Arizona weekly enterprise., 1888-05-19
Train Robbery in Sonora.

A NOgaleS dispatch of May 1Zth, gives the following particulars of recent train robbery in Sonora:
 One of the most desperate train rob- berries that has eyer occurred in the southwest took place last night about 10 o'clock at Agua Zarca, small station on the Sonora railroad twelve miles south of this city, in Sonora, Mexico. The train left here little after o'clock and consisted of two passenger touches, a baggage, express and mail car and five freight cars. Just as the train slowed up at Agua Zarca siding to take wood, there were several shots fired and Fire man Forbes fellin the passage way be- tween the cab and the tender and explr q instantly, large load of buck shot hay struck him in the front part Of the body. James Gray, the engineer, jumped from his seat through cab window and secre- ted himself under the engine, there by escaping. Almost immediately after the first ire the robbers made for the express car and shot Ike Hay, the messenger. One shot struck him i'll the head, another in the body, the ball passing through the kidneys, making pro bably a fatal wound. Conductor Lewis Atkinson, who was in the baggage car, started out and fatally shot just as he stepped out of the car door. W. H. French, passenger who was formerly conductor on the Sonora road, but now of the Mexican Central road was standing in the second class coach and was shot through the body the tall passing through and lodging in his left arm. He will probably die, as will also Express Messenger Hay. When the robbers got into the express car, the messenger, who had fallen to the floor at the first shot, feigned death and the rob- bers turned him over and took from his pocket the key to the safe, small iron box. After getting the key they could not unlock the box and three of them carried it off. The passer gers, cf which there were a large number, made rush for the forward part of the train, but were met in the third class apartment of the forward coach by some of the robbers and were warned by one robber, who spoke English well, to "get back go back" There were two Mexican ustoms guards on the tram (two guards go on each train to Mexico) and they We're covered with guns and told to keep quiet, as were also the passengers, who were armed Soon after the safe was taken from the car eight Mexican custom line guards who were encamped half a mile north of the station and had heard the firing, put Ill an appearance and the rob- bers made their escape The train men then side tracked the freight cars and brought the balance of the train with the wounded back to this city, arriving here at about one o'clock this morning. As soon as the train arrived a posse was made up and the train again started on its trip, taking the posse as far as the scene of the robbery, where they got of and followed the Mexican customs guards who were on the trail of the roE- bers. The posse that went from here found the express safe a short distance from the siding. It had been unlocked and the contents, about S130 in Mexican money and some papers, taken out. There were six robbers Tn the party, all Mexicans, and all wore masks. They fired a dozen shots After leaving the train they took a southerly course for some distance and then turning north for the purpose, 1t Is supposed, of reach the line and crossing into United States. Soon after the train got back to this city Conductor Atkinson breathed his last. It is thought that Express Messengers Hay and French cannot survive through the day Conductor Atkinson and Fireman Forbes, both of whom leave families, were buried this afternoon.