The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1883-02-03
ATTEMPTED TRAIN ROBBERY.

Al lLauf led IhAlN hUDbEhts
The Recent Attack by Robbers on the
Central Pacific Road I'm Ncvada-Heroic
and Successful Defense of Express Mes
senger Ross.
An Ogden Utnh. january o9 special to tho
Chicago Tibune says:
The attempt to rob the Central Pacific train
at Montellc, New. at one o'clock yesterday
morning was one Of the boldest ventures ever
made. and was not a failure because the plans
of the robbers miscarred. On the contrary,
their arrangements for carrying out their bold
scheme we're complete. The great mistake
which they made was in tackling 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 intermission for
three hours, until the batfled 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 correspondents
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. over sixteen years, and this is tho
third unsuccessful attempt which has been
made to rob the treasure under his charge.
Eleven years ago, while holding his shotgun
ON inc lredsure-cOocn OF Ine mOntund llne, no
was held up by a band of road-aa ents, but
killed several and got away from the rest OF
the crowd. This last attempt has seldom been
equaled anywhere for the bravery and per-
sistency OF the robbers and the stubbornness
of the defense.
Mr.. Ross stated to your representative that
the point selected by the robbers for their
operations was one of the loneliest places on
the line of the desert region in Nevada, in
sage-brush d sert,t the center of a section sixty
miles in length, where there is no night tele-
graph station. 1.-THE San Francisco and Ogden
express trains pass at :35 o'clock a. m. At
Tecoma, ten miles east of Monticello, we left
Toano, west of Monticello, on time, our train
being in charge of Conductor Cassin. 1
checked the way-bills received at that sta
ton, laid down, and went to sleep. The next
thing which / was aware of was n rap on the
car-door MS if an agent had called, and sup
posing the train was at Tecoma got up and
looked out, when a man pointed gun ut me
and said:
"'Hop out, we are going through you
~ jumped back and pulled the door to and
! hooked it. They then went over to the OPP
| posite side and said:
"'Open up the doors and jump out. We are
| going to rob the train
| II replied: Just wait till get my boots on
Never mind your boots. Hop right out
here, and we will get through with you, and,
then you can get your boots on
again the men outside said: open up, or
we will burn you out and murder you.
| Il then got in position and shot through tho
| side of the car. Nothing was done for few
minutes, until one of the robbers asked:
| "'Aint you going to open up the door and
| come outP
al told them was not coming out Anoth-
| 'er demand was made for me to hop out I
| made no reply to that. They then stationed
| one man at each corner of the car, between me
and the baggage-car, and five shots were fired
| multaneously from different quarters, al.
| ranging towards the center of the car. These
| were the shots that struck income on finger,
| one on the hip, and one just below the breast,
near the watch-pocket They then got up on
| the en1 of the car to uncoupe the train, where
upon fired two shots through the end of the
car. AT this time they heard No =, the west
bound express-train, coming. They backed
| our train up and went on the side-track and
sent two men down the road to meet No
| When II came up ! heard Conductor Gle
ment ask Cassin: What are you doing heree
want to speak to you The robbers aimed
their guns at Clements head and told him to
| pull out, and he did"
| The nearest telegraph station was thirty
miles. The ronbers then compelled the brake
men to uncouple the express, move IT for
ward, and forced the eng neer to run ahead
and back down to 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 him through the doors, they mounted
their horses and rode away.
The Central Pacific Company as soon as pos
sible, sent Taber, Sheriff of Elko County, with
twenty men and horses to Montello. They
also sent out posse from Terrace, tn rty-tive
miles east of Montello, and last night Superin-
tendent Fell and Sheriff Brow of Ogden left
this city for the scene of the attempted rob
berry. Wells. Fargo Co. telegraph tonight
from san Francisco rewards of $500 each and
the State of Nevada one of $3.50, for the APP
prehension and conviction of the express rob
bers. Every effort will be made to capture
the gang.