The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1883-01-26

which came id soon after. Two OF
.he highwaymen jumped on the en-
CINE, overawed the engineer and ME
man. and side-tracked the engine.
The remainder of the gang seized the
trainmen and robbed them OF ths
they possessed and connh-
ed them also in the tank house.
The then attacked the express car,
where they were met by rapid fus-
illade from A. Y. Ross, express mes
senoer. The fire was returned BRISK
lv and some thirty shots were ex-
changed when the robbers finding
the resistance more spirited than they
has expected, and probably fearing
a demonstration on the part OF the
passengers, decamped. No one Is
known to have been killed or wound
ed. The passengers were not mo-
Tested.
From A. Y. Ross, the heroic mes
senger of Wells Fargo & Co.'S ex'
press, we learn that just as the train
was nearing the west switch or Mon
tila, red light was displayed IN
front of the engine and the engineer
stopped, when masked men immedi-
ateiy took charge of the train
They gathered the train men together
and locked them and the conductor
James Casson, in the water tank
They then returned to the train and
approached the express car, and Ross
thinking they were at the station
opened the door, when they swore al
him and demanded that he should
come down. He replied: "Jus1
give me time to get my boots on
| will vou?" and locked the door
They commenced firing throguh the
door, but the sturdy messenger go'
his gun down and replied to thell
shots. They then called for him te
surrender or they would burn the
car.
The west bound train was now ap-
preaching, so they pulled No. l OF
the side track to let the west bound
train by, and sent number OF thei
party to escort the train through
they telling the conductor and en-
oiueer to "Get out of here" which
they did, making fast time to th
first telegraph station, which wa
thirty miles distant. AS soon a
that train was disposed Of they back
ed No. / on the main line again, de
tached the express car from the tral
and threw it on the side track AM
commenced their operations again
They took the coal picks from tn
engine and crawled along the side o
the car and would strike the door ant
then dodge under. In this way the,
succeeded in knocking in the panel
of both doors Of the express car, bu
Ross was barricaded and exchange
shots with them. They tried to fir
the car, getting what wood the
could from the engine, but was un
successful, and finally, after thre
hours of trying, by nire desperadoe'
they withdrew a short distance fo
consultation, and then mounted.the
horses and rode off. Of course mes
senger Ross is the hero of the hou
He was shot three times, one buiit
E striking his left fore finger and ran4
ing down into his hand, another hit
ting him in the left hip and just bur
ing the flesh, and the third passin
through his vest, tearing his cloth
but not injoaring him.
After the robbers had left and tt
train men were liberated, the ira
proceeded on it's way. When tt
train reached Ogden a large crow
was on the platform to meet messer
ger Ross and to hear his story. III
condition of the car tells the sto1
r far more forcibly than pen can d
The passengers all speak in t
highest terms of the brave messeng
: who saved the train.