The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-09-06
BELT
TRAIN ROBBED
MAIL AND EXPRESS CARS ONLY
ARE MoLEsTED.
ENGINEER IS SET AFoO1
Robbers Extinguish Headlight Place
Plumber on Locomotive and Dis
appear in Darkness.

st. Louis, Sept. "A special to
the Post Dispatch from Fort Worth,
Texas, says:
Cotton Belt passenger train No. 1,
southbound, due to leave Texarkana
at 5:25 last night, was delayed in it's
departure and did not get out until
IL o'clock. 1t reached the Texas and
Pacific crossing four miles south of
Texarkana about 11:25 p. m. AS it
stopped to blow six men boarded the
train. Two of these mounted the
engine and compelled the fireman
and engineer to go back and cut the
mail and express cars from the train.
When this had been done the six men
boarded the engine; left the fireman
with the train and the engineer was
instructed to pull out south. The
train was run to Rylau, a small sid
ing, where a stop was made. While
one a guarded the engine, the five
others went back to the express car
and forced the doors and blew open
the safe. They took their time at
the work, and when they had conclud-
ed, returned to the locomotive with
two sacks heavy with booty. These
they tossed on the engine. Turning
to the engineer, n said: well
just shell road you here. You are not
the only engineer on the road and l
guess we can run the machine a few
miles without your assistance. When
you locate your wagon, figure the
run in IN your mileage, as we won't
put in time for the run we make"
Putting out the headlight the ban
dit engineer opened the throttle and
pulled out. Engineer Henderson was
left with the express and mail cars
and the messenger and mail clerk.
Making his way to a section house,
within a mile or two of the scene
Of the robbery, he procured a hand
car and some men to assist in pro-
pClllIS II, anu old1 ISu VA q oOdlNu lOl
the locomotive. 1t was slow work.
At a point south of Rowan, within
four miles of Redwater, they came
upon the deserted engine standing on
the main track, throttle closed and
lights out and no one in sight. The
engine was at the bottom of a grade
ord ho1 nifhor hoon 1ncorfnH 4horn
or had been left at a point farther
north and was allowed by it's own
weight to seek the level track. En-
gineer Henderson got aboard, backed
to the express and mail cars and
coupled up. The train was not put
together until early this morning.
Some time after midnight Hender-
son succeeded in getting his engine
and two cars back to where the first
stop was made by the robbers and
the train proceeded south to Mount
Pleasant, the division point. There
a full report was made and the Of
ficials of the company ordered every
thing possible done to locate the
ROBBERS.
In the meantime Conductor Arm
strong and several passengers had
walked back to Texarkana and given
the alarm. Without delay the sheriff
organized a posse and started in pur-
suit and the conductor returned to
his. train.
The passengers We're not molested.
While Superintendent Russ, Of the
Pacific Expires company, admits the
ROBBERS secured much money, he de
clines to make a statement.
The trick was turned by men more
experienced in %railroading than in
ROBBERY. They knew the stops of the
train and were prepared for the
emergency thus presented.
It was not necessary for them te
flag the engineer and when he stop
ped to blow for the crossing they
Z. climbed aboard. They were armed
but did not make unnecessary dis
play of their weapons. All were mask
!, ed, and each wore a coat. The coun
try where the hold-up occurred is
, densely wooded, SO that the robber:
( have had an opportunity to double
on their tracks through the timberant
hide the route they r travelling
! Reports place the amount take1
anywhere from ten to thirty Thousand
dollars.