Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-05-04
TRAIN ROBBERS KILLED.
American Bandits Hunted to
their Death in Mexico.
Riddled with Bullets as They At
tempted to Escape.

Captain Burns has returned to San Fran
cisco from hunting the STEMS Pass train
robbers in Mexico. From Sheriff Paul he
heard the details of the deaths of the despera-
does Sheehan, Hart and Johnson. While
the United States Marshal of Arizona
and his deputies were locked up in
Sonora jail for crossing the frontier
without permission Sheriff Paul az
peared before the Governor of Chihuahua
and asked for extradition papers to hunt the
robbers in Mexico. Paul and Deputy Price
went to Chihuahua and learned that the
robbers had fitted out at that point. johnson
had been arrested before on suspicion of train
robbing, but was released for lack Of evi-
dence He swore to get even with the
American authorities In pursuance OF ms
plan he went to Chihuahua and induced
Hart and Sheehan to join him in the robbery.
They bought rifles aud horses and struck out
in a northweSterly direction to the Southern
Pacific The distance from Chihuahua to
STEMS Pass is 400 miles.
Sheriff Paul suspected the robbers would
return by the same route ana decided to meet
them. The Mexican authorities detailed
sergeant and four soldiers TO assist the Sheriff.
About one hundred and twenty-five miles
from chihuahua they learned that the rob
bers had been seen passing north and he deter
mined to await their return. he posted men
in the brush near ranch and waited. AT
dusk Mexican reported that the three rob
Mexican offered to secure their rifles. He
found two and brought them out; then he
returned for the third. He found it on
shelf, and just as he took 1t the robbers en-
tered and asked what he was doing with the
rifle He made some excuse but the robbers
suspected him and would not let him leave
the room. The Sheriff, alarmed at the MeXl-
cans long absence, approached with his men
and stationed them so as to command all the
doors. The sergeant saw the robbers and
rushed to the door as they closed it. He
pushed it open and shot through the
heart The robbers dragged the body inside
and barred the door,
Sheriff Paul ordered the men not to fire in
the house, fearing. to kill the friendly
Mexican, and thereby arouse the hostility
of the neighborhood. Placing his men on
guard he sent for the Alcalde of the district,
who arrived with armed men, When
the Alcalde learned that a soldier had been
killed he ordered the robbers to be
shot on sight. With reinforcements brought
by the Alcalde the Sheriff surrounded the
house during the night. He stationed
soldiers ten feet apart and then went upon
the roof with Price to prevent the escape of
the prisoners in that direction. The rooms
were full of women and children and the
Alcalde had hole dug under the wall
At daylight the Sheriff called to the out
laws to come out, and received defiant re.
ply. Then he scraped adobe from the roof
and fired the woodwork. As he did this the
Alcalde got twenty one women and children
out through a hole in the wall. When the
IRE became nOC Cne ueSperaOOSS attempted TO
break for liberty. Sheehan appeared at the
door and riddled with bullets.
The soldiers kept up a constant
fire through the doors and killed Hart. John
son suddenly threw open the door and rushed
out with revolver in each hand, to be met
with a volley from the Sheriff and guards
Johnson fell upon his face, but raised him
self on his elbows and fired both pistols. In
an instant he was pierced with bullets Sher-
if Paul searched Johnson's body and found
$500 and some jewelry. The Mexican soldiers
looted Harris body.