ROBBERY FROM AN AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAIN.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5215, 8 December 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

ROBBERY FROM AN AMERICAN EXPRESS TRAIN.

A despatch from St. Louis states that the eastward bound express train on the Union Pacific Railway was robbed by a band of thirteen highwaymen one night last month at Bis Springs Station, 070 miles west of Omaha, in Wyoming territory. A few minutes beforo the arrival of the train, two masked men entered the office of William Barnard, the station-agent, who was taken captive. He was forced, under penalty of death, to destroy his telegraph instruments. 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 tho station-keeper to put out his red light on the track, and to get his mail ready as usual. The train came along in a few minutes, and came to a halt iu obedience to the signal. Four men who had Barnard in charge took him to the express car and compelled him to knock, in accordance 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 (iO.OOOdoIs. in gold. The combination locksafe was not touched, as the messenger was not in possession of the combination. The sacks containing United States mail matter were left untouched. Prom the express car the robbers hastily proceeded to. the passenger coaches and robbed most of the passengers, obtaining about ISOOdols. in money and two gold watches. Before they had finished robbing the passengers the whistle of an approaching freight train was heard, and the tho robbers hastily left the passenger train and decamped, carrying the sacks of gold with them. While the train was being robbed, the conductor, Fattersou, was guarded by one of the robbers, and required to hold his hands up all the time, and not to speak. No injury was done to any passenger except express messenger Miller, who was 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 station, and that on reaching them they at once struck out for safety. Conductor Patterson immediately despatched messengers in every direction giving the alarm, and several companies started in pursuit. Sheriff Beddley, of North Platte, at the head of a formidable posse, arrived at Big Springs at daylight, and struck their trail ten miles in the direction of the mountains, where he found a rifle, a pistol, and an empty money-box. The train that was robbed arrived at Omaha at six o'clock on the following morning, and from the passengeis thrilling accounts of the robbery were obtained. Andrew Riley, of Omaha, a passenger, stepped out on the platftjnn when the train arrived at Big Springs, and was ordered back by the robbers. Not hearing the order he did not go back, and two shots were fired at him, a ball grazing his forehead. He was robbed of his watch and 27d015. The robbers endeavoured to make an entrance into the sleep-ing-car, but the doors were locked, and they could not break them open. The money taken was shipped from Sau Franciso*, and its destination was New York. The robbers are supposed to be the same gang that have been recuuily operating in the Black Hills. It is known that the James boys and John Jarrett, the notorious Missouri bandits, have been' in the Black Hill country for the past year, and it i 3 believed that they are the perpetrators of the daring robbery. The superintendent of the Union Pacific Express has offered ten thousand dollars reward for the capture of the robbers, who are being pursued ky the police. Two of them have been captured by the troops.