Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 January 1887 — A TEXAS TRAIN ROBBED. [ARTICLE]

A TEXAS TRAIN ROBBED.

Eight Masked Men Plunder an Express Train of the Texas and Pacific Road. The United States Mail Pouches Rifled of Their Contents—About $15,000 Secured. [Fort Worth (Texas) special] One of the most daring and successful train robberies ever committed in this State was perpetrated by eight armed and masked men two miles east of Gordon, on the Texas <t Pacific Railroad, between 2 and 3 o’clock Sunday morning. As the regular passenger train pulled out from Gordon for the east two masked men jumped on the engine, one on each side The engineer, John Bosquet, turned to them and asked: “Where are you fellows going?” “Just going to take a little ride,” answered one of them.”-*'-“You will not ride on here,” said Bosquet. “I guess we will,” said the man, and in an instant the engineer was covered with two pistols pointing directly at his head. He was ordered to pull ahead, which he did until he reached the coal chute at the trestle bridge, something over a mile east of Gordon. Here the engineer discovered that obstructions had been placed across the track, and he was ordered by the two men, who still held their pistols in hand, to pull up. As soon as the train stopped six more men, all armed, appeared and ordered the engineer to take his pick and hammer and break in the door of the express car. He refused at first, but was induced to do so by threats of instant death in case of continued refusal. After the door had been forced the robbers entered and went through the safe, taking everything they could find. The amount of the loss could not be ascertained exactly, but report places the amount at sums ranging from SB,OOO to $15,000. Having finished the work in the express car, the robbers went to the mail-car and made a demand on the route agent for all the money or valuables he had. Thinking that the robbers would not dare to molest the United States mail, the agent was very cool, and told the robbers that they were in the wrong place, and that he was a United States mail man. This declaration had no effect on the robbers, who told the official that unless he complied with their demands he would soon be a dead man. There were sixty registered mail packages in the car. While the robbers were going through the express matter the mail agent had secured thirty-two of them and only gave up twenty-eight to the robbers. The passengers were not molested. A Sheriff who was on the train exchanged shots with the robbers without effect. There were also negro soldiers on the train. The value of the mail packages cannot be estimated.