The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-08
Butler County Desperate Drove
HcndrickSon Citizens From
the Streets.
SHOT HOLES IN WINDOWS.
Paraded The Deserted Thorough,
fares, Then Charged on the Sta
ton, Where He Met Il
Pistol and Arrest.

REFCEI.ic SPECIAL.
Poplar Bluff Mo-, Aug For nearly six
hours Sunday the small town OF Hendricks
son. this oornty, about ten miles north
of this city. wa: in possession of Amos
Cummings. Butler County Desperate
Armed with a Winchester rifle and six
Shooter. Cummings was king, and not a
citizen dared 10 dispute his actions until
late In ths evening when j. l.. Bandy, the
night operator at the Iron Mountain depot.
brought the reign of terror which the
bandit inaugurated to an end by affecting
his capture sineie handed. and escorted him
a!cne To this city where he Was locked up
IN the count" iaIi.
Cummings has been mixed I'D in MAN.
sha"y transactions and in 1898 his career
OF crime began. wher lie shot a man at
hsndtickScn. He MAS tried in the Circuit
Court here and escaped with four years
imprisonmen ut in the Jefferson City peni;rn-
tiary. After his release he returned 10 his
"iH haunts. and since then has repeatedly
deiied the law
Drove Persons Indoors
cummings appeared at HendricisS on
shortly before noon and attracted attention
hE firing his weapons promiscuously. .~,s
Wild actions caused Il panic among the VII
layers. who sought the protection of tne,-
homes.
IN. bGliy invited arrest, and boasted that
ne would Kill the first person that can't.
WITHIN the reach OF his gun Several ad-
NehturouS persons nearly paid dearly for
their actions. III leaving their places of
protection. for their appearance was the
signal for d shot.
All the afternoon the desperate pa,ated
through the streets of the town inter
spersing his marching with shots and wells,
The towns streets We're deserted Late in
the afternoon Cummings made his way TO
the Iron Mountain Depot and took posses
sion 10y driving the station agent away. He
placed his rifle against the agents breast
and threatened TO shoot. The agent saved
his life by sprinGing away. The night uper-
ator at the depot, j. l.. Bandy. had a re-
NoIVer, and in the evening Cummings again
visited the depot He surmised that the op-
orator was armed and. appearing at the
window of the telegraph offica pushed his
rifle through ard ordered the operator ~
hand over his gun.
Baudy Kept His Nerve.
Bandy suddenly covered the desperate
with his pistol. The latter lodged down
ward. negiecting. however. 10 take his gun
off the counter. realizing that il was a
matter Of life or death with him. Bandy
quickly threw open door that was along
side the window. and. reaching 1ut his
arm. covered Cummings. meanwhile keep
ing his body UneXposed.
Mr. Bandy compelled Cummings to nanI
over his weapons. and, still keeping his
man covered. marched him out to the i1la t.
form. Help was secured then, a brother
of Eandy coming to his aid, and the former
armed with the revolver, kept guard over
The prisoner until Operator Bandy notified
the head office that he would be absent
from his Office for few hours.
When the southbound train on the Iron
Mountain pulled in at Hendrickson Bandy
ordered his prisoner. at the point Of the
revolver.to board the train. He brought
him safely TO this city, where he was
placed behind the bars in the Butler Coun-
~ jail.
Operator Bandy was extremely modest
over his plucky capture of the bandit
and stated that it was Il case of his life
or th.t Of Cummings.