Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1913-05-08
MILLIONAIRE and
BANDIT IN PISTOL
BATTLE On TRAIN

nelu up kansas civ southern pas
senger train in the suburbs OF Kansas
City early today and the .sholding up
OF several other passengers was merely
Incidental, according to the theory OF
the police who instigated q thorough
search for the robber today After q
lively duel with Mr.. Short In the mar
row Pullman the robber fell OFF the
train wounded, carrying $1,000 of Mr..
shorts money and the wealthy mine
owner was left lying in his berth with
three bullet wounds In his body.
Short viii Recover.
Physicians attending Short at a local
hospital say he will recover unless un-
foreseen complications result.
That mysterious person of such
stature had been seen about q local
hotel where Mr.. Short stopped, reached
that the bandit had Swallowed the mil
ltonaire and believed a Pullman berth
the best place to rob him.
According to q report to the police
early this morning from Grand View.
Mo-, by C. G. Gibson. conductor OF the
south. the total amount of loot obtained
| amounted to $1,100 In money and $32
diamond, OF this Gibson said MT.
Short lost $1,000: w. U. Scatter, Neck
City, Mo-. $66. and F. A. Seaman, Eu-
reka Springs. Ark, $35 and q diamond
stud.
Discovered BY Porter.
The train was just pulling out OF the
depot here when tall man ran out OF
the darkness of the railroad yards and
climbed UP the steps OF the observation
car. He had handkerchief over the
lower part of his face and carried two
pistols Oscar Allen, negro porter.
out and ordered him away. The rob-
Der covered him with his pistols and
said: Il am going TO put over trick
here: you sit down there and be quiet,
will need YOU
After the train had proceeded about
three miles the robber ordered Allen
to go ahead OF him through the train
In the sitting room OF the observation
car were w. J. Scale, OF Neck City.
Mo. and r.. A.. Seaman. Of Eureka
Springs, Ark The robbers voice
trembled as he demanded their val-
uables. but they offered no resistance
and gave him money and 5ewelry
amounting to about 5000.
Makes Negro shield.
Preceded by the frightened negro.
the robber then entered the chair car.
where there were about q dozen pas
sengerB all men. Hold UP your
hands, was the command with which
covered a steady nerve by this time
and his voice no longer Indicated fear.
The passengers readily complied with
his demand and he passed along coll
lecting their money and jewelry, all OF
which he placed In large pocket OF
his coat made apparently for the par
pose.
The robbery Of the chair car was
accomplished within Ave minutes and
the surprised passengers loyalty O'1eyed
the final injunction of the robber to
sit down and remain quiet
Duel in Pullman Car.
Give me your money" the robber
demanded in whisper. as he shook
the sleeper When awakened SUI
ficiently to realize the import OF the
command. Short handed over $1,000 In
money and large diamond stud As
the robber turned to leave, Short seized
an automatic pistol and fired through
the curtain. The rnhher returned the
fire and both men emptied their
weapons, each shooting blindly through
the curtain. which was perforated by
almost dozen bullet holes. One bull.
let struck Shorts forehead. another
went through an arm and a third
lodged in his knee. Short fell back OH
his berth and the robber fled towards
the other cars. aroused by the shots.
followed him. They saw him back
from the door OF the observation car
and drop from the train. which WAS
just being brought to stop. He left
blood stains in atsles and on the car
platform and passengers said he ap-
peared to be badly hurt.
Bandit Makes Escape. s
The conductor In charge of the train
was G. g. Gibson. When he heard the
shots. he seized a pistol and. accom-.
panied by a porter, r. B. Sales: and B.
w. Ball, q brak eman. armed with ex-
press messengers guns, started for the.
Pullman car. Before they could get
the Aisles cleared OF passengers SO they
could use their weapons, the robber had
leaped from the train.
The police were notified OF the rob
berry and an ambulance summoned to
take Short to hospital Physicians
there said while his wounds were se-
sriouss they did not consider them fatal.
Short Is one of the wealthiest mine
owners Of Jasper county and operates
among the richest zinc and lead mines
in that district. Six years ago he was
a miner working for wages.
Makes Good His Escape.
When daylight came the search for
the big robber went forward with re-
doubled vigor. What in the darkness
Of the night was believed to be trail
of blood left after the man fell off the
train. vanished with the dawn and a.
dozen detectives found nothing to guide
them. The escape was effected in q
region of switch tracks, mazes OF box
cars and market gardens where the
chances were all with the robber.
Short was able to make statement
regarding the robbery after the arrival
at the hospital.
II had two pocketbooks concealed In
my berth" he said, .one containing
$1,000 In currency. When the robbers
shook me and demanded my money. I
moved my pillow and showed back the
covers and he saw the purse containing
the larger amount. tried to hide the
purse in the bed clothes again. but the
robber was too quick.
What was that?' he asked the
porter.
9 "A ppcketbook.' was the answer.
Reach and get It, the robber com
manded. and despite my efforts to pre-
vent it the porter grabbed the purse
and handed 1t to the robber.
i"As he turned away ! got my pistol
from under my pillow and began shoot
ing at him. He returned the fire and
disabled me-. sss
..He failed however, to get dia-
mond ring valued at $4,000 and seven
$50 gold pieces which We're Ina pocket
of my trousers.