Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-13
4 TRAIN ROBBED.
& Number Of Bandits Hold Up q Train
on Che Mexican Central Near
Chihuahua.
They Attack the Express Car with the
Usual Result-What They Looked
Like and What They Got.

Ell PAso, TEX, Jsn. 1.-THE Mexican
Central passenger train due here this
morning was held up last night about 30c
miles south of here by band Of robbers
The train had stopped at 8 watering place
at the base OF the mountains, and
just as the engineer wss about to open
the throttle valve eight men suddenly
made their appearance out of piece OF
woods skirting the track. Two Of them
covered the engineer end fireman with
their reyolvers, aud two others proceed ed
to the express car, and the balsnce sta
toned themselves ct the door Of the
coaches snd terrified the passengers 60
completely that no effort was made TO
save the express agent, who in defending
the vsluable property in his Car was being
roughly handled. The robbers were
SAID To have been Americans, and were
armed TO the teeth. They finally
succeeded In quieting the express agent
and secured & considerable sum OF money.
Qaite a large quantity Of silver was stored
in corner OF the car and the robbers IN
dertook to carry it along, but owing to
its great weight they left it behind. So
far as learned no passengers were NAL
treated, and having deliberately secured
their booty they took to the mountains,
disappearing as suddenly as they had
come upon the scene. AS yet the details
of the robbery are very messre, though
we are assured there were no casualties
The whole transaction did not occupy
three minutes and those Of the train were
so completely surprised that 10 attempt
At defense was msde.
THE MESSENGERS TALE.
Special to the Gazette.
Ell PAso, TEX, Jan. 1.-Express Mes
senger Cooper, who was on the Mexican
Central passenger train that WAS robbed
lsst night st Mspula, twelve miles south
Of Chinuhaua and 250 miles from Ell Pssc,
srri7ed here to-day and gives the follow
ing account OF the sffsiE:
ut was about dusk aid Twas sitting
beside the stove in the express car. The
train Was stepped and soon l heard g
scuffia, bat supposed the conductor was
hurrying the poor MeXtcsDs on the train.
Then the conductor raped at the express
car door and asked me 10 open 1t. l
suspecte' nothirg wrong and complied.
I looked 10 che side and
WAS covered AID the men were
Hu1IulDS tES SlSID. StCptI edJS ttCl Z
were seven men, four or one side OF the
train and two on the other, and one on
the engine. He says they were negroes.
They gotS34i 10 Mexican silver. They wore
no masks. He thought they were painted.
Cooper saved $1,000 for the Wells, Fargo
& Co., and says If he had known
whit WAS up he could have
stood the men off with his
Winchester and that @ number OF Mexi-
cans also would have helped him. He
says the tone of the men while in the ex
press car vas friendly.
"YoU are making bad break to hold
up this train. There is nothing on it,"
said Cooper.
"We know It," was :te reply; "but we
arrived here last night iast in time TO see
the train pull out"
The first train had considerable money
on it. The negroes who did the wore arc
ssid to be known. "rtey passed throus
Ell Paso scuthb0und about week sgo,
end hold mp has been expected" said 9
railroad man, "for some daye, but not in
the locality where it occurred. It was
expected between Ell Psso and Chihua-
hua."
This is the second time the Mexican
Central passenger train has been;held up.
Three thousand Mexican soldiers have
completely surrounded MapuIa.