at the same time the two robbers took possession of the engine, two others, with the same mask of red handkerchiefs, boarded the express car, while the other five commenced discharging their pistols in order to intimidate the passengers. the express messenger made an effort at resistance, but he was struck a desperate blow on the head with a pistol and then forced to deliver up the keys to the wells, fargo & co.'s safe. the contents of the safe in gold, silver and currency amounted to $60,000, besides 300,000 ounces of silver in bars, the latter consigned to the treasury at washington. the robbers could not handle the heavy silver bars, so they were compelled to be satisfied with the other contents of the safe and about $2,000 which they took from the passengers. they then permitted the train to go on its way, and having divided their plunder they loaded the coin on three pack-mules and made off with it.
[pg 127]
the men had been carelessly masked and a passenger had recognized one of them as a fellow named joel collins, who had been passing for a stock man about that section. from this the railroad detectives obtained information on which to act, and though the pursuit which was organized failed to overtake the outlaws, there was still a hope of recovering some of the treasure. part of the gang had gone directly south into kansas, and word was sent along the kansas pacific to be on the lookout for them. on the 25th of september, sheriff bardsley and ten soldiers were patroling a section of the road near buffalo station. they had a description of one of the parties who were expected to strike about that point, and sure enough two men were seen coming down from the north with a pack animal. the soldiers kept out of sight in a ravine near by, and when the men reached the station and were watering their horses the sheriff talked with them long enough to be satisfied that they were the men he was expecting. they only stopped a few minutes, then pushed on south. the sheriff immediately brought out his squad and demanded a halt, calling collins by name. the men even then did not seem to apprehend that they were known as the train robbers, but on being told to surrender they drew their pistols. this brought a volly from the cavalrymen which killed them both. in the pack was found $20,000 of the gold. collins' companion's name was bass, and[pg 128] he is generally supposed to have been the texas desperado, sam bass. the point at which this treasure was first recovered was only 300 miles south of where the robbery occurred. subsequently the detectives succeeded in tracing several others of the band and making them give up some of the money, but the greater part of it was lost. it was claimed at the time that jesse and frank james were along with this band and that they made enough out of the haul to reimburse themselves very well for what they lost on the northfield trip.
after the fight at buffalo the remaining bandits separated for the purpose of dividing the trail which was being followed closely, and the hope was indulged for some time that all the robbers would certainly be apprehended. but after the bandits divided the chase was unavailing and the pursuing parties returned to their homes.
nearly three weeks after the robbery, jim berry returned to mexico, missouri, with a large sum of money, principally in gold. he had been a resident of the neighborhood but had left for the black hills—so he claimed—some months before. he had never borne a good character and was known to be an acquaintance, at least, of the james and younger boys and other noted outlaws. further than this he was seen in nebraska, near the place of the robbery, by parties who knew him. the exhibition of so much suddenly acquired wealth, together with the [pg 129]circumstances of the express robbery fresh in the memory of every one, created a suspicion on the part of the sheriff of audrain county that berry was one of the robbers. he kept his own counsel, however, and waited further developments. they came soon enough. berry sold several thousand dollars in gold to the southern bank at mexico; exhibited several fine gold watches which he offered to sell at surprisingly low prices, and besides this he exchanged his ordinary habit for the finest clothes he could have made. another very suspicious circumstance was in the conduct of berry; he kept himself in secret places and appeared apprehensive of some effort to catch him. the sheriff, mr. glascock, now felt certain that his suspicions were founded upon facts. in the middle of october a young fellow by the name of bozeman kazey came into mexico with an order from berry for a suit of clothes then being made by a tailor of the place. the sheriff learned of this and he at once arrested kazey, after which a posse consisting of robert steele, john carter, john coons and sam moore was deputized by the sheriff to assist in the capture of berry. kazey was compelled to act as guide, and on the 14th of october the official party set out for the haunts of berry near kazey's house. they reached the latter's home before daylight on sunday morning, and leaving their prisoner in the custody of steele the remainder of the party surrounded the house for the purpose of catching[pg 130] berry when he should come to obtain the clothes he expected kazey to bring.
shortly after daylight sheriff glascock made a little tour out in the woods, and after skirting a bridle path for some distance he saw berry hitching his horse preparatory to walking to kazey's house. the sheriff crept cautiously towards berry and was within forty feet of him before the latter discovered the officer. berry then started to run, heedless of the sheriff's cry to halt, and never paused until the second discharge of buckshot from the sheriff's gun tore through his leg and felled him to the ground. prostrate as he was the bandit tried to draw his pistol, but the sheriff was upon him too quickly. berry was disarmed and then carried to kazey's house and surgical aid speedily summoned. on his person was found nearly $1,000 in money, and a fine gold watch and chain.
after the surgeon arrived, moore, coons and steele were left in charge of the wounded man and kazey, while the sheriff and john carter rode over to berry's house to see if new discoveries might not be made.
when they entered the house the sheriff addressed mrs. berry and said:
"mrs. berry, where is your husband?"
"i am sure i have no idea," she responded; "he has not been at home for several days."
"then let me inform you," said the sheriff, "that we have just captured him, but in so doing he was[pg 131] badly wounded. you had better go over and see him, at kazey's house."
mrs. berry manifested the greatest grief, and the wailings of the wife and little children quite unnerved the sheriff and his deputy for some time, but they had to do their duty, and, before leaving, the house was thoroughly searched for money and valuables, but nothing was discovered.
on the same afternoon berry was taken to mexico in an ambulance and given quarters in the ringo hotel, where he was attended by the best surgeons in the town. the wound was much more severe than at first supposed. seven buckshot had penetrated the leg, cutting the arteries and fracturing the tibia bone. his sufferings were excruciating until monday night when mortification began, and on the following day he died.
at all times berry positively refused to give the names of his associates in the express robbery, nor did he ever admit his own participation.
the mystery connected with the robbery is found in the impenetrable veil which masks the identity of the robber band. the three who were killed gave no clue as to who were their comrades. in the absence of any proof, judgment being laid entirely upon circumstances and conjecture, it is popularly supposed that the four whose personnel has never been discovered were sam bass, jack davis and the two james boys.
