The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-10-17
MESSENGER FOILS
GANG or BANDITS
Single Handed Expressman
Battles Four Train Robbers
Saves Packages.

Fort Smith, Ark, Oct. 14.-Four
bandits bungled the holdup Of q north
bound Kansas City Southern passen-
ger train between Hatfield and Mena,
Arb, early today. One was wounded
! and captured and the other three out
laws escaped after a battle with Ex-
press Messenger Merrill Burgett, Of
Kansas City. Mo-, in which Burgett
exhausted his ammunition and was
badly beaten.
Burgett shot the robber who was
discovered IN hour later after his com
panions had deserted him. The rob-
Der Is being conveyed to Mena. Fifty
or more armed men are pursuing the
bandits. Burgett Is In a hospital at
Mena. He will cov
Messenger Hid VaIuabIss.
The train. known as No. 2. left Hat
field. Ark, about 2 o'clock. While
Burgett was working in his car, no
saw h bandits clamoring al the side
door. They smashed the glass with
their revolver butts. Burgett sprang
20 his most valuable packages and hid
despite the hail OF bullets which the
bandits poured into h car. Once. the
messenger says, q bullet pierced his
shirt.
The packages hidden, Burgett
turned his attention to the invaders,
who had abandoned for a time their
firing into the car. As Burgett fired
at them the robbers reached through
the smashed windows and loosened the
catch which held the door from the
inside. Then they opened the door and
sprang into the car n by one, firing
on Burgett as they advanced. The
messenger leaped behind baggage and
met the robbers fire shot for shot.
The train had attained a speed OF
about 80 miles an hour and apparently
none OF h train or locomotive crew
know that a holdup was being attempt
g. A last shot fired by Burgett before
the robbers gained the inside OF the
car. wounded n Of them. .
5urgett Fights 1raveIy.
The fight continued until Burgett's
cartridges were gone. Then the rob-
bers closed in on him and by force OF
numbers overpowdered him. although
he gave battle to three, welding the
butt Of his short shotgun effectively
uhtll conquered. The bandits dubbed
the messenger repeatedly, asking:
where's that package of money?'
Bleeding, Burgett crouched in a
corner OF the car while the robbers
brutally beat and kicked him, but the
messenger did not reveal the hiding
place.
The bandits searched the car careful
ly, but Burgett had been too willy for
them. So they applied the air brakes
n made another careful search.
Robbers Flee.
BY this time the train conductor
feared something was amiss and he be-
gan an investigation. As the conduc-
tor came forward with his lantern the
robbers took fright and fled.
In answer to the conductors repeated
knock1ngs on the door Of the express
car Burgett struggled to his feet. un-
locked he door then tainted. He was
revived long enough to give a brief
sketch OF the attempted holdup. and
the train wa rushed into Mena.
A posse was organized to pursue the
robbers into the hills near Hatsfield
n Potter, Ark. Near Potter the
wounded robber was found.
So far as is known, the outlaws took
nothing.
The wounded robber, who is I'M
identified, received a charge of shot
In the left breast near the heart. Prob
ably he will die.
OKLAHOMA BANK ROBBED,
Muskogee, Okla, Oct. 14.-The State
Bank Of Council Hill, Okla, was robbed
of about $4,000 during last night and
a party OF mounted bandits escaped
after a running fight with citizens.
Nltroglycerin was used. The explosion
awakened three townsmen, who spread
the alarm. Bullets were EXCHANGED
without result. Bloodhounds were TAX
en- to Council Hill to trail the robbers.