TRIAL OF THE RAILROAD ROBBERS
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Strong and Conclusive Evidence
The Probable Result
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Louisville Daily Courier, Jan. 21, 1867
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I will give you as near as I can a true statement of the case of the railroad robbers. The grand jury at their last session found a no true bill against the following persons for the following offenses: Wm. P. King, Wesley Finn, Abe Owens, Abner Owens, John Colbert, Bill Finn, Bug Wainscott, Joe Payne, Charles Smith, Robin Hoy, John Evans, and Stephen Conwell. The two latter turned State's evidence. Harvey King, another of the band, was murdered for divulging the secret to one Riley Tow.
The crimes for which the bill was found by the grand jury is murder, robbery, and throwing the train off the track and they are now being tried by Judge Rogers in a special court set for their special benefit for the murder of one of their band, Harvey King. All the evidence has been taken, but the argument is not yet closed. Messrs. John A. Finn and W. W. Bush have argued the case for the Commonwealth and V. W. Weston. G. W. Whitesides, and W. L. Underwood for the defense.
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The evidence is strong and conclusive that Abe Owens, one of the train robbers, killed Harvey King, and Wm. P. King (brother of the murdered man) loaned his pistol to Owens and decoyed his brother out that Owens might hill him. The proof and all the circumstances sustain these conclusions. There is hardly a doubt but that Wm. P. King and Abe Owens will be be hung and a strong probability that two more of the party will also be hung and if the remainder of the party are cleared of the murder, the Judge in all probability will go on and try them for the other two crimes.
The evidence of Conway and Evans has been fully substantiated by the very best men the country affords, passengers who were on the train and citizens through the country where the thieves formerly lived.
Some of the lawyers for the defense of the prisoners have attempted to make capital for the prisoners' by making an attack on the characters of the parties who made the arrests, stating they were all drunk and that the hope of reward induced them to go into the organization to arrest the robbers.
This is unjust, extremely so because it is well known that the young men who made the arrest are the very best men in the country and that they started out before daylight the morning the train was robbed and never stopped their efforts until they accomplished their destiny not even thinking or speaking of the reward.
I do not know whether it is proper or not to speak of it but will say that Wm. P. King and Abner Owens were members of the 52nd Kentucky Federal regiment and were thoroughly tutored in the art of robbing by the Lieutenant Colonel of that regiment, Samuel Johnson, an ex-Methodist preacher, but while in command here could swear louder and bet higher than anybody. I understand that he is now in Lincoln, Illinois, driving team in day time and holding revivals at night. No matter what his occupation may be now, I think we can safely say, without fear of contradiction, that he is a complete scoundrel and should now be with his unfortunate pupils.
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Arrest Made
The robbery occurred on Tuesday night, Nov. 8, 1866 and the following Sunday, Nov. 13, Harvey King, a member of the band, was killed, but his body was not discovered until Tuesday. In the meantime it had been partially devoured by hogs. It is important to state here that an "ironclad oath" had been entered into by each member of the robber band to the effect that death should be the portion of any member who should divulge their names or give to anyone information that would lead to the arrest of any member. It developed that Harvey King had gotten full of mean whiskey the morning after the robbery, and while in this condition confided to a friend the plot, the hold-up and a partial list of those implicated, and as evidence, produced two hundred and forty dollars in cash, shoes. knives and other articles, as his portion of the spoils. This friend betrayed him and in a short time the members of the band were being quietly hunted down, arrested and placed in jail, but the members of the band who had escaped arrest up to this time had been alert. They had been advised of the treachery of Harvey King and in compliance with their oath, they fixed the fate of Harvey King and sealed it as related above.
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Ample and sufficient evidence had now been secured by Griff Wright, the shrewd amateur detective, to warrant him to send for Capt. W. P. King, brother of the murdered man, Harvey King, and to demand a full and complete confession as leader of the band of robbers and the murderer of his brother. In a short time, Capt. King was ushered into the presence of Wright and his assistants. He was interrogated without reserve and without mercy. He protested bitterly against being implicated in the death of his brother and denied any knowledge of the robbery under persistent interrogation, but finally under persistent interrogation, admitted that his brother, Harvey King, had given him the names of those implicated, but stoutly protested his own innocence.
