Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-19
A Cowboy and ChumS TRY to Hold
Up a L. ?. Train.
They Try to Force q Section Foreman
to Help Them Out, and He Lets
the Cat Out OF the Bag.
Would-be Robbers Meet With Warm Re
cept!on-Two of Them V ounded
and Captured.
GOT NOTHING BUT BULLETS.

/ Special to the Gazette.
PECoS CITY, Tex. Nov. l8.-An at
tempt was made to rob the eGst-bound
| passenger tram at Van Horn last night,
whic en- resulted in the woundiug OF one of
the sheriff 5 posse and the wouGdlng and
capture of two, aud perhaps all of the
highwaymeu. 1t seems that one Sylvan
Roberts, u cowboy, we!l-knowu among
the rarchmen of the Pecos valley. ana
two other parties whose names your re-
porter has been unable 20 obtain, up
preached the SECTION foreman whose
name Is Smith, at or near Kent Station,
yesterday morning aud made posi-
ton to him
TO ASSIST ~ THE ROBBERY.
Smith through fear OF being killed IL
he refused, consented TO go with them.
and il vas arranged that Smith should
board the train ut Van Horn and force
the engineer to halt after pull
ing out from the station IL
half mile or so. Smith went
to Van Horn during the day yesterday
and gave ths whole thing away, and Us &
consequence when the train pulled into
Van Horn officers from FL Paso were on
board. They were reinforced there by q
deputy sheriff and several citizens, who
took their stand III the far end OF the
coach next 10 the mail and express car.
Smith then, rs agreeG,
BOARDED THE ENGINE
and the .rGin YVES stopped ut the place
agreed upon. As soon rs the train came
to q stunistill Two o. the robbers ap-
preached the express car from the south
and one from the north side aud were
fired upon by the posse III the car
simultaneously. Five shots were fired,
but the robbers were not captured Dur
ing the skirinish 3lr j. J Mccullough "a
merchant of Van Horn, Tho Aas with
the sheriff posses, was shot in the
shoulder. He came on to this place last
night for med zeal attention and returned
on tie east bound at O'Clock this
morning. A private message from Van
Horn this afternoon states that two OF
the robbers have been captured, US they
were so badly wounded Is TO be unable 10
travel.
II.
Special to the Gazette.
ABILENE, TEX. Nov. 1S.-Passengers
on the East bound passenger train which
arrived here at 1880 this morning re-
IDIitNl Is thi iliiuE aNSohhL VI "a "cIiH-b C
trim robbery OF their train last night.
The meager facts and particulars as
learned by your correspondent from the
passengers are about as follows: The
robbers consisted of four out
laws who formed their little
party at or near Van Horn.
The one who was to hold up the engineer
also took passage st Van Horn, but it
seems he was sn unwilling accoinplice or
be became so overcome with fright as
"to squeal'' on his colleagues. After
he was aboard the train he Informed the
conductor OF the situation and told him
that he was forced into the robbery or
would be murdered by bis acconplices if
he did not act. which he consented to do.
The conductor wired a head
FOR A HEAVY GUARD
and at the next station they took on If
teen section hands under competent
leadership, all of whom were armed 20
the teeth with Winchesters and pistols.
1t was decided by those in control to let
the ''squealer'' go forward and hold up
the engineer two tniles this side of Kent,
the last station 10 the JUN DO county of
FL Paso, which had been agreed upon by
the robbers as the attacking point.
when the water tank was reached ut
the point Of attack was reached
the engineer came to dead
halt, and at a signal by the squealer the
would be robbers came forward, think
ing everything in apple-pie order. Great
was their dismay when they were given
cordial reception by the guards when
they were well down the nountsin side.
Iu discovering that they had been be-
trayed, they backed off aud fired the
contents of all their fire arms into the
guards car. The firing lasted for fully
minute. At least
ONE HUNDRED SHOTS WERE FIRED
altogether. After the firing had ceased
and the battle smoke had cleared away,
il was found that one guard had been
painfully, but not fatally shot, III the
shoulder, and that two OF the robbers
were also lying dead on or near the
track. The train proceeded on her way
and at the next stntion the wounded
guard WAS put off, whers medical aid
could be obtained. The bodies of
the dead robbers were also put
of 20 be forwarded back on the next
vest bound train. Thus IL will be seen
that two were killed and The squealer is
still IN custody, while the fourth is still
ut large. No booty was secured. The |
robbery or hold-up occurred about ten
p. m. Passengers on the train report |
quite n warm and entertaining time for |
the short time of few moments, and |
evidenced by the many bullet holes In |
the cars.