BOBBERY FROM AN AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAIN.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 299, 18 December 1877, Page 4

BOBBERY FROM AN AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAIN.

, A despatch from St. Louis states that 'fcha eastward-bound express train on the Union Pacific railway was robbe<l by a iband of thirteen highwaymen one night last month at Big Springs Station, 37o miles west of Omaha, in Wyoming territory, A few minutes before the arrival of the tram' two masked men entered the office of Win. Barnard, the station agent, who was taken captive. He was forced, under genalty of death, to destroy his telegraph Barnard endeavored to mislead them by removing his sounder, but they understood his object and made him take the relay out, which they took away. The man who gave the order was undoubtedly, as he betrayed professional familiarity with the instruments, a telegraph operator. They forced the station-keeper to put out his red light on the track, and to gefi^b^ mail ready as usual. The train came along in a few .minuses and came So a halt in obedience £0 the signal. Four men, who had Barnard in charge took him to. the express car and compelled Lira to knock, in aoaorJaaaa with his custom. .The express messenger, George Miller, opened the door, when the robbers presented their revolvers, jumped into the car, and went through one safe, securing treasure boxes containing 60,000 dollars in gold. The combination lock safe was not touched, as the messenget^was not in possession of the combination. The sacks containing United States mail matter waa left untouched. From the express car the robbers hastily proceeded to the paaaeoger coaches, and robbed moat of the passengers, obtaining about 1500 dollars in inoDey and two gold watches. Before they had finished robbing the passengers the whistle of an approaching freight train was heard, and the robbers hastily left the passenger train and decamped, carrying the sacks of gold with them. While the train was being robbed, the conductor, Patterson, waa guarded by one of the robbers, and required' to hold his bands up all the time, and not to speak. No injury was done to any passenger except expressmessenger Miller, who waa shoved violently against the car door, and his head severely bruised. It is supposed these robbers had their horses tied in the timber at the back of the railway etatioo, aad that on reaching tb.Bm they at once struck out for safety. Conductor Patterson immediatley, dispatched messengers in every direction giving the alarm, and several companies aearted in pursuit. Sherifl Beddley, of North Platle, at the head of a formidable poasee, arrived at Big Springs at daylight, and struck their trail ten miles in the direction of the mountains, he found a rifle, a pistol, and au empty money box. The train that was robbed arrived at Omaha at 6 o'clock on the following morning, and from the passengers thrilling accounts of the robbery were obtained. Andrew Riley, ojf Omaha, a passenger, stepped out on «W platform when the train arrived at Big Springs, and was ordered back by the robbers. Not hearing the order he aid not go back, aod two B hots were ged at him, a ball grazing his forehead. He was robbed of his watch aad 27 dols. The robbers endeavoured to make an entrance into the sieeping-car, but the doora were locked and they could not break them open. The money taken was shipped from San Francisco and its destination was New York. The robbers are supposed to be the same gang that have been recently operating in the Black Hills. It is known that the James boys and John Jarrett, the notorious Missouri bandits, have been in the Black Hills country for the past year, and it is believed that they are the perpetrators 0$ the datla S robbery. The superintendent of the Union Paoific Express has offered lO.OOOdole. reward for the capture of the robbers, tWho.are being pursued by the police. Two of them have been captured by the troops.