The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-04-12
AN EXCITING CHASE.
The Pursuit of -Four Train Rob-
bers and Their Capture,
ABATTLE WITH THE BANDITS
In Close Quarters-A Trip of Three
Hundred Miles by Plucky Officers
Of the Law Crowned With
success-Funny Incident,

SALT LAKE OITr, UTAH, April 1.-THE
four Arizona officers who arrived here
yesterday with four train robbers in
custody, tell an interesting story Of the
long chase,
On March 81, an Atlantic & Pacific
train was stopped at Conon Diable,
Yayapal county, Arizopr, for orders,
when the men boarded the engine and
persuaded the fireman, with reyolvers,
to order the express messenger to open
his car This was done, The robbers
then broke open the strong box, and
after securing all the money in it, struck
south towards the Tonto basin, and pro.
ceeded as far in that direction as Sunset
mountain, when they headed for Utah,
Sheriff O'Neill, OF Yarapoe county,
was at once notified, and with Special
Agent Holton, Deputy Sheriff James L.
Black and Ed. st. Clair, started In pursuit.
They trailed the robbers nearly 300
miles north from the line Of the road
through as wild and desolate a country
as can be found in the West. 1t was a
dangerous trip, too, for the region is in.
tested with desperadoes, whose sympa.
thies were all with the pursued party.
AT last, after hard journey OF 800 miles,
crossing tho Little and the Main Colo.
RADIO and over high mountains, and
parChed plains, during which the oiii-
GERS suffered many privations, the rob.
bers were sighted on April !, nearly two
weeks after the robbery in Wahwee
canon, about forty miles east OF Cannon
vile, Utah.
The officers called on the men to sur
render and were answered with yolley
from the revolvers with which they
were all armed. The country being
heavily timbered both parties were well
protected. A battle ensued, during
which one OF the robbers had his cart
ridge box shot from his belt. Another
had bullet hole put through his hat
and one Of their horses was killed. After
about fifty shots had been exchanged
the robbers concluded 1t was getting too
warm for them, and leaving their horses,
they beat hasty retreat ON foot.
The country Is covered with dense
growth OF underbrush, which made pur-
suit very difficult, but the officers per.
sisted and soon oyerhauled Bill Stineau,
q noted desperate, probably the leader
Of the gang. Next day Charles Clark
and John Smith were captured, and on
April 4 James Quirce was gathered in.
The officers had now succeeded in their
object, but another difficulty presented
itself. To return with their prisoners
over the road they had come would be
no small undertaking, and after Consid-
Grafton 1t was decided TO press on to
Milford and then go to Denver by way
Of Salt Lake and then take the Santa Fe
road TO Prescott.
II is not known even by the officers
just how much money was stolen, but
that found on them, together with what
has been accounted for, amounts to over
s., 900. On the way up one Of the pris-
oners made q full confession so that
there is not the slightest doubt that the
right parties have been captured.
A funny incident is related In con-
neCtion with an attempt made by the
citizens on Cannonvile to arrest the
men. Shortly before the arrival OF the
officers, eight armed men, with q small
army OF followers undertook this job.
The robbers waited quietly until the
citizens were near enough, when they
suddenly covered them with their guns
and made them stack their arms and
depart. ...
All OF the prisoners are we'll educated
and Smith claims to be the son OF a Bap.
tist minister. Officer Holton says be
formerly knew Stcneau in New Mexico,
where he trained with hard gang and
was generally considered bad. All the
robbers are under so years Of age. They
were quite jolly when first arrested, but
are beginning to realize their position
now, and show signs Of dropping. Train
robbing was made a capital offence by
the last Arizona Legislature, and as court
Convenes on May l, they are In fair
way to reach the reward their vlllainy
merits. The party left for Denver last
evening,