The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-26
An Alton Conductor, Ordered to
Throw Up His Hands,
Fells Train RObber to Floor of
Car and Ties Him.
THREE CARS ROBBED.
Bandit Had About $4,000 in
Money and Other VaIuables.
The Lost Property Was Restored
to the Victims.

Kansas City. Mo, Nov 26.-One CT
the most unique and daring train rob-
berries in the history of the southwest
was committed 100 miles east of Kan
sas City early today. Between Slater
and Armstrong, Mo, distance of Il
miles, a masked man. single handed,
robbed twenty passengers in three cars
of the fast eastbound combination Chi
cago & Alton-Chicago, Burlington &
Quincy passenger train. After half an
hours work he secured approximately
two thousand dollars, besides several
watches and other pieces of jewelry.
The man finally was overpowered by
E. 3. Haywood, the train conductor,
who knocked raised revolver from
the robbers hand, and forced him to
the car floor The robber was bound,
made to disgorge, and four hours after
the robbery was committed was placed
in Jail.
The robber, who said his name was
Truehart and that he came from Cali
fornia, was recognized by the engineer
as the same man who on November z.
last, in an exactly similar manner and
at the same place on the road Went
through the rear sleeper of an east
bound Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific
overland limited, which on this division
runs over the Alton tracks, true
hart who refused to give his full
name or to tell what town he came
from, said that it was his brother who
held up the Rock Island train.
The train robbed was No "A, which
left Kansas City at o'clock Sunday
night From Kansas City to Mexico
Mo- the train is run over the Alton
tracks At Mexico it is cut in two, the
Alton portion continuing on to Chicago
and the Burlington portion going tc
the train reached Slater at mid
night and when it started out of that
place five minutes later, Truehart
boarded the smoking car. His eyes
were covered by a mask Levelling
revolver at two passengers in the seat
nearest the door, he ordered them to
pass over their money and VaIuaoles
and to do it quickly. The men COM
plied and when Truehart placed the
pelf beneath his belt and proceeded to
give his command in a loud voice to
the man in the next seat forward, the
car full of passengers was thoroughly
aroused and ready to comply When
the robber had systematically relieved
the passengers in the smoker of their
belongings, he backed to the door,
keeping them covered. It was 25
minute run from Slater to Glasgow
and he awaited the arrival at the latter
place. AS the train stopped at Glas-
cow he swung off and boarded the
chair car as it whizzed by a moment
later. Through the chair car the rob-
ber's tactics in the smoker were re-
peated. Next he entered sleeper and
began again his command to the luck
less passengers to surrender their val
ua bles.
Conductor Haywood appeared on
the scene here and Truehart with the
command throw up your hands"
pointed his revolver at the conductors
breast. Instead of complying, the con-
ductor quick as a flash knocked the
revolver from the robbers hand. threw
n Cn1f q
to the car floor. The two men strug-
gled fercely, while the passengers were
instantly in a panic. Finally the doz-
en- male passengers in the car came to
the conductors aid and Truehart was
literally pinned to the floor.
When Armstrong was reached at
1850, marshal boarded the train and
Truehart was tied hand and foot and
taken into the station. He refused to
talk except to berate the passengers
for cowardice and to declare that Hey
wood was the only nervy one among
them. The money and jewelry was
taken from him and after much delay |
and confusion returned to the excited
passengers and the train continued
east
Truehart was taken to Glasgow on
the next westbound train and at $50
this morning. not quite four hours
after he boarded the eastbound train
at Slater. he was placed in Jail True
hart talked freely, but would tell nOth- |
ing more definite about himself than
that he had come from California and
that his brother had robbed the Rock
Island out of Slater on November Z, |
and escaped. Truehart appears to be
80 years of age. He is 5 feet 5 inches
IN height and weighs about 135 pounds
His description tallies with that of the
Rock Island robber and the engineer
of the robbed train positively identified !
him as the same man.
A passenger on the robbed east bound
Alton Burlington train, who returned
this morning from Glasgow said:
The robber was one of the nerviest
imaginable. He only weakened when
Conductor Haywood and a number OF
passengers literally jumped upon him
after the conductor had pinned him to
the floor Then the robber, as the pas
sengers kicked and struck at him,
cried: oh my mother and gave in.
The robber covered the trainman and
the colored porter in the chair car and
made them aid him rob the passengers.
Conductor Haywood got the upper hand
when the robber, while operating in thu
sleeper, stopped momentariIy to put
away securely some of the booty he
had just secured Haywood. although
so years old. grappled with the man,
Nrested his revolver from him and then
as the robber dashed down the car
aisle. fired a shot at him. Then it was
that Conductor Haywood literally bore
the man to the floor, and the passen-
gers jumped upon him"
Among the passengers robbed were
w. s. Baker OF Denver, James Shaugh- |
messy. a section foreman of Glasgow,
and Frank Burns. a train dispatche.