| Show COPYRIGHT BY JAMES MES cN Ti op r r f. f I I t f r I Story qt Hold up of f uj r y v. v N rf l r j r r ra 7 t i l C L f v r f 7 rI x y mr y 4 I F f s 1 f's a t f Sw I c y 1 i v L S 1 I f fr 1111 r 4 1 1 J IS' IS ISh h. h L' L j a ia 1 1 t f l r 1 Sn 0 hr a v i t 4 tj i t V T Tt t 1 R r r s r i 1 f fV t 1 rl 1 1 I arr n l r aI 7 V i ir y rJ r l r A I J k I I H i 1 n d 6 7 r Vy ar r rii v 1 1 i iI 3 k af 11 rr rrt fj I t t r r f I l 7 e 1 lr n y y v Ert i j r L r r ti li a k r r i r. r il I ry r 1 r H 4 r Y 7 y t tT f IJ rr j I t iiI 1 s t arv i 1 aft t l tf i y fiva chase ai ill ti a crate t tram r robbers JJ 6 two VO L F determined tUy s of J the law v. Fragments of the thc c ca cafe e have f. f appeared in m in print from time to time but the present narrative is is the first firsti first full and complete account of one of i the most raising hair-raising adventures that in the southwest have ever occurred in section of the United States ii Fort tort V 41 Worth T orth Express r i the One ng night ht ii r t. which was was due t to meet the northbound northbound north- north i bound tram train at Oliphant a small stat station sta- sta t J r t tion n in n that i section I so south th of Newport pulled into the siding m in order to perc per per- mil mit the north-bound north train to pass that t c train waiting one on While the was ti place j conductor McConnell the the e siding s 1 whistling v and in in the best of spirits stepped off the first car and began 1 j wa walking kin g up up a and d down th the platform 1 beside besHle his tram tram train n. n Suddenly without 1 r he lie found himself himself him- him warning the slightest 1 Without With With- self surrounded raided by armed men i out a moments moment's hesitation he pulled r. r and began shooting out his tuffs pistol masked rev re- re who were 1 The strangers 2 I fire and the result vas was v as 0 turned r the 1 him fo found md that t the e pluck plucky r conductor by several Winchester i self pierced u r immediately immediate lc hc thieves bullets bullet T The r F t brakeman brake brake- leer A brought the fireman engi engineer i and then r off the thc train tram 1 t i I l man and porter exploration of the r 1 beg began gan a systematic of value was express s ca car r Nothing found however and they r proceeded coaches and re relieve relieve re- re through the day to g go of their vale vale- v l I I lieve leave the passengers function this finished 1 Having laying ablest ables and disappeared mounted horses 1 1 they S in the e woods J t r ON THE TRAIL caused d a great treat deal of h The 1 1 incident caus g v me time and the railroad railroad rail rail- at the i excitement two r of put wo immediately road officials inactions in instructions in- in on the case with n- n men their best and punish actions to apprehend sti robbers at any cos cost Two wo the train later C. C O O. Eari Games Eames Chief Special Special days Pacific the Missouri I of cial ial Agent and G. G H. H 1 hip 1 were at al Railway I making an mV investigation Oliphant fortunate fortunat enough to g get let on fP They lv were imm immediately and almost the trail had captured two w within two hours w 4 r J yg 4 f. f 1 i y C. C 0 If 9 te Missouri 3 r i 1 P he her of th the robbers named John Brady and Albert Mansker lansker These two men were found in the woods and at the point of the pistol confessed that they were part of the gang that had robbed the Fort V Worth orth Express After a little further persuasion they admitted that the gang had been organized organized organized or or- in a little town in the western west west- ern rn portion of Arkansas bordering on the Indian Territory and said it was composed of six men consisting of themselves Samuel and Pennyweight Pennyweight Pennyweight Penny Penny- weight Powell James Wyrick and John Padgett They confessed that th y had ridden in a lumber wagon across two hundred miles of rough country for the purpose of holding u up P the north-bound north train that usually went on the siding at Oliphant and which as a rule carried a large amount of money The two men were placed in prison and then the officers started out to round up the remainder of the gang They or organized g anizel a posse consisting of United States marshals and deputy sheriffs sheriffs men men who were noted for their fighting qualities and who would die before they would surrender They The learned that five members of the gang had started across the country country country coun coun- try on stolen horses leaving two animals animals ani ani- am- am mals for Brady and Mansker l These two worthies had paused at the town of Batesville long enough to call upon two young ladies with whom they call which