Arizona weekly citizen., 1883-12-01
TRAIN THIEVES.
The East-BOund Passenger Train Rob-
 bed on Saturday.
Engineer Webster Killed at His Post he Wells, Fargo Treasure Taken
 Robbers Unknown.

The east-bound passenger train, No. l9, which left Tucson Saturday morning
 at 73) o'clock was derailed and the en- l gineer killed at 4:25 p. ID. the same day
 between Gage and Tunis, point 19
 miles west of Deming.
 The first thing the passengers knew there was Q sudden iolting of the cars,
 @ cracking of rifle shots and loud talk
 ing forward
 Conductor G. T. Vail, who was in the rear, was making his way forward in the train at the time. Some masked men suddenly entered the sleeping car where
 he was, and selecting him from the pas ! seuge-s by his brass buttons aud uniform ! proceeded to. go through him. They took his gold watch and money, and other yaluables but bothered no one
 else. Everybody was paralyzed, and
 afraid 10 move.
 The exact number of tie robbers is
 unknown. One Of the b-akesmen say there were four. Mir Vail says there were SIX, and another report gives it at seven.
 The place where the train was stopped is @ favorable location for such business. The cars there run through a narrow cut, the windows of the cars just being ou a level with the ground.
 One ot the small rods that joins the two rails together WAS taken of, and the trail laid to one side. The train came along at I.s usual speed or twenty miles au hour. ]; consisted of the engine, postal, baggage and five passen ger cars. \ short curve occurs right here in the road causing the engineer iO keep a little sharper lookout than before. The banks of the cut are lined with grease wood. It was in this brush where the robbers were concealed on the approach of the train.
 The railroad men believe that Webster the engineer. saw the detached rail and eaieavorei to stop the train before 1t reached the break and that for this req son the robbers shot him.
 It is not known just when Webster was killed, and the whole business Of the murler and robbery took place within fifteen minutes. The minute the firing commenced the fireman jumped the train, and hid in the brush. There were about twelve shots fired m all by tLr rJJ5srs.
 The Wells, Fargo treasure seemed to 1 be the principal thing they were after. 1 They secured their booty and departed, | after staying one hour. They were all | we'll mounted. The course they took | was almost direct for the Mexican line.
 Ho3Eklns, the Wells, Fargo messen- | ger. barely saved his life. While swing l ing out of the car he was made target . for tAe LIghwaymen, but their shots | failed to LIt him.
 The rear brakeman. as soon as th- ! train was ditched and he heard tine shooting, slipped of the rear end of the | train and ran back to Gage station, and the news of the saster was instantly known all along the lue. A special re- lief train from Deming arrived two hours af CT the robbery.
 HJdgHls and the frsmen returned rom the brush.
 Welster's death was not known till 9a n0ur after the robbery occurred. It was discovered just as the robbers were leaving.
 The mask fell from the face Of the leader, and be was recognized.
 The exact loss sustained by Wells, I ar-0 ls Co. Is unknown. The robbers Jailed to secure all the treasure, large | Ortlon Of which was concealed.
 One passenger stepped out of hls Ear to see what was the trouble, and Tss relieved of one hundred and fifty ioilars.
 When the relief train arrived the body ,f Webster was taken 10 Deming where ( was packed in ice, and brought to Tucson. DT. Handy embalmed 1t to- lay.
 Webster was well-known in Tucson lis family, con sisting of wife and hree children, live in BuelPs addition. ie was thiriy-four years old, and a lember Ct Tucson, Division. No. 2S, Brotherhood Of Locomotive Engineers. iI- remains were received at the Iepo, { ast evening by a delegation Of the Brotherhood, and taken to Smiths un- parlors.
 The bulle, that killed hlm struck hIs lght breast just inside ot the shoulder, eSerCd the aorts, and came out through he lett shoulder blade.
 An eyewitness -ays the rail was not ufire y taken of the track. It was just ' iseu gagged Gt one end and slightly dis ! ur5ed. [
 Webster and hIs fireman were washing nd getting ready for Deming. Sud euly the fireman cried out, My God, q be track is open Webster sprang for q be lever, which he seized with one hand [ nd the air brake with the other. lf was while Webster was pulling ack the lever that be was killed. The c n-ine, p.stal and baggage car went [ lear of, and one sleeper partly.