The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1888-09-27
HELD UP"
An Englishman's Experience In
This Country.

From time to time there have ap-
peared accounts in the American news
papers OF the robbery of railway trains.
These robberies have generally taken
placein remote and outlying parts of the
States. into which the railway system
has but lately penetrated. For train
To be what the Americans called s'held
up, WAS, during the last year. rather
i q FREQ dent occurrence, and the process
Of Aolding up was done in manner
50 skillful as to be generally attended
j 9th success. There were cases re-
q ported in which the robbers got the
worst OF it, but they, too, often made
good their escape, not only with their
lives, but with considerable booty,
leaving the train they had plundered
TO go on its way minus its mails and
the passengers stripped of their money
and valuables. Last November, on
my way from San Francisco to New
York, the train in which | crossed the
Rocky Mountains fell into the hands of
these marauding gentlemen; and as my
experiences may be interesting / ven-
ture to give them here, though they
may not be SO startling as those of
some other travellers who have fallen
among thieves
8 left Salt Lake City on the forenoon
81 -
uf beautiful day in the fall of the
year, and after skirting the river "Jor-
dan and the 'Lake of Tiberias, !" names
which the Mormons have transferred
fram Palestine to their own territory,
he train began to enter wild and
rugged country. and to cross the great
mountain rampant by which the plain
Of the Salt Lake is environed. ALI the
afternoon we slowly ascended, and it
vas evening before we reached the
Castle Gate, formed by two enormous
steep rocky walls, between which the
railway passes. There were a good
many carriages in the train, and the
"Pullman" in which / travelled had
aoout twenty passengers. We were
very soclable and time passed quickly.
as soon as it was dark the berths on
each side of the car were made up by
me negro attendant, the heavy cur
vans drawn, and we all went to bed.
aad been sleeping soundly when /
was wakened at two in the morning
osthe train being brought suddenly to
saand-still. Being in the lower berth
+, naa the advantage of having a win
aoN to look out of. l drew up the
alhd; bright moon was shining and
every object outside was perfectly
GEAR and distinct. The place looked
sld and lonely enough. Huge boul-
soes OF rock were strewn about, and
aie hllisides rose scanned and bare. AS
aisre was no railway station visible,
saa the train showed no sign of going
W. ! became convinced that something
sas wrong and wakened my travelling
s0'npanlon in the opposite berth. As
= was partially dressed he said he
s0ulo go and see ''what was up,n and
a,aue MS way to the open platform of
scar. On his appearing outside, he
.a' asked by man standing near the
aaeS, what he wanted He replied
s''s ne merely wished to know what
aau Stopped the train, when he re-
ss a'eo tne not very reassuring answer,
sapnasized by gun pointed at him.
larough your, 0io
nc occupants of the car were now
= ms.awake, and popping their heads
! lom behind the curtains of their
runs discussed the situation in a
ls manner. 1t was now evident
@ We were ''held up" and the con-
'asloa turned on what was likely to
'ae upshot. 1 was particularly
aa0A ~ the good humor with whicn
sss one seemed to regard the occur
IL apparently was regarded by
1 as very amusing experience,
y none more than by the ladies
sas vae party, who joined freely in the
e'satlon. No one could at all have
lned that they were expecting
~ moment summons to march out
sesaaostte and take their stand in a
~ the railway bank Shouts of
aser abounded as one Yankee after
'ef made dry observations as to
was likely to happen, and how
q. poeers would make hay of the
49,. - wnile we stood shivering in the
lgn1 Amid the merriment. how