Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-11-29
The Robbery on the Pacific Railroad.
Fifty Thousand Dollars zaAen- Ezpress
Car Robbed-Fy;0e Thousand Dollars Re

acdrd.
The Corinne CUtah) Reporter has the fol-
lowing account Of an affair already alluded to
By telegraph:
Yesterday morning startling rumor spread
through the city that the express car on the
Central Pacific had been robbed of sums va
riously stated at from ten to hundred thou-
sand dollars. Later aud more authentic dis
patches breaght particulars of two robberies
of the same train. The first occurred on the
night of the 4th instant near Verdi, Nevada.
and the second the next night near Peoquop,
small station not far from Humboldt Wells.
On the first occasion the robbers uncoupled
the express and baggage cars from the pas
senger train, and took possession of them after
they had progressed some distance. The mes
senger of Wells, Fargo & Co.. had barricaded
the door of the express car, but being alone
within, was compelled TO reopen it, and the
entire contents were rifed4in few moments.
Forty. eight thousand dollars were taken from
the treasure chest, mostly in coin; part of the
robbers standing with levelled guns while the
others did the work. On the next evening
the train was tagged near PeoquOp, and the
moment it stopped two men jumped on the
locomotive and several more on the express
cor, with pistols pointed at the employees they
then uncoupled as before from the passenger
train. and ran the express and baggage car
some five miles. There they put off the mes
senger and agent, hut compelled the engineer
to run five miles further. when they stopped
and completed the robbery, obtaining this
time some So 600. Ten persons were seen
engaged in the first robbery and six in the
last. 1t is not known what amount was taken
from the mail car. Wells, Fargo & Co. offer
80 Cav
ton of the robbers or any of them. and the
same for the recovery of the treasure or pro
portionately for any part of it. The Central
Pacific company offer 81 900 each for the ar
rest and conviction of the robbers. This is
certainly the most audacious robbery ever per
petrated in the West. if not in the United
States and it is doubtful if the moderate re-
ward will induce ordinary thief-takers to at
tack men as desperate as the robbers have
shown themselves to be.
The particulars of the first robbery are
thus given by the Gold Hill Neps:
It appears that the eastward-bound train
had been delayed an hour by the freight trains
which colidcd yesterday, and consequently it
was an hour behind time. when it arrived at
Verdi. The train here waited for the west
ward bound passenger train from Reno to pass
it, and after it had passed, seven masked men
mounted the platform of the express car and
the next passenger car, standing in the way of
the brakeman, who desired them to get out
Of his way, as he could not operate the brakes
But they paid no heed to him, and he went
into the car for the conductor, who, on COM
ing out, had several pistols pointed at his head,
and was requested to go back. just then the
bel-rope was cut, and the highwayman took
the locomotive, and, with drawn pistols, com
l,l III 70 cfar no
and the express and mail cars down the road.
The engineer at first protested; but it was
life or death with him. and the formidable
/ weapons which were pointed at his head very
painfully convinced him that his strange visl.
tors meant business. He accordingly ran the
locomotive and express car down the road
about eight miles to Hunters old crossing of
the Truckee river, where he was commanded
to stop. which he did and while two of the
highwaymen kept the engineer covered with
their weapons, the others went on each side
of Wells Fargo & Co.'S express and
knocked for admission. There was but one
clerk in the car, and he was entirely ignorant
as to what was going on outside; so he partly
opened shutter or small door, and seeing the
men hanging on to the side of the car trying
to get in, he quickly closed it; and on going
to the other side of the he found sew
eral others trying to force the door open. He
accordingly surrendered, opened the doors,
and the hghwaymen entered 1t was but the
work of few moments for the five robbers to
clutch the sacks of gold, containing between
10000 and S50,000 which we're in the safe
ard to leave the car and be out of sight
among the chapare. In the haste of selling
the coin. some of it got scattered over the car
floor. and was afterwards gathered up by the
clerk or messenger. There was also consd-
cradle silver colo in the safe, but the robbers
took none of it. After the seven had left the
car and locomotive, the engineer concluded
to 90 back for his train at Verdi which
was standing just where it had been left
most all the passengers being asleep. and only
about dozen being aware that the seven
masked men had run away with the locomo>
tive and express car. After the conductor
had been so unccremoaiously ordered into the
sleeping car by the robbers, he rushed into
rear car for weapon, and returned only in
time to sec the fugitives passing round bend
in the road at a speed of forty knots an hour.
He then rushed for the Telegraph office. but
only to find that the wires had been cut in both
directions. After detention of the train ut
Verdi for at least two hours and half it start
ed for Reno. where it arrived without further
trouble The alarm was Immediately given
and Nels. Hammond wells, Fargo & Co.'S
aeent) started half dozen picked men on
horseback out after the robbers, who are sup
posed to have taken to the mountains in the
direction of Wehber Lake and the Henness
Pass road towards California. The money
which was taken by the robbers was all in
tended for Gold Hill and Virginia City to pay
off the wages of our miners; the principal
amount, we learn was intended to LAY the
hands in the Yellow Jacket to-day.
WHAT RUSSIA WANTS ADVOCATED IN
THE TREATY OF 1S65.-The two articles, the