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The examination of King had convinced Wright and his companions that they had secured in King, one of the leaders, and steps were immediately taken to arrest Abraham Owen, these two being considered and in fact, at the final trial were identified by passengers as the leaders of the robber band. With the information at hand, it was only a short time till twelve of the robbers had been arrested. Two escaped and fled the county and for fear of mob violence or relief from their friends, they were all placed in the charge of the United States Militia and carried to Louisville, Ky. and placed in "Taylor Barracks." They were returned here in January, 1867, to a special term of court to try all Commonwealth cases. The robbery cases were the first to be disposed of and one by one they were tried, convicted and sentenced to terms in the State prison.
ANOTHER DARING RAILROAD ROBBERY
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Three Cars Thrown Down an Embankment and Burned
The Engine Turns a Somersault and Collapses
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Passengers Plundered by Armed and Disguised Ruffians
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Total Destruction of the Express Car and its Contents
Another bold and daring sally has been made by the booted, spurred and belted ruffians who have so long infested the line of the Louisville and Nashville rail road. At about two o'clock yesterday morning the Nashville bound passenger train was thrown from the track six miles north of Franklin, Ky., hurled down an embankment and the express baggage and a second class passenger car burned to ashes, the stoves having been upset in the rapid descent and heavy concussion. The locomotive was turned over three times and the express car was thrown straight down the embankment, the end resting on the track and the baggage car piled upon it.
The obstructions on the track were about three hundred yards apart and were formed by bars of railroad iron projecting from the cross-ties toward the approaching engine. Fence rails were also piled up on the track. Obstructions were placed in the rear of the train after it had passed so that there could be no escape for the doomed train even if it should be backed up.
The engineer, Jas. L. Stewart, saw the danger when very close upon it and gallantly stood to his post, reversing the engine and so breaking the force of the concussion as to save the life of every passenger, though he did it at the risk of his own. He was badly bruised and a number of others were, more or less injured, but not a single life was lost. The fireman jumped from the engine, escaping unhurt, and the hoofs of the robbers horses almost touched him as he lay hidden when the troop passed him on their way from the scene of their depredations.
The sleeping coach and the ladies car remained on the track, the sleepy passengers supposing they had arrived at. another station when the sudden stoppage was made.
The conductor, Mr. Charles Rice, went forward to learn the cause and did not long remain in ignorance. He was called upon to halt and in a moment was surrounded by a dozen or more burly ruffians with blackened faces, armed to the teeth, and apparently upon some desperate errand. He managed to effect his escape, however, and was soon in Franklin, where he telegraphed the news of the terrible occurrence back to Louisville.
An individual whose curiosity was some what aroused, thrust his head out of the window, but hastily drew it in again, a bullet whizzing close to his attentive auricular.
Another man, who had stepped out up on the platform, was also compelled to retire to the music of whistling lead.
The ruffians, making a cicerone of the baggage master, came to the doors of the sleeping car and with drawn pistols demanded the immediate surrender of every weapon in the car. Few of the passengers being armed, however, only one or two revolvers were given up.
Some of the passengers were still asleep and one young man was seized and robbed just as he was climbing Into his berth. Others had just been discussing the robbery of the pay train, which occurred a short time ago, on this same road, little dreaming of the similar fate that awaited them.
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The robbers were very boisterous, though apparently used to their business and as much frightened as their victims. All but one, a tall, slim man, were disguised, their ugly, villainous looking faces being thoroughly blackened with charcoal or some like substance. They had on spurs, wore their pantaloons inside their boots, and looked fierce generally with the intention, no doubt, of at once striking terror to the hearts of their unfortunate, unarmed victims.
The precise number of the marauding party is not know. Only ten or twelve were seen. The leader was a large man, weighing perhaps 200 pounds, a blood red comforter girdling his waist and dappling at his side. He rather kept aloof, however, and not much was seen of him.
