Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-03-26
TRAIN THIEVES.
Len Harris Experiences
i'm Their Pursuit.
HE MEADE EXPEDITION.
Terrible Hardships Endured--1n'
teresting Frontier REM
iniscences.

OF interest to readers OF the HERALD
reporter yesterday espied Len. Har-
ris, the celebrated railroad detective
standing outside the waiting room
and knowing that he had just return.
ed from the hunt of the Arizona train
robbers, the scribe approached and
asked for some particulars regarding
the affair.
'1t's long story" said the detec-
tive, "and though most Of the facts
are known to the public, still 1 have
no doubt but that have q few things
to tell you that have not yet been
published. I was at Tucson when the
news arrived that the west bound pas.
senger train had been robbed at STEMS
Pass, and in company with Marshal
Meade, Sheriff Paul, Will Smith
and shihel started at once for the
scene. We took four Papagos with
us, men that we could lely
on as being expert trailers.
and as it had been showing pre-
viously, we knew we would have
something good to work on. The
robbers had twelve hours start OF US
when we finally got off, but as the
tracks indicated that they were on
foot, we did not bother about making
any elaborate prep arations, most Of
us not even taking our overcoats.
We were mounted on good ponies and
the Papagos did not lose much tim =, 50
at first things went swinmingly, and
we made up our minds that we would
soon hunt them down. Soon we
discovered, however, that they had
mounted, evidently having had their
horses staked out in readiness for
escape, and then we knew we We're
in for "A long chase. We had no pap.
ers with us to show our authority,
and we knew that we would have
some difficulty in making legal ar
rest if they took refuge in some Mex.
lean town. 1t was too late to turn
back, though, SO on we went and
decided that the first opportunity we
had we would send to El Paso and
have the necessary documents for
warded to us at Chihuahua or some
other central point. The first day
passed by without seeing a soul, but
we were encouraged in our pursuit by
the evidences that the men we want
ed were ahead OF US. Every now and
then we came across
A HANDFUL OF CHECKS
Which they had thrown away, being
useless to them; altogether along the
trail we picked up bank paper repre-
senting total OF 81, 153. 40. The trail
n led through one Of the most deserted
parts OF the State of Chihuahua and
the weather was as cold as 1 have ever
known it to be down in that country.
To add to our misfortunes we had
not a thing to eat with us,
nor could we get any thing,
in fact we went fifty hours at one
time without swallowing a morsel.
So matters went on for three or four
days and then l knew that we would
+. soon be in one of the settlements.
We had been altogether five days in
the saddle when in the distance we
espied the village of Jansen and
said to Meade and the rest of the
party: Il daresay the men>we want
are there, but it is no use our
going after them, because we
have no papers and are liable
to get into q. hot box Meade was
determined to go on, however,
but ! made up my mind that l would
not, and taking two of the Papagos
with me, started to retrace my steps.
| had terrible journey home, and
had the unpleasant experience of rid
ipg forty-tive miles in a snow-storm.
On reaching the New Mexican line,
was SO worn out and the horses SO
nearly gone, that ! gladly accepted
the offer of wagon and paid $40 to be
hauled to Lordsburg, q distance oi
ninety-fve miles.
In the meantime matters with the
Meade party mad gone just as sur.
missed. They rode into Jansen and
there were arrested and thrown into
prison in the manner that has been
described by telegraph in your paper y
"Do you think they were arrested
through the connivance of the rob-
bers%" queried the reporter.
Certainly, the gang we were after
was one OF the cutest on the frontier.
They died game, too, the other day
when the Mexican soldiers sur
rounded them at Cuihuiriachi;
knew they would" y
"Who were the members Of the
gang?" asked the scribe.
"Well, there were only two COM
Initted this last robbery, Dick Hart
and Dick Johnson, but it was not Lar.
ryN Sheehan's fault that he wasn't
there. l found out afterwards that he
,swas with them when they started on
tAe expedition, but at the Pal
lotterro ranch he accidently shot
himself in the knee-cap and
they left him there and went on and
committed the robbery. Larry Shee.
han, Hart and Brooks were arrested
you know, for the robbery at Papagc
some months previous. Hart and
Brooks were acquitted, but Sheehan
vas held to answer before the Grand
Jury, who, however, did not return 9
bill against him, as there was no con.
victing evidence.
AN INTERESTING INCIDENT.
"By-the-way, there is an incident
connected with this STEMS Pass rob.
beryN that has never been published
In le early part of February, Johnny
Thasker (Wells, Fargo's detective)
was down in the City of Chihuahua
looking out for the boys that robbed q
train on the Mexican Central. While
he was strolling around the Plaza, he
noticed Larry Sheehan and Dick Hart
buying some mustangs from some
Mexicans, but as there was moth
ing unusual in that, he did moi
bother any more about the transac.
ton. At the time the train was robbed
Thacker was in Ell Paso, and connect
ing the two things together he immedi.
ately surrnised that it was the work ol
the Sheehap gang, and organizing a
posse went down to Chihuahua and
started to work up country to head the
thiazes off So Won Gee that auap i,