Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-06-17
The Train Robbery At Gad's


After leaving the scene of their
Hot Springs adventure the five
daring hiwhwaymen, finding that
they were not pursued, rode up
into the northern part of Arkansas,
where they had several friends,
and there planned q scheme for
plundering train on the Iron
Mountain Railroad. The place
chosen for the purpose was Gad's
Hill, a very small station in Wayne
county, Missouri, which, in the
summer time, is almost hidden by
the copse of pine trees which sur
rounds it. The adjacent country
was very jungle in which it was
easy to hide and elude the most
determined pursuit.
On the last day of January, 1874,
but little more than two weeks
after their last successful robbery,
the five bandits, with Frank James
still acting as leader, rode into the
station and made prisoners of
every man in the place, consisting
of the railroad agent, a saloon
keeper, blacksmith, two wood
choppers, and the son of DR. John
M. Rock. These were confined in
the station house under threats of
instant death if any attempt at
escape were made. Having pre-
vented every means of alarm, the
desperadoes turned the switch in
order to ditch the train if it at
tempted to run past, las Gad's
Hill was only a flag station) and
then planted a red flag in the track
Immediately ia froAt OF the station
house.
The train was not due until 5 40
in the evening, at which time the
shadows of twilight curtained the
| little place and prepared the
approach Of darkness. Promptly
upon time the train came blowing
along, and the engineer, seeing the
danger-signal ahead, brought the
engine to standstill alongside the
station house, No one was seen
when the train stopped, but in a
m oment thereafter Cole Younger
mounted the cab and, with drawn
pistol, compelled the engineer and
fireman to leave the engine and
walk out into the woods. Mr.. AL
ford, the conductor, was arrested
by Jesse James as he stepped
from the train to ascertain the
cause OF the display of the red flag.
He was forced to give up his watch
and $500 in money, after which
he was placed in the station
house. Then began the sack of
the passengers. Clell Miller, Jim
Younger and Frank James
searched the affrighted people in
the cars, while Jesse James and
Cole Younger, taking opposite
sides OF the train, maintained a
watch and kept shooting in
various directions, while they ut
tered terrible oaths and threats, to
! keep the passengers in state Of
constant trepidation.
After stripping all the pas
sengers Of every bit of valuables,
the outlaws proceeded to the ex-
press car, where they broke open
the safe and secured the contents.
The mail car was next plundered
and the letters cut open, one Of
which contained $4,000, and sew
eral smaller sums we're obtained.
The total amount of booty secured
} by the bandits was about S11, 800.
Having again successfully accom-
) plished their criminal purpose
without meeting any resistance,
the five desperadoes released those
confined in the station house; the
engineer and fireman were recalled
from their position in the woods,
t and the train was ordered to pro-
coed. Then mounting their horses,
which were hitched near by, the
outlaws rode into the brush and
disappeared in the darkness.
! When the train reached Pied
!. mont information Of the robbery
was telegraphed to Little Rock, st.
. Louis, and all the towns along
Q the road. On the following day, q
!. large body "a well-armed mer
III started from Ironton and Pied
a mont ia pursuit Of tho desperate
3 outlaws, and soon got on theii
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