The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-31
HELD UP BY JESSE JAMES.
Death of an Old Engineer Who Had a
Strange Experience With Bandit.

From the Kansas City Journal.
f. j. Sanford, Superintendent Union
Depot Company, Kansas City, Mo-
Chalkey died this morning. Funeral 2:SO,
Central Baptist church. Springfield, Mon
day afternoon. Notify all concerned.
'Chalkey" Foote is dead. The informa-
ton was first received here in the above
telegram yesterday morning. The news
will be received by most or the younger
generation with the question, who is
Chalkey Foote?" but to hundreds and
thousands of people the information will
bring back recollections of a certain MEM
orable night way back early in the SOS,
when the news was flashed over the coun-
try that he James boys nad executed an
other successful train robbery.
1t was on the night of September Z.
1881, that Chicago and Alton train pulled
into the union depot an hour late. and
disgorged its burden or excIted passen-
gers. 1.-THE train was held up. We have
been robbed" they all tried to say at
once. And when the story was finally told
1t proved to be the narrative of one of
the boldest train robberies ever reported
In the state of Missouri.
The train robbed was the st. Louis
division of the Alton. westbound and
due here about o'clock. L. Foote, or
as he has always been known. "Chalkey"
Foote, was engineer on this train. The
robbery occurred In what Is known as
Blue Cut, a sharp curve and grade about
three miles east of independence, and
tt,an q mill 10
city. The holdup was engineered by a
tall man wearing a black beard. 1t was
he who tagged the train ana gave or
ders to the sixteen men who carried out
the details of the robbery.
After the robbery was completed and the
outlaws were preparing to leave. this man
climbed up to the engine cab with Foote,
and, shaking hands with him. introduced
himself as Jesse James He also intro
duced his lieutenant as Dick Liddil. 1t
was at first supposed that these names
were only given as a shield to hide the
real identity OF the robbers, but 1t was
later learned that the introductions were
correct. As he climbed down out of the
cab James handed Foote two silver dol
lars and remarked: You are a good man
and you had better leave the road, for
we are going to make 1t so hot for this
damned Alton that 1t Will have to go out
of business"
And now "Chalkey'' Foote is dead After
the famous train robbery and for many
years following he was one Of the most
sought-after and one of the most often
interviewed men in the country Newspa-
pers from all over tire United States sent
men to hear his story of the hold-up. and
pictures of him were published in almost
every paper In the country. And through
1t all he ramained the same man, the
same "Chalkey." He was known by repu-
tation to thousands of people who have
never seen him, and personally by almost
every man who lived In Kansas City or
in this part of Missouri at the time of
the blue CUT robbery.
He continued on his run on the Alton
for a number OF years, but for the past
decade has been running an engine on
another road in Illinois. Since he left
Kansas City he made his home in Spring.
field ILL.,, and the message telling of his
death came yesterday without warming
The message was sent to Mr.. Sanford by
w. H. Storms. brother-in-law of Foote'S.
1t is probable that no one will feel a
more personal loss in the death of Foote
than will Frank James, brother Of Jesse
James. the man who was at the head of
the blue CUT robbery. Frank James
contended that he was not concerned in
the robbery and later he and Foote be-
came the closest Of friends.