Smyrna times., 1912-11-06
ATrain Holdup
That Failed
By EDWARD SEYMOUR

PA0NOB III AANNf III q LOOOClJs
The train came to a full stop. A
shot was heard. 1t came from the ex-
press car. but the passengers in the
smoker and two passenger coaches
couldn't tell where it came from.
There were not many passengers any
way. The train was running very
light In the smoker were several
men, way passengers, who appeared
to belong to the country through which
the road ran. In the next coach were
two ladies sitting together face to face.
while in the seat behind them was a
dandified young man, apparently a ten
derfoot On the other side was girl
travelling alone. In the next car in
the rear sat an old man and an old
woman, the persOnifcation of John
Anderson My 10 John. Near them
was maiden lady of fifty, with Cog
giles.
Suddenly the front door of the fore
most coach was thrown open and
man appeared with a short rifle, with
which he covered the passengers, while
another man with his revolvers in his
belt stepped into the car and said:
Produce your valuablesT'
He was followed by another man,
who held a revolver in each hand.
With the man at the door covering the
passengers with the rife and a man
behind him with six shots In each
hand, the collector" was we'll pro-
tected In his work. The passengers
sat perfectly still, each one pulling
out his or her valuables with alacrity.
After going through the car as the
collector approached the rear door the
man with the rife followed him. The
passengers had submitted so passively
that this. it seemed. would be attend
ed by little risk. AS be passed the
girl she whisked a long knife from
under her skirts and, turning. drove
1t into his back. He fell with groan.
The two men who were at the other
end of the car. completing their rob-
berry, turned in time to see him fall.
One of the ladies mentioned-the one
who was facing the rear of the car
pulled a revolver from under her man.
tel, fired at the collectors attendant,
and he went down. This left the col
lector the only robber in the car. In
the few seconds that followed the dis
patching of his two pals he knew that
he was in danger, but from what per.
son he was ignorant He had seen 8
young girl stab the man with the rife
and a handsomely dressed lady SHOOT
his attendant. He could not single out
which Of the passengers would at
tempt to finish him. There were sew
eral able men who sat near him, but
not one of them moved. His eye was
on them for a second, and during tina
very small space of time the dandiieC
young man who with others had turn
: ed to see what was going on in thu
rear put bullet through his forehead
The same plan had been devised an'
;; enacted in the second car. though witt
/. a different reception. When the col
lector and his support came to the oil
J. man and old woman the woman wit
n goggles, who sat farther in the real
suddenly clicked a revolver and sho
the man standing in the front doc
covering the passengers. This divert
ed for. the moment the attention of tn
collector and his attendant and th
old woman with marvellous quicknes
put a bullet through the attendan
Before the collector could draw his n
volver the old man had shot him dead
The events in the rear car first cam
to a conclusion. The old maid thre'
away her spectacles. ripped up I'll
front Of a calico dress, threw ht
embellished with flowers on the aoC
" and, being rid Of women's appare
= stalked forward. strapping man. III
old man and old woman each dOffe
a white wig. The woman tore of h'
outer garment, and each with a r
Volver in each hand followed the 30
maid" "She" threw open the doc
and the three of them stood on Il
platform as the last shot rang out
the forward car.
A similar transformation scene b;
been enacted there. The girl who b;
knitted one of the robbers became
young man of nineteen. the two ladl
turned out a sheriff and bis deput
while the dude was quiescent lookil
man noted for being one of the coole
and quickest shots in that region.
When the last robber fell the du
threw open the rear door Of the CT
and those who had done the shootil
IN both cars jumped of. Three men
, the smoking car arose and Joined t
scattering posse. Three robbers. W
had captured the express safe by hri
a single shot that had hurt no OF
were endeavoring to open It when.
each end Of the car, appeared M
bristling with revolvers- The robbie
J seeing themselves hedged In. Ioue
- desperately. but were mastered.
In the front car two robbers
been killed and one wounded. while
the rear car one robber had been kill
- and ten wounded. The whole fight
the two passenger cars and the
z press car did not last four minutes.
The reason of this victory was "
z simple. One of the gang OF robb
had ouarreled with the Lender and :
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