Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-02-24
THE TRAIN ROBBERY.
Full Particulars of the
HOld-Up.
STATEMENTS OF EYE-wITNEssEs
Scenes on the Train-Jewelry Hid
den in CuspidOres-Re-
wards Offered.

0SOACo OA ehO SSVSAJ AAAN
den in CuspidOres-Re-
wards Offered.
The sensation of the hour yesterday
was the daring hold-up OF the Los Ange.
les express, on Thursday night, at
Pixley, inasmuch as it is the first time
that any such deed has been attempted
on that section of the road, and also be-
cause of the tragic circumstances accom-
panying the affair. The meagre details
of the robbery which could be obtained
for yesterdays HERALD proved, in the
main, to be correct, and were eagerly
perused by the reading public of the
city, many of whom, having friends on
the train, went to the depot yesterday
morning to meet the cars, fearing, prob
ably, that there had been more blood
shed than was reported. A HERALD man
was among the many who watched the
train come steaming into the San Fer
nando street depot, and, as the cars
came to standstill, he made for
LILO Wcllb dIkO CdI az thC
open door of which, with q smile on his
face, stood Messenger Kelley, who had
charge of the treasure that was carried
off by the thieves. It was impossible to
speak at any length to that gentleman,
however, on account of the crowd of Off
,cials that at once surrounded him, so
the scribe wended his way back to the
Pullmans, from which the passengers,
as they alighted, were quickly button
holed by the curious, anxious to obtain
the true version of the robbery. Mr.. E..
Potts, a we'll known resident of San
Francisco, on being asked by the
HERALD man for the story, readily con-
sented, and after comfortable quarters
had been obtained for the recital, he be-
gan as follows:
HOW IT OCCURRED.
"We had stopped for supper at Pixley
seventeen miles this side of Tulare, and
pulled out again at about 1850
r. N. our southwark journey, the
train being in charge of Conductor
Jas. Symington. What am now going
to tell you about what occurred 1 cleaned
both from personal observation and ill.,
.quiry after the affair was over, and can
safely say is about as near the truth as
can be obtained. 1t appears that, as the
train steamed slowly out, two men
jumped on what is known as the "bind
baggage" that is, the end end of the
express car next to the engine. From
this they climbed on to the tender over
the coal, and the first intimation the
engineer and fireman had Of their pres
ence was q command to throw up
their hands or be shot as they
stood. The engineer turned around
III establishment and looked right
into the glittering barrels of two shot
guns, their feelings being probably
best described by the engineer, Pete
Bulger, who said: when 1 looked into
the barrels, if there had been another one
I would have dropped dead.'
4" Do what we tell you and you are
all right said q voice, and then the
holders of the weapons crawled into
full view and proved to be two masked
men, which was sufficient indication of
what was going to happen. They told
the engineer to pull ahead slowly and
stop when they told him so acting under
these instructions the train went along
and after Pixley was about two miles
away the explosion of a torpedo on the
track was heard, and Pull up,' said one
of the masked men. AS the cars stopped
three more maskers, carrying ehot-
guns, appeared out of the dark.
ness and joined their friends
on the engine, who commanded the
engineer and fireman to alight. They
then proceeded to the door of the ex
press car, and told the engineer to order
Wells-Fargo's messenger to come out,
but as the request met with no result,
they exploded a small dynamite bomb
against the door, shattering it and re-
vealing its inmate. He had put the
lights out, and they ordered him to turn
them up again, and then, after taking his
keys away, they marched him, the en-.
gineer and the fremen to the head of the
engine, and two of the gang stood guard
over them while the other three re-
turned to the opened car. The plan of
men jumped into the car and ransacket
it, while the other two stood, one on each
side OF the train, with their shotguns
pointed towards the cars, SO as to pre-
vent any attack on the part of
the passengers. This precautioD
proved to be well-timed one
for them, for brakemen with lantern
swinging came running along to see why
the train had stopped, no notice having
been taken of the explosion of the
bombs, as it was thought that they were
being let off by residents of the place in
honor of Washington's birthday. A shot
fred over his head soon apprised him of
what was going on, however, and few
seconds later, E. s. Bentley, deputy con
stable of Delano, who was on the train,
joined him, and the two ran on to where
the robbers were standing. Then came
an explosion, and Bently, waiing I am
shot! 1 am shot' reeled back against
the cars, his cry being heard by the
passengers, and arousing all to sense
of their danger. The brakeman, whose
name is Anson, did not stop when his
companion fell, but picked up large.
rock and hurled it at the robber, who il
return threw what is supposed to have
been another dynamite bomb, for il
Knocked Anson to the ground, though
without iDjuring him."
A MAN SHOT DEAD.
"On the other side OF the train another
tragedy was being enacted, for a young
German passenger named Charles Ga
bert had made his way to the front end
of the train to see what was going on.
What are you doing here p said the
masked guard, as he caught sight I,
Gabert, and as he spoke he fred, the
load of buckshot going into the young
Germans head and neck, killing him
instantly. By this time all of the booty
hod oh