The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1901-09-19
NUMBER 4.
RoBBER KILLED.
Bold Attempt to Hold Up Pay.
master on Train at Mount
Dallas.

. -, ~" DVH.o "o C.fC " ClOCh ltSJ
Saturday morning to rob and kill
Paymaster William Lauder of the
Colonial Iron Company, of Rid.
dlesburg, Bedford county.
Mr.. Lauder had gone to Bed
ford early that morning and when
the bank was opened drew cash
to the amount of $5,43S with
which to pay men in the employ
of the company at Riddlesburg.
He was accompanied by Mr.. r.
b. Kay, manager of the Morris
dale Coal Company, of Coaldale,
who had also drawn 81, 800 to pay
his men.
After getting their money, the
two men left town at once, board
ing the 9.25 train.
When the train stopped at Mt.
Dallas to change engines, it was
boarded by two men with black
ened faces and wearing false
boards. They climbed hurriedly
into the coach where Lauder and
Kay sat and seemed to know just
where to pick out their men.
Without a moments hesitation
one of the men walked up to Lau-
der, pulled a revolver from his
pocket, and fired point blank at
LADDERS face, so close that the
powder burned it. Luckily how
ever, the bullet just grazed his
forehead. Quick as fash Lau-
der whipped out his own revolver
and taking direct aim, fred at the
other bandit. The bullet struck
him between the eyes, killing
him instantly.
The dead robber fell across the
aisle, and without waiting for
second look at his comrade, the
first ran from the train, jumped
to the side of the track, and fed
up the mountain road. Kay, with
revolver in hand, pursued him
and fired two shots at the fleeing
figure, but neither took effect.
The dead man was carried from
the train, where he was identified
as William Fry, a negro of Bed
ford.
G.. B. Cooper a sewing machine
agent, was arreste d at Bedford
at $50 Saturday evening, by Po.
liceman Sam Silver, charged with
being an accomplice in the hold
up. When arrested he was black
ing his shoes and had on an old
suit of clothes which were very
badly torn and dirty.
Mrs. D. A. Reagan, wife of En-
gineer Reagan, of Altoona, was
an eye witness to the attempted
holdup and subsequent killing of
the negro. Accompanied by her
3-year-old son Cyril, she was re-
turning from a visit at Manns
Choice.
81 saw Lauder get on the train
at Bedford" she said. 'He took
the seat Immediately back of me.
When the train stopped at Mount
Dallas some one called attention
to two negroes running down the
track toward the train, and l
looked around at them. One of
them came up the step. AS he
came in, without even saying
word to anyone, he shot at Mr..
Lauder. | was afraid the bullet
would strike my little boy, but it
passed over his head and imbed-
ded itself in the side of the car.
The splinters flew down and over
us.
"Mr. Lauder had by this time
drawn his revolver and he shot at
the negro, hitting him, as l after
ward saw, in the head. The fell
low fell on the car steps. never
saw such a wicked expression on
a mans face as there was on the
negro's.
'Women and children ran out
of the front door of the car. AS
] picked up my boy and went to
the other side of the car to get out
of range, heard some one say
that Lauder had gotten the negro.
Some one else, / think it was q
trainman, fired two shots at the
other negro, who started to run
TO the mountain side.
Lauder was all wrought up
over the shooting, but every one
congratulated him on getting the