A TRAIN ROBBED BY BANDITS.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 103, 29 October 1881, Page 4

A TRAIN ROBBED BY BANDITS.

An Arkadelphia special train on the Iron Mountain and Southern Railway, which left Taxarkana at eight o'clock on 23rd September, was boarded at Hope by five young men. After passing Prescott, and when near Kensitt, suddenly drew revolvers and ordered the conductor to atop the train, which he did. They then proceeded to mako the passengers throw up their hands and went through them, getting 700dols. They then vißited the express car, opened the messenger's safe, and took 30,000-iols in currency. Before leaving the train they threw a package containing 15,000d01s back, under the impression that it was valueless. A second despatoh says the conductor was in such a hurry to stop the train that he pulled the bell-cord in two. The conductor tells a oiroumstantial s<oiy regarding the train robbery. They paid thoir fare some distance ahead after some conversation, and when the conductor parsed on they drank from a bottle and followed, demanding hia money. He thought it a joke of drunken men, bnt found hia mistake very soon, and handed oat 15 dollars in silver, saying his bills by saying he had none. They then walked him in front of them, and took the monny from the passengers, occasionally giving back three or four dollars to the victimß. They robbed ten or fifteen passengers, and then marched the conductor into the PoUman car, and then back through the train to the express and baggage car, and, with pistole at his head, compelled the express messenger, Ben Sam, to open the safe, which they rifled, and then getting off fired poveral .shots at the engineer to expedite him. It is not believed that they had confederates on the traip. The robbery occmred about 10 o'clock in the evening, and it occupied abont twenty minutes. Their total plunder from the expreßß company and passengers ia about 18,000do1s. The railroad company agreed to pay 5000dolB. reward, and the State 500dols. each for the arrest and conviction of the robbers. > Armed partieß were scouring the country in all directions when the mail left, and the robbers can hardly escape.