resulted result result- were acquainted acquainted-a a ed in their arrest arrestA A HARD LEAD The railroad officers started out in inthe inthe inthe the intention of covering every road every bridle path and searching every town and every house in that section of oi the country They divided their party into four squads of five each for this purpose The country was hilly and rough and they met with almost unparalleled hardships The trip lasted for five weeks and there was was scarcely an hour of any day during during dur dur- ing the time it lasted which was not filled with thrilling adventure On the morning of the third day the they met for consultation at a farmhouse farm farm- house which was located in a sort of hollow next to a hill They had breakfast breakfast break break- fast at this and place afterwards ent en- en t V r J i. i f f a I r r. r lila I 0 9 t jo r ti yv s- s tr ference m a conference regarding the program for the day While they were ere talking the year old daughter of the farmer came in and said Papa I want to ask you some some- thing What hat is it it asked the father I 1 I want to know what the five men in the spring house are going to get for breakfast N If a gun had been shot off in that little room it could not have caused more excitement Eames and Thiel and I their h ir assistants jumped to their feet and feeling for their pistols started out to the house But the men in hiding got the alarm and had a little start on the deputies f They heY chased the fugitives through the thew w woods on fo foot t firing and being fired at constantly Finally they reached an open cornfield but the robbers had sought refuge behind a hill and after a while secured their horses and dashed away f The journey was resumed and although although al although al- al though the officers and their men menn were very much wearied they never for a moment entertained the thought of giving up the chase chaser Finally they reached Siloam Springs where the gang of train robbers were supposed to have been organized They discovered discovered discovered dis dis- dis- dis covered that James Wyrick and John Padgett had not he been en seen m in the lo locality locality locality lo- lo r for many days but that Pennyweight Pennyweight Penny Penny- weight Powell and his brother Samuel Samuel Sam Sam- uel net had been in the vicinity within the previous twenty-four twenty hours Officers Officers Officers cers Eames and Thiel divided their men up and permitted them to obtain a needed much-needed rest A DUEL DUEL WITH PISTOLS Hour after hour and day after day passed and still the men who were wanted did not make their appear appear- ance Just as the time pursuers were beginning beginning beginning be be- ginning to give up hope however A 4 1 R Rl d l re rez z q I Ai S F FV V i k r r Z I 1 1 1 ra y t f 1 r yf f g I r. r t I tn L-tn JL i I I tt r I. I f 0 I t l H rt rtH l J f- f 1 w w i uti Y i t r. I J w 1 v. v t. t iJ 1 t t 11 it l' l 1 i r 0 t L rI f S J r jI h A 1 toJ I lt j 1 rh J I p f I u o- o h Y r zoy f y l II 1 1 io ro r- p t. t 4 z Fc Pennyweight c um Powell made his ap- ap ji in in the community He came cameto cameto cameto to his home one night an and was immediately im- im the who mediately spotted by men were on guard He managed manag-ed to leave his house with a satchel but was followed followed followed fol fol- fol- fol lowed by Thiel He got as far as Denver and then a duel with pistols took place between n the desperate criminal and the determined officer of the law Thiel however managed to arrest his Ins man and placed him in in jail but in in the encounter he was shot in inthe inthe inthe the knee which caused his death A day or so after that the pursuers got on the trail of Wyrick V and Pad Pad- gett They came to a house far away from any railroads where the men had stopped for breakfast The farmer farm farmer far far- m mer r who owned the place said that his visitors had black silk handkerchiefs handkerchiefs handkerchiefs chiefs which th they y had iced ased as masks and from their talk he was satisfied that they were train rob rob- bers This was a sufficient clue to work upon and the officers and their assistants went iI into to the woo woods s following following following fol fol- lowing lowing- the trail which had been indicated indicated indicated indi indi- by their informant The chase lasted all of that morning and part of the afternoon Towards dusk Eames and Thiel became separated from the remainder of the party and at that critical stage of their journey they suddenly and unexpectedly came carne upon the two men of whom they r were in search Instantly they raised their pistols and leveling them at the two men demanded their sur