Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-01-03
ROBBED THE OVERLAND
Daring Bandits in the Sierras-
ewo Masked Men Board Moving
Train ON the Central Pacific, Near
Clipper Gap, Cal, and Pluader
the Wells Fargo Com
pan.'s Car.

g. Fn,No1sco.-Th Wells Fargo ex-
60 car attached 70 the overland ex
- an the Central Pac tic Road, which
Ia sacramento Friday night was rob-
haa near Clipper Gap, CAL, while the
trainl was eassing slowly through the
spow she ds near that point. The cool
ard bosinesslike manner in which the
robhe7y was Effected shows il to have
hsAn Inc work of those familiar with the
bpsinsss, and the disappearance of the
byisands without leaving tae slightest
cine is evidence OF their scquainfanee
with the surrounding country.
The train had just entered snow shed
No. O. at the eastern outlet of Clipper
Gan. which is a deer gorge IN the Sierra
N.vadas, when two men clambered onto
IN. rear platform of the express car,
Which was followed by the baggage car.
Nsither the express nor the baggage car
had doors in the front end, being what
are known among railroad men as blind"
oars; N sequeDtly the bandits had no in
terruption TO fear from those in the train
behind them, while the express messen-
gers had no means of attracting the at
tention of the engineer and fireman IN
front Owing to the infammable nature
of the snow sheds, engineers are in
structed TO use as little steam as possible
while passing through them, aud the
train being ON the eastern slope, was I'M
der full control of the air brakes. The
robbers we're evidently aware of these
facts, and chose rather to board the
train while in motion than to intimidste
the engineer with their revolyers, which
would have required the undivided at
tsntion of one man, leaving only one to
attend to the express messenger, beside
exciting sus picion by stopping the train
or slackening the speed. Their calcula.
tions were carefully made and the
event proved entirely successful.
The FIRST intimation the two express
messengers, William johnson and Samuel
Carpenter, had OF the attempt on the Car,
was a crash of shattered glass In the up
per half of the car door. Springing to
their feet they we're confronted with the
muzzes of two heavy revolvers held by
two masked men on the platform. John
son made a move for the sawed off"
shot gun carried in all the Wells-Fargo
cars, but WAS stsrnly commanded to throw
up mis- hands, an injunction which he as
once obeJed. Ihen one of the robbers
climbed through the space in the upper
half of the door left by the glass teing
broken, while the other still covered the
express men with his six. shooter. The
fret robber then stood guard, while his
confederate gained admission 10 the same
way. Johnson and Carpenter we're order
ed TO the front END of the car, where they
we're searched aud the keys of the safe
and the valuable package box taken from
then. Then, while one of the bandits
stood guard, the other opened the two re-
oeptahles and slowed away the contents
IL a gunpy sgok, which be carried slung
over his shoulder. By this time the train
had passed through the snow shed and
was beginning 10 attain a fair rate of
speed, a fact which seemed to alarm the
bandits, who, true to their plans, evident
y did not desire to precipitate disoov-
cry by pulling The bell-rop pc and stopping
the train. Accordingly they swung open
the side door of the car and Just aitsr the
train passed the sation at New England
Mills, dropped to the ground and quickly
disappeared. Their haste was the cause
OF their overlooking sack containing
10000 in gold coin, which was among
the other vauabIes Of the safe.
Accounts differ to tine amount Of booty
secured From one source il was stated
to be over $4,000. On the other hand,
the agent of the express company at
Sacramento Is positive that the robbers
could not have gotten more than a few
hahd eds. 1t Is impossible, as yet, to de
teEmlne which statement is correct. As
soon as the bandits had disappeared the
express messenger stopped the train, and
the f}cts were at once telegraphed TO
various points along the line. force OF
detectives was sent out on a special train
from Sacramento, but have not yet re-
ported any discoveries. The two men
who robbed the car are described by the
messengers as young men, fairly we'll
dressed and apparently experts in their
business Their masks were made of
some cheap, hmsy material apparently
inning torn i.0m coat.