Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1912-03-19
MESSENGER
KILLS BANDITS
Fells One With Blow and Shoots
Other With Bandits
Gun.
HE SHOWS GREAT NERVE
Calls Attention to Package at Foot
and Breaks Skull With
Mallet.

Nerve and the simplest kind OF 8
ruse enabled David A. Trousdale, q
Wells-Fargo express messenger who
knew how to deliver swift, terri.
BILE blow. to balk the robbery of 8
Southern Pacific train early yester.
day by killing two of the highway.
men. He dubbed one to the floor OF
the car with a mallet and shot the
top of the head off when the latter
sought to enter.
The holdup took place east OF
Sanderson, in Terrell county, near
Mexican border, on the eastern edge
of the big Bend" country Of Texas.
For miles through the lone stretches
of rolling prairie only scattered
ranch houses relieve the landscapes
monotony. Trousdale recently was
promoted to this run from the San
Antonio offices of the express COM
pany.
One of the robbers who held
Trousdale at the point of rifle in
the corner was ransacking the car.
IT am not going to scrap with you
ALL" said Trousdale to the bandit.
''I'm not getting fighting wages. I"
"Oh, all right" replied the ban
dit. "then you fellows will have to
help us get this stuff across the Rio
Grande."
"Why don't you pick up that
package?" casually inquired Trous-
dale as he kicked at small box on
the floor OF the car. ut is worth
more than all the stuff you've got"
The orbber stooepd, deceived by
the ruse, to pick up the package.
Trousdale grasped a heavy mallet
and struck. The bandit received
the blow full on the head. He fell
over dead. There was no alarming
cutlery. Trousdale picked up the
dead robbers gun and waited.
Meanwhile the second Of the ban
dts had been working on the car
ahead. When he completed his Job
he hurried back to the express car.
Frank" he called. There was
no answer. The robber swung him
self aboard the car; as his form
doomed in the doorway the express
messenger fired. The bandit tum-
bled to the ground dead.
The bodies of the robbers were
put into baggage car and the train
proceeded.
The bandits boarded the express
at Dryden soon after midnight.
Swinging onto the engine they COW
cred the driver, Grosh, with their
guns and ordered him to proceed till
they told him to stop. Ten miles
west of Dryden they gave the signal
for halt. The conductor of the ex-
press, alarmed by the frequent
stops, sent negro porter ahead TO
inquire about the trouble.
The negro was promptly covered
with a rife. Then the conductor
crept up to the engine. Immediate
ly he took In the situation. Before
the robbers could fire upon him he
hastened back and down the track.
Walking several miles he stopped a
freight and gave the alarm over the
uiroc IN Can dorcop
Meanwhile the robbers were pre-
pairing to ransack the express and
mail cars. Today the sheriff Of Ter
rell county Is searching for third
member OF the band supposed to
have been posted near the holdup
scene with horses. Near the point
where the train was stopped tracks
OF horses were found leading to the
border. 1t is presumed the rob-
bers, had they succeeded. would
have made for Mexico.
The bodies OF the bandits have
not been identified. They are Amer
leans
Whatever the robbers took from
the mail car was recovered. Moth
ing was removed from the express
car
The passengers were not alarmed.
They knew nothing of the holdup
until after both robbers had been
killed.
Trousdale is native of Tennes-
see. He came to San Antonio sew
eraI years ago and until a few weeks
ago was employed In the Offices of
the Wells Fargo company here. He
is 80 years old.
Cheerfulness has been called the
fair weather Of the heart.-Smiles.
Keep cool and you command ev-
Just.