St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-02-03
ATTEMPTED TRAIN ROBBERY.

ATTEMPTEDs TRAIN ROBBERY.
The Recent Attack by Robbers on the
Central Pacific Road in Nevada-Heroic
and Successfuf Defense of Express Mes
senger Ross.
An Ogden utah, January 23) special to the
I Chicago Tibatne says:
The attempt to rob the Central Pacific train
at Montello, New ut one o'clock yesterday
morning was one#of the boldest ventures ever
made, and was net failure because the plans
of the robbers miscarred. On the contrary,
their arrangements for carrying out their bold
scheme were complete. The great mistake
which they madewas in tackling a train which
carried one of the bravest men in the world.
With less brave and determined man to deal
with the attempt would have proved success
full, for the attack was vigorous and persistent,
and continued almost without internlission for
three hours, unsil the baffied villains with
drew from the scene, leaving the heroic Ross
wounded but victorious To him alone is due
the credit of having saved the express-car and
the entire train$ A Tribune correspondent
called on Mr. Ross at his residence and vas
given the full details of the attack and de-
tense. He has been in the employ of Wells,
Fargo & Co. overssixteen years. and this is the
third unsuccessful attempt which has been
made to rob the treasure under his charge
Eleven years ago. while holding his shotgun
on the treasure-c:,ach of the Montana line he
was held up byEa band of road-ag ents, but
killed several and got away from the rest Of
the crowd. Tn. s last attempt has seldom been
equaled anywhere for the bravery and per-
sstency OF the robbers and the stubbornness
of the defense.
MIR. Ross stated to your representative that
the point selected by the robbers for their
DDeratinnS yysS ONE oP tha fY,1a or,
the line of the desert region in Nevada, in
sage-brush dcser8, the center of section sixty
miles in length, where there is no night tele-
graph station. '.i,he San Francisco and Ogden
express trains pass ut lbs o'clock a. m. At
Tecoma, ten miles east of Montello, we left
Toano, west of Montello,. on time, our train
being in charge of Conductor Cassin. I
checked the way-bills received at that sta.
ton, laid down, and went to sleep. The next
thing which Twas aware of was rap on the
car-door, as. If agl agent had called, and sup
posing the train was at Tecoma got up and
lookedout, whena man pointed gun at me
and said: ..tlsa
90 Hop out, we are going through YOU
Il jumped hack and pulled the door to and
hooked it. They; then went oyersto the OPP
posite side and sid: .is tsF5st II ID
Open up the sloors and Jump out. We are
going to rob the srain. 1
IL replied: JusS wait till get my boots on
! - Never mind sour boots.g3s Hop right out
here, and we wilEget through with you, and,
then you can get your boots on
: Again the men outside said; open up, OF
we viii burn you out and murder you.
Il then got in Position and snot through the
side of the car. Nothing was done for II few
minutes. until one, of the robbefs asked:
e Ain : you goislg to open up the door and
81 tol5 thorn r voc nor oornint,, l,,t Anoth
er demand was made for me to hop ont I
made no reply to that. They then stationed
one; man at each corner of the car, Between me
S, nlutanaousy from different quarters. al
ranging towards She center OF the car. These
were the shots that struck me-one on finger,
near the watch picket. They then got up on
the end of the car to uncouple the train, where
upon fired two shots through the end of the
car At, this ting they heard No. 2, the west
bound express-train. coming. They backed
orr train UP and went on the side-frack, and
sent two men dawn the rossd TO meet No
2. When it came nE, heard Conductor Gle
ment ask Cassn: What are you doing here?
want to speak u yo.. The robbers aimed
their guns at Clements head and told him to
The nearest telegraph station was thirty
nliles. The robbers taen compeltedthe brake
men touncouple 2the. express, move It for
ward. and forced the eng neer to run ahead
and back down 70 wreck the express car
which was ATTEMPTED three times without sue
cess, the holes in the doors being guarded by
the stubborn messenger. Several attempts to
burn the car were: unsuccessful owing to the
scarcity OF wood. and, after renewed attempts
TO kill IN through the doors, they mounted
their horses and rode away.
e The Central Pacific Company as soon as pos
sible, seut Haber. sheriff of Elko Comfy. with
twenty men and; horses to Montello. They
also sent out posse from Terrace. thsrty-tive
miles east of Mon@ello. and last night Superin-
tendent Fell and Sheriff Brow A, OF Ogden, left
this city, for the scene of the attempted rob-
from San Francisco rewards of $500 each and
the State of Nevada one of $3.50, for the APP
prehension and ctinviction OF the express rob
the gang. q.