Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-12-26
WHAT THE MESSENGERS SAY.

WAAAA LIE MESSENGERS SAY.
TRUcKEE, December 25th.-The expires,
car on the eastbound overland train wa,
robbed last night two miles cas-. of Clippe
Gap, at 10:4O o'clock. Robert Johnst n. The
express messenger says he was sitting a
MS desk checking up, and his helper wa.
sorting out packages for Grass Valley an6
Nevada, to be left at Colfax. Suddenly tbt
glass transoms over the two doors on eacl
| SIDE OF the car were broken in simultane
ously and two revolvers thrust through
covering both messengers. The robbers
mad probably got on at Clipper Gap, where
the engines took water, and were STANDING
on the ledge outside the doors, holding on
by the handles of the doors.
Johnston was compelled to open one doo,
and let in one robber, being ordered to keen
one hand held up. Meanwhile the other
robber reached inside and unlatcbed the
opposite door, letting himself in. One
covered the messengers while the other took
all the coin packages out of the safe and
put them IN game bag which he had slune
across his shoulders.
Between Clipper Gap and Applegate the
grade is heavy, and it takes fifteen minutes
TO run two and half miles. The robbers
had no difficulty, therefore. in iumpine off
the train as soon as the robbery was com
pleted. The entire transaction occupied
less than five minutes.
One robber asked the messenger for his
lunch. The messengers thought the rob-
oers were on the top of the car when they
proke the windows, and supposed thew
We're still there when the two Jumped off
the car. After the robbery the messenger
therefore, made no attempt to stop the train
or give an alarm.
When the train stopped at New England
Mills tramp, who was on the front end OF
the baggage-car, ran forward and told the
engineers, Charles Trott and Don Hackett
that the espresso car had been robbed. He
mad seen the robbers thrust pistols through
the windows, and thought the messengers
were shot. Conductor Gus Burnett was
notified and he and the engineer knocked
atthe door of the express car, but the mes
sengers were SO badly scared that thew
would not open the doors for some min
utes. Broken glass covered the floor of the
car, and the safe was empty.
Both ROBBERS were young men, and only
partially disguised. Accurate descriptions
were given by the messengers and tele.
eraphed from Colfax last night Two
| tramps were detained as witnesses.
As one robber was leaving the car some
parcels lay on the floor in his way. ana he
knocked them out of the car. One mes.
senger stated thar he pulled the bell
out the engineers deny this. Besides. the
train could have been stopped had the mes.
| senger pulled the automatic plug inside
| the express car.
Both ronbers had red hatchets, such a,
| are used on trains, and were armed with
revolvers. They evidently knew that thjs
Train ran between those stations at only te
o. twelve miles per hour, and knew every.
thing about the express car aud the habit.
of the messengers. One rob5er entered Al
the forward door on one side, and Ii,
other entered at the rear door on The othel
side
| The messengers refused to state tn,
| amount stolen, but said the ROBBERS go
| enough TO keep them through the winter
Train men say the robbery vas the neates
and best lob on record.