Rensselaer Republican, Volume 13, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 August 1881 — BANDITS ROBBING TRAIN [ARTICLE]

BANDITS ROBBING TRAIN

Eye Witnesses’ Accounts of tbe Robbery at Winston, Me. The through passengers. irom b uain that was boarded by banditti, near Winston, Mo., on Friday evening arrived in Chicago last night. One of 'them, Mr. C. F. Chase, of the Topeka Polioe Departmentgi ves the following narrative of the aflhir: “The train halted at Winston for two minutes. This was about 9:30 p. m. I was in the coach next behind tbe smoking car. Jnst after the train got in motion again I heard two or three shots. The shooting seemed to be in the smoking car. At the same instant the passengers in the smoking car came tearing through the coach like a mob. The stampeders were heading for the tail end of the train. Ab they rushed through some of them kept pulling at both the air brakes and the bell rope. T was carried along the aisle by the crash. I ventured while trying to keep my feet, to enquire what had happened, and was answered by the shout of ‘Robbers!’ On tbe rear platform of the coach I met the rear br&keman. He was signalling with his red lantern to the engineer to stop the train. He didn’t know what had happened either; at least he pretended not to know. Subsequently -he said thfere were robbers around. The train in tbe meantime bad slackened a little. I pulled out my revolver and remarked that I didn’t propose to permit anybody to rob me. This alarmed the brake man, who told me to put up my weapon, &3 its exposure would draw a fire from the attacking party. I didn’t put it up though. I looked in the coach ana saw only two or three persons, and they were lying under the seats. One man crowded under' the seat in the smoker, and laid there until we bad run fifteen or twenty miles. Three girls who had taken seats in the smoking car, for what reason I did not know, acted with charming coolness, and did not attempt to go baok in the train until after all the other passengers had fled precipitately, excepting the man who took refuge under the seat. After a few seconds I saw a man in his shirt sleeves coming from the forward end of the train. This was the express messenger. His face was very pale. I went up to him and said, ‘Have they been coming the John Rodden over you?” He smiled and answered, ‘Yes.’ I asked him if they had got everything in the safe, and he again answered, ‘Yes.’ I then asked what the amount was. He replied that he could not say, as he had only receipted for the way bills. 1 led the way and went forward to the express car. The car was dark, but the side doors were open. We struck a light and took a look at things. The top of the little safe was thrown back and the contents gone. I asked the messenger to tell me how the robbery was accomplished. He said that seven or eight men came into the car, pointing pistols at him, compelled him to get down on his knees and open the safe, andi drop money packages and the other contents into a sack which, they held open before hjm. They threatened to blow out his brains it he did not show up everything. He assured them that he had given up everything except the bricks of silver bullion on the "floor. The bricks they did not want. There were no marks of violence about the body of the messenger. I think, notwithstanding the stories told to the contrary, that the robbers did not strike him at all. The platform of the smoking car was stained with blood in several places. It was there that -conductor "Westfall and passenger McMillan were killed. My idea is that the robbers intended to kiil the conductor. He probably knew them, and, as he would be able "to identify them, they decided to put him out of the way. It is not known what fate befell the conductor—whether he was killed outright or had been wounded and jumped to the grouud—uutil we reached the next station, G iJJatin. some five or six miles distant, when the operator showed us a dispatch stating that the bodies of Westfall and McMillan had been picked up and carried into the Section House. What became of the forward brakeman and the news agent is more than I can say. They disappeared from the train ‘ while the shooting was In progress. I don’t believe there were fifteen shots fired, all told. The robbery, although successful, was bunglingly executed, and apart from the tragic taking off of two valuable lives, the scene had an extremely ludicrous side.”

Mr. Frederick Henkei, of 386 West Adams street was in the smoking car when the attack was made. His account of the inception of the affair agrees with those already given. He adds: -‘Assoon as the train wa3 in the possession of the robbers the passengers jumped down on the floor, and some of tnem uuder the seats. You see, it was unhealthy to be upon your feet at that time. It rained lead, and the diet is unhealthy. There were six ladies in the sleepers, and as soon as they heard the shooting they just dropped on the floor like the other pa> seugers. They were frightened, but they showed as much grit as the men. We’could not show much, for not one of us had a revolver. John McMillan was killed with the conductor. I thins that the thieves recognized them and that they were nut out of the way on that account. The express messenger, William Murray, deserves credit for his pluck. The robbers shouted to him to open the door of his car, but be persistently refused. They flred thirteen shots at him but none took effect. When they did break in they found him hidden between the coal box and a sample trunk. They struck him twice on the head with their revolvers, but said they would not kill him on account of his grit. The passengers all endeavored to hide away tbeir watches and money. One of them, a Chicago drummer, DUthis valuables in the water cooler. 1 wrapped mine in my pocket handkerchief, lifted the cover of a spittoon, laid it in and put the cover on again. But the passengers were not molested. We found five bullets in the smoker and thirteen in

the baggage car. John T. Wright, of Atchison says: “The outlaws fired into the express car and ordered the express messenger to surrender, but he said if they billed him they could have all the treasure in the safe, but he wouldn’t give anything up. They then broke open the door.with an axe. They flred thirteen shots at the tries senger. He held on to the door even while they were tearing at It with the axe, and they finally got him flown by striking him over the head with their revolvers. When the robbers jumped off they threw the throttle of the engine wide open, but the engineer, owing to the faitbfulnes of the brakeman, who bad set tbe air brake, was able to csutrol lhe train; The engineer and fireman wanted to go back and pick up the bodies of the dead conductor and stonemason, but the passengers would not have it lest they might be molested again, for no one on the train was armed.” Major Scott J. Anthony, of Denver, Colorado,' said: “We had not gone more than three-quarters of a mile further when the trouble began. I have no doubt the gang fully intended to go tbros ;h the whole train. The first man win entered tbe smoking car, and who flred the first shot at the conduct');*, cried out ‘Hands up!’ as he advanc e. The others seemed taken back at tbe large number of persons found in tbe car, and looked from one to another and hesitated.; One who bad entered the car looked around him after he had shot a couple of times,and seemed surprised that be was alone, and then backed oat of tbe car, wavi g bis revolver to keep the passengers from rising upon him.’ I have been in one or two tight places before, and did not feel particularly scared. I was in the sleeper and I called oat for every - '

man in the earilo gA prepare to do his duty. Not f however, had one on the car. Then began tbe fun. It was amusing to see the fellows going down for their watches and money and other valuablee T and hunting for places to hide them in.”