Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-09-09
BLOOD THE ONLY BOOTY.
Officers Successfully Defend an Express
Treasure.


Treasure.
SAN Francisco, Cal, Sept. 4.-The Los
Angeles express was held up by two
masked men a few miles south OF
Modesto at 8:45 last night. The rob-
bers boarded the train at Ceres, and
compelled Engineer Neff and Fireman
Wallace to extinguish the headlight and
fill the boiler with water. They then
made them get down and 60 to the ex-
press car and ordered it opened Con-
ductor Roche and Brakeman Fox were
in the front car, and they at once
went out on the platform and looked
out of the east side Of the car. Atsight
of the conductors lantern one OF the
robbers called out for them to 60 back,
firing shot at them. The conductor
set his lantern back and fired two shots
at the robbers.
The conductor at once went back
into the car and sought Detective Len
Harris, of Los Angeles, and Detective
Lawson, who CHANGED to be on the
train. Harris got out of the car on
the west side and walked up toward
the robbers who had gone over to
that side of the express car. When
about two cars length from the express
car, Harris opened fire with revolver,
sending two shots in their direction.
The robbers returned the fire, firing
three shots, all of which took effect,
hitting Harris in the neck and over the
left eve.
Meanwhile the robbers were COM
NJ I. 4
while Fireman Wallace worked at the
express car door. They called several
times to express Messenger Reed and
his assistant, Charles, to open the door
and come out, claiming that they would
not hurt them, but they refused to open
the door. A bomb was exploded against
the door, SCATTERING the beams and
making an opening large enough for
them to enter through, but the shooting
by Harris, and also shots fired during
the affray by Brakeman Fox evidently
scared them off, as they left without Sc
curing any treasure. Harris was taken
to MERGED, where he is dying.
AS soon as news of the attempted
robbery reached MERGED a special train
started for the scene, bearing officers
and posse of sixty men who are now
in pursuit. Officers have also started
from Tulare, Modesto, MERGED and
Lathrop.
Two men suspected of being impli-
Gated in the attempted robbery were ar
rested at Ceres early this morning and
taken to Modesto. One of the men was
riding on the blind end of the
baggage car at the time the
train was held up. The Mer-
ced officials guarded the bridge
over the Merced River during the
night, but as the river is low it could be
forded on horseback at any point. The
general opinion is that the robbers have
made for the mountains east of MERGED,
in which case their capture is doubtful.
SAN ANTONIO, Tex, Sept. 4. = The
bandits who robbed the Southern Pa
cific express train on Tuesday night Sc
cured more booty than the reports of
the robbery stated. In each Wells
Fargo car there are two safes,
one for local business and the
other for through business. The latter
is locked at Houston and opened here,
re-locked here and not re-opened until
it reaches San Francisco. The messen-
gers do not know the combination and
the contents are generally very valu-
able 1t was this safe which the
robbers blew open. The loss is there
fore much heavier than at first report
ed. Instead Of 5000 it will reach $15,-
900 and may 60 even higher. The man
ager OF the Texas division admits that.
the amount secured is over $4,000.