sur- render But desperate characters of this kind are arc not subdued by the mere sight of a gun They fear neither the of man nor devil and prospect hot lead has less terror for them than the thought of imprisonment or death at the hands of the authorities After the first exchange of shots Wyrick Wyrick Wy Wy- rick and Padgett started to run through the woods with Eames and Thiel close on their heels If you dont don't stop shouted Thiel we will shoot you down n in iii your tracks Shoot away and be hanged was the cheerful response Stil the time chase kept on the fugitives fugitives fugitives fugi fugi- tives sometimes gaining g sometimes losing hosing Up hill and down dale the they ran stumbling over rocks falling into ravines every now and then pausing to level their pistols and se send d a shot back at their pursuers All this had continued for nearly an hour when the two robbers stopped short and 11 waited ife for the officers Once more a 8 r r hail hall f shot filled the air arr All of the b bullets lI ts strange strang to say missed their mark but presently pursuer pursuer and pursued pursued pur pur- sued came to close quarters and then came came a to hand-to-hand fight which resulted re rel resulted re- re l suIted in In the capture of the two train robbers They were bound and taken to the nearest town where they were placed in jail preparatory to th their ir trial CAUGHT BY STRATEGY The Powells Sam and Pennyweight Pennyweight Pennyweight Penny Penny- weight were still at liberty and it was desirable to secure them before the authorities would go on with the the trial of the other bandits Incidentally Incidentally Incident Incident- ally all it might be remarked that while these notorious criminals were evading evading evad evad- ing ing- their pursuers they were whiling away the time by minor minor ups hold-ups in indifferent indifferent indifferent different parts of the country Pennyweight Pennyweight Pennyweight Penny Penny- weight Powell was the most industrious industrious industrious indus indus- in this respect and it was re resolved resolved resolved re- re solved that he lie should be obtained by means of a little strategy Information Information Information mation was spread broadcast that at ata a certain hour on a certain night one of the rich men in that vicinity would take a journey in his carriage going from one town to another and amid carrying carry carry- ing with him a large amount of money in in gold and bank notes The train robber heard of this and his professional instincts were immediately immediately immediately immedi immedi- aroused It was a moonlight I night and an hour before the time i ithe the carri carriage ge was to pass a point three miles out of the town he was on hand I with one or two confederates In the meantime the carriage which was a closed one started on its journey but without the gold and bank notes i Officer Eames however and several of his assistants tucked themselves snugly in the interior and waited for developments In the meantime another another another an an- other squad went into the woods and by making a detour managed to get i in iii the rear of the place where Pennyweight Pennyweight Pennyweight Penny Penny- weight Powell proposed to make a stand It was a 1 clear crisp night and the train robbers who looked on the prospective up hold-up as rather an amateur proceeding were in the best of spirits Presently the carriage I came jingling along because along because to add 1 to the humor of the situation they I had placed sleigh bells around the horses' horses necks Just as it reached the I place appointed Pennyweight raised his rifle and shouted in stentorian tones i Halt Haiti I 1 Your money or your life I 1 IA IA I IA A peal of laughter came from the closed carriage While the astonished astonished astonished aston aston- bandit was wondering what had happened the sound of shooting in inthe inthe the rear attracted his attention He Ie I turned to find what was the matter A half dozen deputy sheriffs were rapidly approaching firing in the air airas 1 i as they came near to their man Before Before Before Be Be- I fore he had time to recover from his astonishment Eames and his assistants assistants assistants assist assist- ants had leaped from the carriage carnage and the famous up hold-up man was their 1 I prisoner I I Train robbery is punishable by hanging in Arkansas and summary justice was meted out to all of the captured men Brady Mansker and rick Wyrick were hanged while Penn Penny Penny-j yf weight Powell and Padgett each received received received re- re ten years in the State Peni t Thus ended one of the most f famous molts crin criminal nal hunts in American i history s I I l 1 Io |
