Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-08-08
They Attempt to Rob a Denver
and Rio Grande Express Train.
The Express Messenger Responds to
Order to Open Up With d Re
peating Winchester Rife.
Failing to Get the Express Money, They Turn
Their Attention to the Passengers
and Make Neat Haul.
A pLucKY MESSENGER.

express train was made about 10 O'Clock
last night at point two miles west of
Thompson Springs, Utah. When near
ing sharp curve in the road at that
point the engineer of the train was sig
nailed with red lantern. Being nat
urally suspicious, he only slowed
up, which afforded the opportunity
desired by the highwayman. Before the
engine had reached the signal three men
suddenly
sPRANG OUT OF THE DARKNESS
and covered the engineer and fireman
with a pair of ugly looking revolvers, at
the same time ordering that the train be
brought to al standstiIl. Finding them
selves at the mercy of the highwaYmen,
the men i'll charge Of the engine obeyed
orders without remonstance. One of the
men then took charge of the engineer,
who was ordered to remain upon his en-
CINE, and cautioned against giving any
alarm or disobeying instructions on
penalty OF instant death. The fireman
was then ordered to take his coal
pick and break open the strong oaken
doors of the express. which contained
large sum of money and other valuables.
Having no other alternative the man did
as he was told, but hardly struck the
first blow when
FUsLADE OF BULLETS
from the inside of the car commenced
through the panels of the door. They
came from a repeating Winchester rife
in the hands of Express Messenger Frank
Wills, who evidently did not intend to
surrender his treasures without a vigor-
Gus resistance. The robbers and the
fireman quickly drew back to a safe
distance and the former commenced to
return the fire from their revolvers.
Their bullets had little effect, however,
save to riddle the car, which much re-
sembled a seive when the
BESIEGERs FINALLY WITHDREW
Finding that there was little chance of
gaining entrance to the express car, the
highwaymen gave up the attempt and
turned their attention to the passenger
coaches. By this time the robbers had
been REINFORCED by the man who signalled
the train, and together they went to work
upon the passengers, compelling the fire.
man to accompany them and hold
small bag into which they
threw their booty. Conductor H. K.
Tammany, who was in charge of
the train, was guarded by one of the rob-
bers while the brakeman was taken in
charge by another. A third then pro-
ceeded with the fireman to pay his COM
pliments to
THE MALE PASSENGERS,
who were politely requested to fork over
whatever of value they had in their pos
session. The masculine passengers took
advantage of this exhibition of chivalry
to turn over their valuables to their keep
ing. The total amount of the plumber
secured by the robbers was estimated at
$1,000 in cash and thirty valuable
gold watches. Thompson Springs,
near where the robbery oc-
cured, is small station on the
Denver and Rio Grande Western road
ftty-four miles beyond the Colorado
state line. 1t is situated almost in the
center of
HIGH BARREN MESA,
which presents all the characteristics of
sandy desert. It Is lonely spot, where
there is no one to pursue them, and was
q good selection as a base of operation
for the gang. AS soon as the robbers
had taken their departure the train pro-
ceeded on to Green River, about twenty |
five miles distant, where a posse of Of |
ficers and men were at once started after
the highwaymen. The fact of the robbery |
was also telegraphed to Grand Junction |
from where a second party was also i'm |
mediately sent out in charge Of the gen.
eral superintendent of the road. 1t is |
supposed that the robbers fed either to |
the north or south to the high river |
bluffs and canOns along the many streams |
in that part of the state where
PURSUIT WILL BE DIFFICULT AND IARARD- |
Gus.
ho 1frv- 10
however, and sooner or later they will be |
compelled to come from their hiding |
place for provisions when their capture is |
probable, as a very good description of |
the men can be given, and officers and |
detectives viii be stationed at every ave- |
nue. Of escape from the country. This is |
the first attempt at holding up a |
Rio Grande express train since the Smith |
boys successfully turned a trick near the |
state line in 1887. They fed to the same |
where the present robbery was
going from there down into
Arizona in the Colorado river country
They subsequently, returned up the river
to q small town near Green river station, |
which is notorious resort for thieves,
murderers and fugitives from justice.
Here they were captured and are now I
doing time in the penitentiary.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
DENVER, COL, Aug. "A special |
received here this afternoon says the !
Rio Grande Western train No 8, known
as the ''Modoc, was held up near
Crevasse last night by train robbers,
two of whom boarded the baggage car
at Thompson Springs. They climbed
over the engine, pointed revolvers at
the heads of the engineer and fireman
and compelled them to stop the train.
They forced the fireman to attempt to
cnop through the door of the express
car, and made the engineer bring q bag
TO hold plumber. Messenger Willis
was ready with a magazine shot
gun and two self cooking revolvers.
The fireman was unable to chop through
the boiler iron door. so the robbers fired
a dozen shots through the car. Messen-
ger Willis lay on the floor and was not
hit. The robbers dared not show their
heads fat the broken windows lest they
should get shot. They egave it I'D and
Joined two other robbers back in the
other cars. The four went through the
train with their revolvers drawn ana
$500 and twenty watches. One
passenger put his head out of the window