Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-11-29
Masked Man, Single Handed Rob
bed 20 Passengers on Train
IN Kansas.
CAUGHT BY CONDUCTOR
Refused TO Throw Up His Hands and
Tackled the Robbcr--Had. Secured
about $1,000. watches and jew
elry which He Wa. Forced
to Give Back to Owners.

Kansas City. Nov. Ga most daring
'rain robbery was committed 100 milas
| east of Kansas City early to-day Be-
tween Slater and Armstrong, Mo. a dis
tance Of p miles, a masked man. single
handed, robbed 90 passengers in three
cars of the fast eastbound combination
Chicago & Alton and Chicago, Burlng-
ton & Quincy passenger train. After half
All hours work he secured approximately
5000 besides several watches and other
pieces of jcwolry. The man finally was
overpowered by Conductor Haywood. who
knocked a 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 COM
mitted, was placed in Jail.
The robber, who said his name was
Truehart and that he came from Cali
fornia, was recognized by the engineer It's
the same man who on November last, in
an exactly similar manner and at the
zane place on the road, went through
the rear sleeper of an eastbound Chicago,
Rock Island and Pacific Overland limited,
whic.4 on this division runs over the Alton
tracks. Truehart, who refused to give
his full name or tell what town he came
from, said that it was his brother who
held up the Rock Island train.
The train robbed this morning was No.
a which left Kansas city at nine o'clock
Sunday night. From Kansas city to
Mexico, Mo, the train is run over Rocl,
island tracks At Mexico it is cut in two,
The Alton portion continuing to Chicago
,pnd the Burlington portion going to St.
Louis.
The train reached Slater at midnight
hnd when it started out OF that place
five minutes later Truehart boarded the
fmoking car. The upper part of his face
WAS covered by a mask. Levelling a re-
Oliver at two passengers in the seat
dearest the door. he ordered them to pass
ovor their money and valua bles quickly.
Ihe mon compiled and when Truehart
placed the stuff beneath his belt and
proceeded to give his command in
loud voice to the man in the next seat
Forward, the car full of passengers was
thoroughly aroused and ready to COM
ply. When the robber had Systematically
believed the passengers In the smoker of
heir belongings he passed to the door
keeping them covered 1t was a % minute
run from Slater to Glasgow and he await
Ed the arrival at the latter place. As the
rain stopped at Glasgow, he swung Off
fnd boarded the chair car as It rushed
By moment later. Through the chair
Ear the robbers tactics in the smoker
were repeated. Next he entered sleeper
fnd began again his command to the
|uckless passengers to surrender their
yaluahles
Conductor Haywood appeared uron the
scene here and Truhcart. with the COM
Iv1 and. inr
his revolver at the conductors breast.
(Instead of complying the conductor
knocked up TIE weapon. threw himself
upon the man and bore him to the car
floor The male passengers in the car
came to the conductors aid and the rob-
Der was literally pinned to the floor.
When Armstrong was reached at 1850
q. m. a United States marshal boarded
the train and Truehart was tied hand
and foot and taken into the station. He
refused to talk, except to berate the pas
fergers for cowardiCo and to declare that
ifeywood was the only nervy one among
them The money and iewelry were taken
from him and the train proceeded.
Truehart was taken to Glasgow on the
reXt westbound train and at $50 this
morning, not quite four hours after ne
boarded the castbound train at Slater. ne
twas placed in jail. He appears to be -
years old and his description tallics with
hat of the Rock Island robbcr and the
engneer of last nights robbed train posi-
lively identified him as the same man.
THE CONDUCTORS STORY.
Conductor Haywood says that the rob-
Der snapped his revolver at him and that
probably the only thing that saved his
ife was that the hammer descended on
his thumb
Leaving the revolver in the grasp of
The conductor, the robber made "a break
for liberty. HeyWod followed closely
tter firing one shot and grabbed him by
he coat collar as the robber was trying
20 jump from the car. The robber slipped
from his coat and cllnelng to the side
rail Of the car with one hand Haywood
ought him into submission on the stems
IN" wv filv-mpVing car. After he had
been Dragged into the vcst!bulc ai.aiD
he robber continued to fight desperately
and Haywood says that he was com
peeled 20 pound him over the head with the
faptured revolver until kc was sense
ess