The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1874-06-12
A pLUcKY EXPRESS MESSENGER.
He Kills One Of Two Men who At
tempt to Rob His Car.

ne hillS Oue % @"O AHAOA "@A~
tempt to Rob His Car.
The Detroit Tribune has the fol-
lowing particulars of an affair par
TALLY reported by telegraph:
On Friday night last, as the At
lantic express, which leaves Chicago
at 5:l5, was passing between New
Buffalo and Niles, Michigan, two
unknown men priced open the front
door of the express car and knocked
down s. B. Heath, the messenger,
who was sorting his money packages
for the different stations. MIR. Heath
was alone in the car at the time,
which had all its doors locked, and
was lighted by a single candle.
Heath saw mans foot near the
safe, and comprehended instantly
that he was in danger; but before
he could raise bis face SO as to see
that of the intruder, he was struck a
violent blow on the forehead by the
man standing near him, who put out
the light, and Selling a package OF
money, darted to and out of the
front door, the lock of which was
afteruard found to be forced off
Before Heath, partially stunned by
the blow, could do anything to pre-
vent the escape of the first man, ne
was attacked by another, who had
also got into the car. A terrible
struggle ensued between this fellow
and Heath. The latter had a revolt
yer in his pistol pocket, but the
hammer had caught in the cloth, and
for a long time he was unable to get
it out. The robber had a large
knife, but it slipped from his hand
when he first attacked the messenger,
and he did not regain possession OF
it.
The two men closed and struggled
in the darkness all over the car, each
striking the other repeatedly, and
endeavoring to disable his opponent.
At last, after receiving some severe
injuries himself, Heath, who was
then underneath, succeeded in get
ting his revolver out, and shot the
robber through the head, the ball
entering near the ear. The fellow
was not instantly killed, but he was
disabled, and rolled offthe messenger
upon the floor, where he lay uncon-
scious until the train reached Niles.
The messenger, who, from the blows
about the head and body which he
had received from the two men,
had been very badly hurt himself,
and was covered with blood, became
unconscious also as he fired, and
knew nothing more until the tram
rolled over the long bridge just west
of Niles. The rumbliDg restored
him to his senses, and as the train
ran into the station at Niles he called
for assistance, being too weak and
Frustrated even to rise from the
floor. The station and train men
poured into the car. and found
Heath. covered with blood, lying on
the floor. Near him was the man
whom he had shot, just gasping his
last. He died within few seconds
after the men at the station entered
the car. He was large, powerful
man, altogether stronger man than
Heath, and but for the loss OF his
knife would undoubtedly have killed
the messenger very quickly.
Most of the express campanys
money was found in the safe, but
one package containing 81, 200 was
discovered lying upon the floor,
where it had been thrown in the
scuffle. The front door of the ex-
press car was found to have its
locks forced off, and the men had
evidently entered from the front
platform. So great is tho noise made
by the running of those heavy
expresses trains that forcing of the
doors by the robbers had been en-,
tirely unbeard by Mr.. Heath, and
the two men were upon him before
he was aware that intruders were
within the car. The man who es>
capped carried off with him $1,000
in money, and seems to have left his
companion to his fate. Where he
Jumped from the train has not yet
been ascertained.
Heath did not sustain Injuries of
a dangerous character, though badly
cut and bruised. He has been
threatened with violence twice be-
fore while in the service of the
company, once being shot at in his
car, and once being attacked in the
street in Detroit at night, as he was
coming from the depot. In neither
case did he receive any injury or
lose any money.