Eyewitness account of the train robbery

On Friday night, the 15th, the east bound train on the Rock Island road was robbed near Winston Station. The accounts in regard to the matter are very conflicting. It is now thought that the robbery was committed by the old James gang, that there were from three to seven men in it. That they got about $9,000 from the express car, and it is certain that they killed Conductor Westfall and a man named McMillen.

Maj. McGee, who is generally cool under excitement, was a passenger and gives us the following statement.

FRIEND LAMKIN: At your request I will attempt to give you the details of the Winston train robbery on the night of the 15th, inst., as I saw them, and in doing so if my statement conflicts with that of any other statements, I don’t wish to be understood us throwing discredit up on theirs, for in a case like that no two men can see the same thing alike and if I saw it so very different from any one else it was because they and I were excited differently, for that we were all excited there was no use in deying, but to begin. Train No. 2 on the Rock Island road left Cameron on the night of the 15th inst., on time. Conductor Westfall in charge of the train, Engineer Walcott in charge of the engine. Nothing unusual occurred until we reached Winston, when we made the usual stop. The conductor but sounded the usual “all aboard” and the train was about moving out when several men, I should think ten or a dozen in all came in at the forward end of the smoking car, as I knew none of the I took them to be men employed upon the works at Dog Creek. I was sitting about the middle of the car on the south side with my face east.

The conductor had commenced taking up fare and had got as far as where I was sitting when one of those who got on as we were running out from the depot, came walking up the aisle and passed by the conductor, passing him on the North side. When about two steps West of the conductor he wheeled around with his face East and drawing a revolver in each hand commenced firing. At the first discharge he hallowed “down, down, down.” At this time he had reached the side of the conductor and appeared to be passing him as the conductor threw up his right hand as, I thought, to either catch the bell rope or pistol in the robber’s hand, when the robber shot him with the pistol he held in his left hand. At this time conduct and robber were standing nearly side by side with their faces different ways, the conductor west and the robber east, the conductor on the south side of the aisle and the robber on the north side. The conductor dropped his lantern where he was standing and in a stooping position rushed out of the car and was seen by me no more.

The robber continued to advance on down the mule firing as he went, until he reached the forward door, when he passed out on the platform of the car. During all of this time another one of those who came in as we were running out from the depot, stood in the forward end of the car with his west and holding a revolver in each hand, kept firing as did the other man, and like him hallowed “down, down, down.” He also passed out on the front platform. I watched the pistols very closely and with the exception of the time the conductor was shot I think they were all elevated fired in the ceiling of the car, evidently to intimidate rather than injure the passengers. The one that passed up the aisle and who shot the conductor was a man about 5ft. 10 in. to 6 ft. high, and would weigh from 160 to 170 lbs, and about 30 to 35 years old. He was dressed in dark clothes and had on a black hat, common soft, felt. The one who stood in the forward end of the car was, I should think, about 5 ft. 8 in. high, and would weigh about 150 lbs., was dressed in rather light clothes. I couldn’t tell anything about the complexions, as I paid , more attention to those pistols than to their complexions. At the time the conductor was shot a man standing by the forward door of the car reached up and seized the bell rope with both hands as I thought then to stop the train, but as the rope was cut about that time, he may have been another one of the robbers. I then thought him to be one of the workmen at Dog Creek, and was trying to stop the train. He was a small man, was in his shirt sleeves and had on a straw hat.

This was all done against we reached the section house, which is probably not more than three or four hundred yards east of the depot, and yet in the town of Winston. After passing out on the front platform one or more of them commenced firing back through the car evidently to keep anyone from coming forward, as all the balls were shot in the ceiling of the car. This firing continued until we reached the trestle at Dog creek. All the I could hear firing on in front, either on the engine or in the baggage car. We were brought to a halt on the trestle and remained so for some time, when we again moved on to Little- -Dog crook, where the train was again stopped and the robbers left. Up to this time I supposed that Conductor Westfall, together with Harry Thomas, brakeman, and Loss Ewing, stock agent, had retreated to the rear cars, but finding there were neither of them aboard the train, I was satisfied that Westfall, if not the other, was probably killed.

I know nothing about the shooting of McMillan, as I knew none of the workmen. I only paid attention to those I knew. Mr. Thompson Brosius, of Gallatin, Jo X. Wright, of Jamesport, and an old gentleman from Princeton, remained in the car with me all the time. All the others I think deserted the car so soon as the firing commenced. I know nothing of what took place outside the smoking car.

J.H. McGee.

C.L. Ewing, adjusting agent of the road, was aboard and assisted by Harry Thomas, threw on the automatic brakes. This perhaps saved the train from destruction, as it was running at a ruinous speed where the truck was very bad. Ewing leaped from the train, ran back to the depot and telegraphed here. The Sheriff immediately organized a posse and went to our depot where a freight was due. Permission was obtained to go on this train, but strange to say no orders were given its conductor to hurry matters, consequently it doubled up the grade and tarried along until four hours were wasted.

The Sheriff and his posse consequently were that much behind. The place where the horses of the robbers were tied was discovered. A part of the bridle of the animals was left. It appeared to have wound tightly around the place where it was hitched, and the robber did not take the time to unwrap it, but cut it loose with a knife. During the day, Friday, three men took dinner at Matchett’s, and were scene lolling ’round the woods by Ezra Soule. These were the fellows who had charge of the horses. Others perhaps came on the train from Cameron or Kansas City.

The last report of the robbers, supposed there were seven of them, that they had traveled together till near Lawson in Ray county, where they divided –four going one direction and three another.

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The Gallatin Democrat, July 23, 1881, Page 3. via Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-gallatin-democrat-winston-train-robb/199835204/ : accessed June 19, 2026), clip page for Winston Train Robbery — Democrat by user darryl_gpc54