The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1902-10-17
THE WOMAN WHO WENT
y FOR A GLASS OF WATER
[Original.l

When the Pacific railroads We're new.
a great deal of the property along the
lines was a wilderness 1t was often
many miles between stations, and
station was frequently merely place
for people to come from distance to
get aboard the cars.
one evening In December train ap
proachIng one of these sheds-tor that
is all 1t was-was tagged With ban.
danna handkerchief by four men. The
engineer pulled up at the platform. and
the men got aboard They were for a
time very well behaved, looking about
them evidently with view to observ.
ing their Surroundings. The train con.
sisted Of locomotive. baggage cur
and coach. The only passengers were
two men peaceable looking farmers,
and two women. apparently their
wives.
"see here, aIr. Conductor" said one
of the party. I'm the president of this
company jiss now, and you're to look
to me for orders. I'll trouble you to 10.
crease this funeral pace and snake us
along to the next station ucross the I'll.
vide. You go tell the engineer that Ill
give him three hours TO make the III
miles."
Who are your asked the conductor.
who am i? Tn Sim@s."
There was Il grlm silence. The two
farmers cast Chances at each other, aud
ttnhnS- flA 4
Slmms and his gang had tetTprizcd the
region for months without being mo-
Tested. No one either dared OF felt dis
posed to make II his business to hunt
them down. a few days before they
had entcrcd town, plundered bank
in broad daylight and taken to the
desolate region through which they
were travelling.
Now. we don't want nothing" con-
tinued SImms. but to sit on. There's
no plumber aboard this trntn, and we
don't want 1t II there is. Git us to
b by o'clock. and neither you nor
your passengers viii be moiested"
can right" said the conductor. I'm
get you through without fail"
One Of the gang went forward with
the conductor TO take position on the
locomotive. another stationed himself
in the baggage cur. while the other two
remained among the passengers. The
train proceeded on its way ~ II moth
ing had happened. Smms ut first re
malned In tho coach, but soon got up
and went forward, but not until he had
called a man to take his place. He was
very sharp with his men, cautioning
them not TO relax their vigilance be.
cause they had everything their own
way. but they seemed to dread moth
ing, at least within the train, and In.
deed there did not appear TO be any
thing TO dread The few train hands
aboard moved about at their usual du
ties. while the farmers and their wives
seemed to bc dreadIng every moment
that they would be murdered. Dark
ness came on. and one OF the hands
lighted the lamps Simms came into
the coach nnd talked In low tone with
the two robbers there. One of the
farmers heard him say: If this luck
holds. well be where We can so in el.
Their OF five directions. In this dreary
region we'd git starvation sure" Then
he went forward again
1t was about O'Clock. The two rob
bers in the passenger coach We're sit
ting talking together. They had taken
a position where they could keep the
party Of farmers before them. Tho
farmers occupied two seats facing each
other. tile men facing the women and
the robbers, the women with their
backs To the robbers. The latter had
quIeted down. One Of them got up and
walked past the outlaws to the rear Of
the car. They followed her with their
eyes I'LL they saw that she had gone to
get Elass OF water, then ceased to pay
any attention to her. Suddenly two
words rang out sharp and clear above
the rattle of the train:
Hands up-'
The order was shouted within a foot
OF the two robbers cara At the same
moment the farmers each whipped but
a revolver, The roobeeS 6rSt impulse
was to hook back. They saw a woman
with revolver In each hand. the muz
Sles within few inches Of their heads,
Then the two farmers approo ched and
disarmed the robberG while tho two
women threw OF their outside apparel
and appeared ia men'S attiHa- One &
the two robbers gave yell as a signal
for his fellows. but his voice was
drowned by the rattle OF the train.
Two Of the farmers now proceeded
20 the baggage chr. One Of them threw
open the door. while the other stood
with a revolver pointed into the chr
The robber there was on the lookout
and fred rs soon as the door was
opened but ~ the man who threatened
Tim stood beside instead Of before the
door hc was unInjurcd, S!mms ut the
4 time was on the locomotive. Hearing
thc shot he was climbing over TIE coOl
In the tender to so to the baggage car
when the engineer shot him dead. The