The record-union., 1891-09-05
MODESTO TRAIN ROBBERS.
THE GERS CONFIDENT THAT
TEL WILL BE CAPTURED.
Two Suspects Under Arrest-Laree Re-
ward OfTered-Detectiye Harris
Growing Worse.
Special tc the REcoRD-UNIoN.

?
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 4.-Helper
Charles of ells-Fargo, who was in the
express car with Messenger w. w. Reed,
in train 10, says the train stopped at
Ceres to let off passengers, started again
and stopped one mile south. Somebody
came to the door and demanded that it be
opened. Not expecting a 'hold-up,'' -
they were almost taken off their guard,
They thought it was the train baggage
master, but Messenger Reed ordered the
lights lowered. Soon after bomb was
thrown against the door of the car. 1t
blew large hole in and most completely
wrecked it. Through the opening another
bomb was placed in the car. The fuse
was pulled out and the bomb did not ex-
plode. The robbers reached in, taking it
out. The fireman was then ordered into
the car to turn up the lights Having
crawled through the hole in the door, he
was ordered by Messenger Reed not to
turn up the lights in this car and get out.
At this luncture firing commenced out
side and the fireman retired in good
order. The attack then ceased. The
robbers, who were two in number, took
Engineer Netf and the fireman with them
to where their horses were tied. They
were then ordered back to the train, after
NilISh ILlO 4OODO1o 1OOc IdDlO1N away.
REWARD OFFERED.
The following has been issued from the
Southern Pacific office:
Reward of So, 900 Offered!-A locomo-
tive of the Southern Pacific Company.
drawing the south-bound express train
No. 10, was boarded by armed masked
robbers when about six miles south of
Modesto, at about S:45 last evening The
engine men were compelled, at the peril
Of their lives, to stop the train, and after
ward to get down off the engine and to
proceed in advance of the robbers to the
express car, where the robbers exploded
dynamite for the purpose of breaking
open the door. When the trainmen ap-
preached in the direction of the express
car, the robbers opened fire with shot
gun, shooting Len. Harris, who is said to
be mortally wounded. Wells, Fargo &
Co. joins the Southern Pacific Company
in offering reward Of So 600 for the arrest
and conviction Of each of said train rob-
bers.
"A. n. TowNE, General Manager"
EXCITEMENT AT MERGED.
MERGED, Sept. 4.-Much excitement
prevails here over the train robbery. I A
large number of Merced people have
joined in the pursuit Of the robbers. All
are armed with revolvers and Winches-
ter rifles. The officers from here feel
lIs
have no clew yet.
Two men were arrested at Ceres at 2
O'Clock and taken to Modesto. One was
riding behind the baggage car at the time
the train was held up, but he claims to
know nothing about the robbery.
Some of the Merced officers who went
to the scene of the attempted robbery last
night came back about midnight as far as
the Merced River and guarded the bridge
during midnight The river is yery low
though, and can be crossed at almost any
point on horseback.
The general opinion is that the robbers
made direct tor the mountains. If that
be true they will be hard to find.
The scene of the robbery was visited
by an Associated Press correspondent
late last night. The dirt was found 10 be
torn up where one bomb exploded, and
pieces Of wood from the express car were
scattered around. The hole blown in the
car door was big enough for man to
crawl through, and the iron step was
blown clean off.
At least fifty men with shotgunsNand
rifles are in chase after the robbers, but
as the gang, thought now TO have num-
bered seven, separated Immediately after
the attempt, part starting north and the
balance south, it will be hard matter to
detect them. Detective Lawson, who
was in the fight, heard two gangs talking
way were arrested, and will be held as
witnesses. One, who gave his name as J. .
l.. Race, said he could identify one of the
robbers if he saw him. He described him
as tall, light-compleXioned, broad
shouldered man, 35 or 40 years of age.
One theory advanced by some is that
the villains were harvest hands working
near Modesto, and conceived the plan to
rob the train as being an easier way to
make money than working sixteen hours
a day in the harvest field.
ON THEIR TRAIL.
MODESTO, Sept. 4.-Sheriff Cunning
ham of San joaquin and posse got on the
track of two horsemen this morning near
the scene of last nights attempted train
robbery and are following it. The trail
leads in southwesterly direction toward
Crows Landing, Stanislaus County. A
large party is in pursuit.
CONDITION OF HARRIS.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 4.-Len Harris,
the wounded detective, arrived at Oak
land at 3 p. NJ, and was removed to his
home at Alameda, where he is attended
by a corps OF physicians. The bullet
which entered his neck cannot be located,
and is believed to have passed into the
shoulder. His condition has changed for
the worse during his removal from Mer-
ced to Alameda, and the physicians are
doubtful Of his recovery.