American Road-Agents.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 4193, 24 November 1883, Page 7 (Supplement)

American Road-Agents.

Thk great Jesse James, though dead, yet lives in the affectionate remembrance and imitation of his countrymen. The incident just reported from Coolidge, on the Denver and Kansas line, is worthy of the best days of the James boys. A train having halted at that place for five minutes to take in water, a band of heroes, whose names are as yet unknown, opened fire upon it, killing the engine-driver and wounding the fireman. So far so good, but Fortune did not continue to favour the bold. The assailants, of courso, having disabled the locomotive, went straight for the treasure which was in charge of the ex-press-messenger. The lattor, having been alarmed by the firing, barricaded the door of his car and opened fire on the maraudersthrough the window. Abriskfusillade ensued, which seems not to have led to any injuries. It sufficed, however, to spoil the assailants' game, for the .passengers, having by this time been thoroughly roused, came to tho aid of the expre«smessenger, and the " bravo boys," seeing that all was lost except honour, had to decamp without any pecuniary reward for their dashing murder. Tho whole country, it appears, is in a hue and cry after them, and there seems to be some fear that if '' caught before reaching cover " they may bo treated with inconsiderate harshness. With the acquittal of Frank James fresh in their memory, people who have a prejudice against marauding may be more inclined than ever to shoot marauders out of hand, lest a high-spirited and romantic jury should perchance shrink from convicting them.—" Pall Mall Gazette."