The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-08-10


 In one of the most cunning ambushes ever arranged, three men were killed and Il wounded at 1:9o o'clock yesterday morning by an attack upon a special Louisville and Nashville train near Bloc ton, in Bibb county. In connection with this attack 7 persons had been arrested at late hour last night and locked up at Blocton, while officers there were also looking for a number of others who are suspected of complicity.
 A special train of three cars in charge of Conductor Collins and Engineer Vim cent and loaded with imported men, dep uty sheriffs and soldiers, left Birming- ham Saturday night shortly before Il O clock for Blocton. The attack took place about one mile from Blocton in a small cut at the bottom of the hill.
 Ties Across Track.
 The train was travelling rapidly when Engineer Vincent suddenly spied a num- Der of crossties stretched across the track few hundred yards ahead of him. He instantly slacked the speed of the train, but it continued to travel forward at a somewhat rapid pace.
 He had scarcely put on brakes when volley after volley of hot lead was poured fov, 70 the cut, three men being killed almost in- stantly. The track at this point runs in a small cut, the ground rising from the edge of the cut to the top. The edge of this cut Is on a level with the lower part of the car windows, rising gradually until 1t attains a great height.
 The assailants, of whom 1t is believed there were at least 5O spread themselves close to the edge of the cut, and as soon as the train slackened up they proceeded to fire all manner of guns at them.
 This fire was replied to by Major Walden, who was in charge and Captain Townsend, both of whom shot pistols. When the first shot was fired Major Vaid- en was standing in the aisle, and when the next reports came he ordered his men to lie flat on the floor This action probably saved many lives. The position of the assailants was such that they could draw deliberate aim on the windows of the coaches.
 Goodness of Engineer.
 The cool-headedness of Engineer Vim cent also had much to do with the hand ling of the situation. When he saw the crossties on the track he slackened the speed of the train. Then a heavy volley of shots rang out He allowed the en- zine to run on into the blockage. scatter ing the ties like so much paper.
 While the soldiers on the train had their guns and plenty of ammunition they had not filled the magazines of their rifles prior to the time of the shooting, and could not return the fire at once.
 The entire train from the smokestack to the rear platform is a silent testi- monial to the number of shots fired by the assailants. Practically every window on one side is broken, while the wood work is also badly damaged
 After showing the blockade off the track Engineer Vincent put on full speed and in few moments Blocton was reached. Here telephone connection with Birming- ham was established, while the surgeons with the company exerted themselves in trying to care for the injured The sol diers on the train composed Company l. of Uniontown and were under com mand of Major Walden and Captain Townsend.
 The train which was fired upon re- mained at Blocton until daybreak, when it began it's return trip to Birmingham, arriving here shortly after 8 o'clock with the dead and injured The train was met at the Eighteenth street crossing by ambulances from Shaw & Son, Lige Loy and the Green Undertaking Co.,, the badly wounded men being rushed to St. Vim cents hospital.
 Pitiful Scenes at Train.
 A sight like the one presented when