On the last day of January, 1874, but little more than two weeks after their last successful robbery, the five bandits, with Frank James still acting as leader, rode into the station and made prisoners of every man in the place, consisting of the railroad agent, a saloon-keeper, blacksmith, two wood-choppers, and the son of Dr. John M. Rock. These were confined in the station house under threats of instant death if any attempt at escape were made. Having prevented every means of alarm, the desperadoes turned the switch in order to ditch the train if it attempted to run past, (as Gad's Hill was only a flag station,) and then planted a red flag in the track immediately in front of the station house.
The train was not due until 5:40 in the evening, at which time the shadows of twilight curtained the little place and prepared the approach of darkness. Promptly upon time the train came bowling along, and the engineer, seeing the danger-signal ahead, brought the engine to a standstill alongside the station house. No one was seen when the train stopped, but in a moment thereafter Cole Younger mounted the cab and, with drawn pistol, compelled the engineer and fireman to leave the engine and walk out into the woods. Mr. Alford, the conductor, was arrested by Jesse James as he stepped from the train to ascertain the cause of the display of the red flag. He was forced to give up his watch and $75.00 in money, after which he was placed in the station house. Then began a sack of the passengers. Clell Miller, Jim Younger and Frank James searched the affrighted people in the cars, while Jesse James and Cole Younger, taking opposite sides of the train, maintained a watch and kept shooting in various directions, while they uttered terrible oaths and threats, to keep the passengers in a state of constant trepidation.
After stripping all the passengers of every bit of valuables, the outlaws proceeded to the express car, where they broke open the safe and secured the contents. The mail car was next plundered and the letters cut open, one of which contained $2,000, and several smaller sums were obtained. The total amount of booty secured by the bandits was about $11,500. Having again successfully accomplished their criminal purpose without meeting any resistance, the five desperadoes released those confined in the station house; the engineer and fireman were recalled from their position in the woods, and the train was ordered to proceed. Then mounting their horses, which were hitched near by, the outlaws rode into the brush and disappeared in the darkness.
When the train reached Piedmont information of the robbery was telegraphed to Little Rock, St. Louis, and all the towns along the road. On the following day, a large body of well-armed men started from Ironton and Piedmont in pursuit of the desperate outlaws, and soon got on their track. The pursuing party found where the bandits had breakfasted, sixty miles from Gad's Hill; following the trail closely on the second day the citizen's posse reached the spot where the outlaws had spent the night, and they were encouraged by the belief that a capture might be effected before the close of the day, but suddenly the party came to a low marsh through which it was dangerous to ride, and in searching for a pathway around the boggy district much time was lost and the trail of the robbers could not be found again; so the pursuit was abandoned.
WICHER'S UNFORTUNATE HUNT FOR THE JAMES BOYS.
In the spring of 1874 John W. Wicher of Chicago, a brave, cool, cunning man, scarcely thirty years of age, connected with the Pinkerton force, appeared before his chief and asked to be sent out to discover the hiding place of the terrible brigands. He was fully informed of the dangers of such a mission, but his self-reliance and pride made him anxious to make the attempt which had already cost the lives of so many courageous officials. The chief gave his consent, and Wicher set out at once for the Samuels residence. In the early part of March the detective arrived in Liberty, where he soon laid his schemes before the sheriff of Clay county, and asked for assistance when the time and circumstances were ripe for a strike. The sheriff promised all needful aid and gave Wicher all the information in his possession concerning the habits and rendezvous of the James and Younger boys.
Changing his garb for the habit of a tramp, Wicher left Liberty on the 15th of March and arrived at Kearney on the same day, late in the afternoon. He took the road leading directly to the Samuels residence and had proceeded perhaps two miles on the lonely highway, when suddenly Jesse James walked out from behind a pile of dead brush and, with pistol presented, confronted the detective. Wicher's surprise was complete, but he manifested not the least excitement, his cool self-possession never deserting him for a moment.