The man who took the pocket books was a little fellow, two of the robbers at his side enforcing his demands by placing the muzzles of their pistols at the heads of those who seemed at all disposed to withhold their currency and valuables.
Placing themselves at the door of the car, after they had taken up their collection, they made the unfortunate passengers file into the next coach, keeping them covered by deadly weapons and taking care that none should jump from the platforms and escape.
They then went through the vacated car and picked up some articles of clothing while searching for concealed money. These proceedings lasted about fifteen minutes and by this time the express car as in flames and rapidly crumbling to ashes, much to the chagrin of the sable bandits, who in hastening up the embankment to secure the passengers, had neglected to look to the little iron safe and its treasure.
Going to the baggage car, they secured number of valises, shouting as they left the ill starred passengers that the first man who stepped out upon the platform of their temporary prison should die for his temerity.
They then disappeared in the woods from whence they had come, the light from the blazing car revealing their dark forms as they flitted away to the shelter of the gloomy forest, now and then looking back upon the destruction they had wrought. Up rolled the bright flames, throwing the rays of dancing light far down along the track, as if inviting swift justice to the fleeing desperadoes and welcoming the little band of determined men who were to hasten to the rescue as soon as the tidings should reach them.
The robbers having fled, the passengers succeeded in securing the remaining contents of the baggage car before it was consumed. Many of the passengers saved considerable by stowing money and valuables in their boots and other places, the hurried search being by no means a thorough one. The ladies were not molested and only the occupants of the sleeping car were financially disturbed.
Rev. H. O. Hornady, of Atlanta, Ga. was awakened by the pressure of the muzzle of a pistol against his temple and while three or four others were brought to bear upon him, he surrendered to the robbers. He also lost his valise. J. R. Slaughter, President of the Savannah and Memphis Railroad lost a small amount. A Mobile man lost $4,000 in Government vouchers. Capt. Brown, late Assistant Quarter Master, U. S. A. was aboard but we did not learn whether he gave up anything. Mr. Guilfoid, sleeping car conductor, through whose energy the coaches remaining on the track were saved from burning, lost $300. Dr. J.G. Thomas, of Savannah, Ga., saved considerable by distributing his money in various parts of his clothing while the attention of the robbers was occupied with others. He gave them his pocket book and the $20 it contained and came near getting off at that but he was afterwards made to surrender a coat in which he had secreted $500. James Watson, of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, lost $178 and a valise with its contents, valued at $100. A man, whose name we did not learn, lost $1,500. R.R. Dunkerson of Evansville, In:, lost $70 or $80. A northern man, name not ascertained, lost $350. R.R. Goodwin, Agent of Neale, Netherland and Co., Louisville, gave up $24, but concealed the balance of his cash and saved his watch by transferring it to his boot. S. Wertheimer, of Columbia, Tn., lost a valise and contents worth $60. M. Rehofer of Louisville, lost $67. N. Rosennean, of Louisville, lost his pocket book and $9. One man surrendered $147 and concealed $700 in his boot. A number of others lost various amounts, none very large, however.
The loss of the L. & N. Railroad by the destruction of the engine and three cars is estimated at from $25,000 to $30,000. Everything in the Express car was burned. Only the ashes of the green backs in the safe were to be seen upon opening it. It is said that there had been deposited in it $25,000.
Capt. Brown tracked the robbers some three miles and recovered most of the vouchers which had been taken, they having scattered them along the way. The passengers made up a purse for Mr. Stewart, the engineer, to whose presence of mind they owed their lives.
The light of the burning cars was seen at Franklin and created much wonderment. As soon as the news of the robbery became known, a special train which had been engaged by Mike Lipman for the transportation of his circus was tendered by him for the use of the unfortunate passengers and with a squad of armed men aboard it reached them about daylight. A letter signed by and expressing the thanks of the passengers has been addressed to Mr. Lipman.
The train arrived here yesterday at noon with the robbed travelers nearly all aboard. The only object of the desperados who committed this flagrant outrage seems to have been plunder as no one was in any way injured by them. A party of mounted men, well armed, left Franklin yesterday morning in search of them.