The Rugbeian and district reporter. (Rugby, Tenn.) 1882-1883, 1883-02-03
ATTEMPTED TRAIN ROBBERY.


The Recent Attack by Robbers on tho
Central Pacific Road In Nevada-Heroio
and Sucoessful Defense of Express Mes.
senger Ross.
An Ogden Utah January 20 special to tho
chicago rtunc SAYS:
Tho attempt to rob the Central Pacific train
at Monticello, New. at ono clock yesterday
morning was one of the bodcst ventures ever
made, ana was not "A failure because thu plans
or the robbers III soarried. On the contrary,
The arrangements or carrying out their bold
scheme were complete. The great mistake
which they made was In tackling ira n VIII CHI
carried one OF tho hravest men in the world.
with u Loss lravc and 1et rmned man to deal
with the attempt uld have pro, ed success
1ul, Tor tho attack was vigorous and pers stent
anu con 'inued almost without intcrmission for
three hours. until the ba lied villains with
drew from tire sccno, 10 ,vinr the heroic loss
wounded but VIGOROUS 10 him alone is due
tho cred o. having saved ths expr nss-car and
the chtire train, A Tribune correspon lent
called OH Mr. Il ss ut his res dence AMI vas
gvon the full details of the attack md do
tense. He has been in b, employ of Wells,
Fargo TO. over sixteen years, and this Is the
third unsuccessful attempt VIII Oh has been
made to rob the tire sure under his charge.
Eleven years ago, viii holding his hot-gun
on the trca ure-coach of the Mont II lin ), he
was held up y r band of road-a1 ents, but
killed several and got away from the rest Of
the crowd. tn = last ate pit has seldom been
cqualed anywhere for tho bravery and per
Bstencyot he robbers and tho stubbornness
of the defense.
Mr.. Ross t tied to your rHpre scntative that
the pc mt selected By the robbers for the +
op rations wNs ono OF the loneiest places OH
the line Of the desert region in Nevada, in a
sagc-bru h sert, the center OF section yty
miles in length, W ero there Is n night tel,-
graph station. 1.-The san Francisco and Ogden
express trains pass ut 1855 o'clock Il. m. At
Tecoma, ten miles cast of Monticello we left
Toano west OF Montello, on time, our train
being in charge of Con III tor Ca sin.
checked the way-b lis received at that sta.
ton. laid d wn, and went to sleep. The next
IN ny which was aware of was Il rap on the
car-ioo", as If IN agent h d called, ard sup.
posing tho train was at Tecoma | got up and
looked out. when man pointed a gun ut me
and said
"'Hop out, we are going through YOU
II jumped back and pulled the door to and
hook ID 1t. Thoy then went over to the OPP
posite side and said:
"'Open up the ,ors and jump out. We are
60 ny to rob the train
~ re- lied: just wait till get my boots on
Never mind your boots. Hop right out
here. and We will get tbron h with you, and,
then yuu can get our b OTIS on
Again the men outside said: open up, or
We W II burn you out and murder you
VI then get In position and slot through the
eitc OF the car. Nothing WIS me TO- u few
minutes, until one of the bb rs as ed:
Amt you going to open up the door and
come out,'
III told them was not coming out Anoth.
or demand wa; made for me to hop out
made no reply to that. They then st toned
one man at each corner of the car between me
and the baggage-car, a ID 1--WE shots were fired
multaneously from different qua tiers. all
rang nR towards he center of tie ar. These
were the shots that struck income on finger,
one n the hip, AMI one just COW the bre ist,
near the watch-p cict. Thy then got up on
the end OF the car to uncoupe he rain, where.
upon fired two shots through tho end Of the
car. At this time they hearl No. ,. the west
bound express-tr,n, coming. They backed
our train up and went on the side-track, and
sent two men down tho road to meet No
2 When II came up ! heard Condu' to Gle
ment 40 Cass n: What are you doing here7
l want to speak to you The robb rs med
their guns at Clements head and told him to
pull out, and be did"
The nearest telegraph station was thirty
miles. The robber then compel. ed the brake.
men to uncouple the express, move 1t for.
ward. and forced the eng neer to run an I'D
and back dowl to wreck the expr ss car,
which was attempted three tines without sue
cess, the h les in the doors being guarded by
the stubborn m nssenger. Several attemp to
burn the car were unsuccessful owing to the
scarcity of wood. and, after renewed attempts
to kill m through the doors, they mounted
their horses and rode away.
The Cent? Il Pa life Company rs soon rs pos
eible, sent Taber, Sheriff Of Elko County. with
twenty men and horscs to Montello. They
also sent out posse from Terrace, tn rty-fve
miles cast of Mont o an last night Superin.
tendent Fell and Shnri Brow o. Or len left
this city for the scene OF TIE attem, ted rob
berry. Wells. Far 20 s. Co. teleg aph tonight
from San Francisco rewards of 300 each and
tie State Of Nevada one Of 1857, for the ap
prehonsion and conviction of the EXPIRE g rob
btrs. Every effort will DO made to capture
thn