi6ins: than tA1y rnde down m
Arinr their ri6esS ~ 10y gallopsd
\ az fortunate shot passed thlonsa thhs \
heart Of the horse that n ans IN titlA VI,
ing. Using the animal for N breast
work, the railroad bandit huntsr rot
out his heavy pistols and bega sbupi-s;i
ness right there. He only shot four II
times. The first bullet he fred paused
through the heart oi the nearest rob
Der. the next one struck one OF the
horses Of the oncoming gang and killed n
II, the third bullet passed through the 4
head Of another bandit, killing him IN
stantly. and the fourth passed through
the body OF one Of the gang. and he g. i
died later. The two remaining mem M !
lbers OF the band surrendered and We're
taken into Custer BY Hans The men \
lie killed were known as Texas, Fleet,
Foot and Mountain Pete. The other
two-Long Tom and Skinny Sssnt
10 the penitentiary for life. . & 81. (. II, 4.
This lie the kind of man who guarda
the Northwestern treasure trains
through the territory west Of the Mis- y "A
slssippi river. He IL probably the
quickest and deadliest shot with re-
volyer in the west. He carries two
enormous FORTY .fives'' Of the Colt pat
tern OF 80 years ago. The fact that the AL
guns are of the vintage Of another gen.
Grafton does not worry Fred Hans. He
has been presented by different people
with number Of handsome modern I
pistols. but he says he can't shoot them I
as he can his old irons. Ne 4; AS
Discussing bandit hunting and the,
methods, of road agents in holding up
trains few days ago. Fred Hans said
1T requires d man OF very desperate
courage to undertake to handle rail-
road train crowded with passengers.
or course you find men every day who :
are willing to take the chances involv-
ed in spite Of the fact that few Of them
escape the consequences long enough
to enjoy whatever they have secured
IN the hold III III t. ~ 49, ~, z:
act sof robbing the train that requires
the greatest exhibition Of skill and OAR
ing, but rather the escape after the
crime has been committed. You see,
In robbing a train the band stands lit
tie chance Of opposition. Passengers
are, as rule, unarmed, and the ex-
press messengers are not in position
to make much Of fight. The use of
dynamite by road agents Is q terribly!
ing element for express messengers.
The minute the bandits start to make
their escape. however, they come IN
contact with fighting men who are az
well armed and well mounted as they
and know how to use their guns. This
Is the element of danger that deters
many bandits from attacking a rail-
road train. . - IT. I.
when gang contemplates a. hold
up now, the first thing they do is to ar
range for their escape. A route Of re-
treat Is selected, and the bandits go
over the trail, SO that they can follow
It night or day. They frequently Sc
crete food for themselves and horses
along the route and lay in plenty Of !
ammunition. The Black Hills and the
country in southern yoming are IA !
vorite resorts for. train robbers these
days. Here most of the desperate road
agents live: These men are, however,
not of the class that will undertake
single handed to rob train. They OPP
crate as the James gang, did, but, Of j.,
course. are not so dangerous. y j y
''The same energy, hardship and dar-
ing these men expend in robbing trains,
IL turned in honest channels, would
reap them great deal more substan-
tial things than the dangerous business
they engage in, but they are enticed by
stories Of big hauls made by train rob
bers: and dazzled by reports in the
newspapers that this or that gang Sc
cured 100000 in raid. OF course
these raids sometimes net the robbers
a big sum, but in most cases they do
not get enough to pay the expenses of
the undertaking. 1t costs a pile of
money for gang Of six or seven west
ern desperadoes to prepare for train
hold up. They must have the best
horses money will buy, they must get
q city crook, as rule, to handle the
dynamite, they must have white pow
der for their guns in the event Of q col.
- 80 :. :. il 5
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