The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-11-23
TRAIN RoBBING IN MEXICO.

a Party OF DesperAdoes Ditch and Rob Q
L. Train ON the Mexican National Railroad,
Securing %, 600 in Bullion-Troops in
Pursuit. Of the Gang.
LAREDO. TEX. Nov. IA
In wild, uninhabited region near Lar.
zorita, twenty-five miles south of Laredo,
at about seven O'Clock last evening the reg.
ular train from Saltillo, consisting of four
coaches, one mail and one express car, with
! seventy-f1ve passengers aboard, carrying
the mail and 81, 900 In silver In the Express
safe. were going twenty five miles an hour
when the engine turned complete somer.
sault, landing twenty feet from the track,
followed by the express and two passenger
cars. The other coaches were derailed but
not capsized. In the confusion word was
passed that Fireman Fessler was crushed
to death, and Engineer Madden badly
wounded. The next moment the fright.
ened and helpless passengers became aware
that they were surrounded by desperadoes,
who attempted to force Conductor Burt to
give the combination of the safe, when .
member of the gang impatisntly knocked
the knob of with an az. Burt, with q doz-
en- Winchester rifles leveled at him, was
compelled to strike blow after blow upon
the hinges AMI finally, when given the al.
tentative of opening the safe in minute
or having his head blown off, he Informed
the robbers there was $1,000 silver bullion
in the Express car. The whole gang en-.
gagged in the work Of carrying the bars to
pack mules tied conveniently.
As the last bar was pulled out of the
wreck the noise of an approaching train
was heard, with soldiers coming up the
track from the opposite direction. In few
minutes the robbers had disappeared, but
took no other booty. BEAD. ......
A Mexican customs officer had boarded
the train at Jarita, the last station passed,
and immediately the train was wrecked
went back afoot and brought his guards to
the rescue. The telegraph wire had been
cut and the train dispatcher reported sus-
picions of foul play. Superintendent Les
ter ordered q special train sent out with
100 Mexican soldiers. -ys..-r..-... ..
Investigation showed the mules had been
kept in thicket the night before when $751;
900 In silver was shipped from Monterey
and Saltillo to Laredo, but fortunately the
train was ten hours late, passing the spot
In daytime, and was thus saved.
But few Of the passengers were robbed,
the marauders delaying so long with the
safe and bullion. DR.. V. .: Ring and wife
of San Antonio, and r. s. Vivian, of Kan
sas City, No., were among the passengers.
They say the robbers were all Mexicans
except the leader, who is an American.
Passengers furnished detailed descrip-
ton Of the leader to the authorities, who
think he is well-known character in Lare-
do. It is believed he will not escape cap
ture. Engineer Madden saved the lives of
the passengers by his prompt application
of the air brakes.
The leader acted in q cool.headed and de-
liberate manner and spoke good English.
All the rest of the gang acted like savages,
utterly regardless of discipline or COM
mand. The leader forced the conductor to
deliver the treasure, under the threat to
kill all Americans on the train. The rob-
berry was skilfully planned, but with
reckless regard for human life. The rail
was entirely removed from the track, and
the telegraph wires cut, so as to destroy
communication between the stations.