The morning call., 1891-02-11
FLYING BULLETS.
Story Of The Attempted Train Robbery Near
Alila.

DELANo, Feb. 10.-At the inquest in the
case of Fireman Radcliff. shot by the train
robbers at Alila Station, Charles G. Has
well, Wells, Fargo & Co.'s messenger, testi-
fed as follows:
THE MESSENGERS STATEMENT.
ION the night of February g. 1891, was
messenger for Wells, Fargo & Co. on Train
No. II. bound for Los Angeles At about
o'clock, ana about one mile south of Alila,
noticed the train coming to sudden stop.
l opened the door on the east side of tile
train and looked toward the engine. [ saw
several men climbing down from the engine
My impression was that five men climbed
down to the ground on the east side of the
train. knew that only the engineer and
fireman belonged en- the engine and appre-
hended at once that the train was TO be
robbed, and that the first object of the at
tack would be the Wells, Fargo & Co. eX-
press-car of which bad charge. l immedi-
ately turned and donble-locked the door,
turned out the lights and took off my shoes.
Inc object OF the latter action was that
should 1t become necessary in the defense
OF the car to move from one place to another
my footsteps could not be heard by those on
the outside. l determined to defend the car
and the property i'll my charge belonging to
the company
DEMANDED ADMITTANCE.
Just as | stepped to the rear door on the
east size there was rap on the door and
some one said, Open the door quick; l
want to get link; open it quick Imne-
dlately some one said, Open the door quick
L pressed my face against the glass l could
see out and discern objects generally but
not distinctly, by the light of the lantern
held in the hands of some one on the ground.
A group OF men stood close by the door Of
the car; one man on the outside of the grOup
npin SHOTGUN hands inf dntt ha
door OF the car, as If anticipating the opening
OF the door and intending to cover me with
the gun when the door should be opened.
While my face was placed close to the glass
the muzzle of the gun approached me within
two feet of the window
SHOTS EXCHANGED.
"Idrew back upon percelving the closeness
OF the gun and, partially turned around
when the gun was discharged and the glass
IN the upper portion of the door was driven
inward by the shot and explosion. | was
struck by buckshot on the brow OF the
lett eye. The force of the shot turned me
completely around. l was still standing by
the door. and upon recovering my presence
OF mind after the shot, returned the fire
with IA revolver through the opening made
IN the window by the shot fired from with
out. L aimed over the heads of those near
the car at the man standing on the outside
OF the group with the shotgun still in his
hands and pointed toward the door of the
car. Tired the shot referred to from re-
yoyer,, and the man threw up his hands as
II the ball from my revolver had taken
effect. lie ran from the position he had
occupied. with the shotgun, toward the head
oil the Train, the south end of the car |
ran to that end of the car, and as he came
into view fired at him with the shotgun
through the glass of that door of the car.
FLYING BULLETS.
"At the time | discharged the shotgun at
him he ripkt no
shot appeared not TO have taken effect l
followed it up with shot from the revolver
as he ran away. During the time this was
transporting there were many shots fired from
the outside of the car. The shots appeared
to me to come from both sides of the car |
ran again to the rear door and took up the
position | had first taken, when bullet
passed into the car Immediately in front of
me. One of the aSsaulting party was in
view, standing about elk feet behind the rest
of the party. | fired at him with the revol-
yer twice. AS the shots were flying so thick
L laid down on the floor alongside of the
safe and reloaded my weapon. The shots
on the outside of the Cur continued for about
hve minutes. The men on the outside ap-
peared to be going toward the head of the
train.
THE LAST SHOT.
Il heard some one walk by the car on the
east side, VINO appeared to be close to the
car. judged it to be one of the robbers,
and estimating his position as well as |
could by the sound of MS footsteps, fired
through the side of the car near the floor
There were no more shots from the outside
after l made this last shot from the revolver.
The suspension of firing and the general
stiffness led me to believe that they were
adopting plan which, l had heard, had
been adopted in other cases. of exploding a
giant powder cartridge under the car As
soon as this thought struck me | stood upo1
my tptoes as lar away from the center of
tile car AS | could get. My object in this
was to relieve the force of the shock |
waited what seemed to me about ten min
utes in that position. l could hear nothing
going on outside The first shot fired in The
melee was fired so close to NY face as to
make me partially deaf in my right ear.
PARTY OF FRIENDS.
Then l went cautiously to the hind door
and peered out through the opening in the
glass; saw a party Of about five people
standing in the light reflected from the open
door OF the baggage-car. | covered them
Win my shotgun and awaited developments.
I'd BLACK, the baggage-master came to the
door OF the baggage-car and leaned against
Inc Jam; saw his shadow on the ground by
the light Of the lamp above his head. /
called to Kim and said. Ed Black. have the
robbers gomez The engineer called back
Inns is me, the engineer and friends:
don't shoot | told him l would not shoot.
and asked him where the robbers were; he
sald they went toward the engine, but he
ala not know If they were gone told him
TO go back and get a posse of passengers and
so forward to the engine, which he did. In
a lew minutes the train started and con-
unued to Delano without interruption"