The Red Cloud chief., 1888-08-31
HELD UP"
An ErGliShman's Experience In
This Country.

From tine to time there have an.
peared accounts in the American news.
papers of the robbery of railway trains.
These robberies have generally taken
place in remote and outlying parts of the
States. into which the railway system
has but lately penetrated. For a train
to BE- what The Americans called ..held
up" was. during the last year, rather
frequent occurrence. and the process
of holding up" was done in 4 manner
so skillful - TO be generally attended
with success. There were cases re-
porteE in which the robbers got the
worst OF il. but they. too. often made
good their escape. not only with their
lives. but with considerable booty,
leaving the lain they had plundered
TO 90 On is way minus its mails and
the passengers stripped OF their money
and valuabies. 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 m~arauding gentlemen: and AS my
experiences may be interesting | ven-
ture 10 give them here. though they
may Ept he 80 startling as those Of
some CThes travellers who have fallen
among thiecs.
Ileft-Ssli Lake City on the forenoon
Of a bEdtiinl day in the fall of the
ear. and after Skirting the river ...JOr-
dan and the Lake PtI'iberias.' names
which the Mormons have transferred
from Palestine to their own territory.
The train began I enter wild and
rugged country. and TO cross the great
mountain ra:npa-: by which the plain
Of the Salt Lake Is environed. All the
afternoon we slowly assembled. and il
was evening before we reached the
Castle Gate. formed by two enormous
steep rCs1v walls. between which the
railway passes. There We're a good
many c;c1 iagcS in the train. and the
Pullman" in which | travelled had
about twenty passengers. We We're
very soc.able and time passed quickly.
As soon as i. WAS dark the berths on
Zach side OF The car Were made M nv
The attendant. the heavy cur
tainS drawn. and We all Went To bed.
| had been sleeping >oundiy when |
was Weakened at two in the morning
oy the train being brought suddenly To
astand--t:Il. Being in the lower berth
| had the advantage of having a win
low TO look ort of. | drew up the
blind: q bright moon was shining and
every object outside was perfectly
clear and distinct. The place looked
wild and lonely enough. Huge boul-
ders Of rock were strewn about. and
the hiliSiGeS rose scanned and bare. As
there was no railway station visible.
and the train showed no sign of going
on. | became convinced that something
was wrong and Weakened my travelling
companion in the opposite berth. As
he was partially dressed he said he
would 90 and see .'what was up" and
made his way 10 the open platform of
Ahe car. g his appearing outside. he
was asked by a man standing near the
track. what he wanted. He replied
that he merely wished 10 know what
had stopped the train. when he re-
ceived the not very r~eassuring answer
emphasized by a gun pointed at him.
60 back. you fool, or I'll drill a hole
through you"
The occupants OF the car were now
wide-a wake. and popping their heads
out from behind the curtains of their
berths. -';SSpssed the situation in a
lisel, er. 1t vas now evident
that we were ..held up" and the con-
vers.t;on turned on what was likely to
be the up-hot. | was particularly
struck By the good humor with which
every one seemed 20 regard the occur
renee. IL apparently was regarded by
them as a very amusing experience.
and BIZ none more than by the ladies
of our PARTY. who Joined freely in the
conversation. No one could at all have
imagined that they We're expecting
every moment 4 summoasAo march out
in dcshq5iHc and take their stand ia a
row on the railway bank Shouts OF
laughter axunded as one Yankee after
another made dry observations as to
what was likely to happen. and how
the robte-s would make hay of the
beds while we stood shivering in the
moonlight. Amid the merriment. how
ever. there was evidently an effort by
the passengers to make their money as
safe as circumstances would permit.
From all parts of the compartment
there resounded the clink of coin. One
person opposite me put his watch into
q boot.
s.WLe,s have You pat Your money!"