The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-04-05
PIXLEY TRAIN ROBBERY.
John R. Griffith Makes a Clean
Breast of the Affair.
WRITES A LETTER TO THE AMERI
CAN CONSUL AT HONOLULU.
He Says He Was One of Three Parties
Connected With the Affair, and
duplicates weIl-to-Do Insurance
Agent of Fresno, Who He Says,
Was the Leader History of the

-
Was the Leader History of the
Robbery.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
HONOLULU, March 16.-John r. Crit
nth, a sailor on the whaling ship North
ern Light, which left here to-day for a
cruise in the North Pacific Ocean, adj
dressed letter under date of March 18th,
to United States Consul Severance, in
which he confesses to having perpetrated,
IN company with two companions, the
daring train robbery which took place
near Pixley, CAL, February %, 1889.
Three men boarded the cars at that
point. and after the train had left the sta
ton they climbed over the baggage car
into the cab of the engine. They ordered
the engineer to stop the train, but he did
not obey quickly, and as consequence
lost his life. passenger who emerged
from the coach after the train came to a
standstill was also shot and killed. The
robbers then went through the mail and
express cars, taking everything they
could lay their hands on, and escaped
THE CONFESSION.
Griffith's letter in full is as follows:
SHIP NORTHERN LIGHT, March H. 1S92
TO the Right Honorable ADaericdn Consul at
Hoaot,du, HdUditdn hiRgdom-DEAR SIR:
wish to give myself into your hands here u
fugitive rom justice, to be held prisoner
until the state authorities of California and
the postal authorities of the United States are
notlhed anu can act in the matter.
About z. II. on the 22d of February
1889, the San Francisco and Los Angeles
local express train was stopped by three high
waymen near the town of Pixey in Tulare
County, Cal, and Wells, Fargo q Co.'S car was
forced and robbed OF 81 600 in gold
The mail pouches were ritied and several
registered letters and other papers and pack
ages OF minor value secured. Two men were
killed in the melee-the fireman of the train
and passenger from the town of Modesto
Cal.
There is a large standing reward for the ap-
prehenston OF the parties VINO perpetrated
this crime. The State offers q reward of
$4,000 and Wells, Fargo IL Co. So, 500, beside
Two or three smaller rewards by private
parties.
Myself and two other young men are the
perpetrators, and were the sole actors in the
crime. The leader i'll this is weli-to-do in
surance agent doing business in Fresno CAL
at the present time.
Myself and the other fellow have been to sea
together most of the time since then. | have
lived in constant fear since then. Every mo-
ment OF my life l have been in terror and
now have every reason to believe that the
facts VIII be made public before my ship
reaches san Francisco. Hence this statement
The other fellow shipped on the John T.
West with the intention of running away on
some OF The remote islands near the equator
and when he found out that the ship would
not put in at any of those islands / have
every reason to believe that he is the man
who set her on lire.
will turn States evidence and make n clean
breast of the whole thing. As soon as l see
you l viii make q written statement of all the
facts and swear TO it before a Notary. / am
turning myself over to you because 1 can't
STAN this wretched, fearful existence any
longer, ana hope to get off lighter by acting
thus.
Ii you take me in charge, do it quickly, as
my ship will leave here at once This must
be ended once and for good, even if 1t ends in
self-deStruction.
My father is a wealthy business man of
Fresno, Cal. l am now 81 years OF age light
Completed. and weigh 40pounds. Respect
fully, john r. GRIFFITH
P. S.-March 18th, 9 A. NJ, '92.-This is a
deliberate step am taking, sir. after long de-
liberation, and / stand ready to make a fllI
and thorough statement and swear 10 the
same before Notary.
1t is my only hope of salvation, as I LEFT
proofs by accident In Fresno that viii surely
be found before get to San Francisco.
| am perfectly willing to wait q prisoner
pending requisition. Very respectfully,
Ship Northern Light.
OTHER CRIMES.
Griffith's letter became public before
reaching the American Consul, and Crit
nth was at once interviewed. He was,
however, non-communicative
Griffith was on the Sea Breeze with
Captain Green in 1890, shipping from San
Francisco. He is reported to have en-
bezZled money from that vessel at the
time. He is known to belong to Fresno,
Cal.
1t is said on good authority that the
former cooper of the whaler John p.
West, which was burned here last month.
will n fpCt laf he.
on fire. The parties who are suspected
are here on the islands, and it is stated
that James Mckenna. the owner of the
West, have been informed of this and
have sent detective here.
The outcome OF Gritfith's letter is
awaited with interest, and it is expected
that the steamer Australia, which leaves
here subsequent to the sailing of the bark
Discovery, which carries this letter, may
convey further particulars.
Griffith left here on the Northern Light
to-day.
NO FAITH PLACED IN GRIFFITH's LETTER
FRESNO, April 1.-The confession of
John r. Griffith, that he and two others
committed the PiXley train robbery, is
generally discredited here. 1t is stated
by those who know him, that Griffith is
of unsound mind. One of his acquaint-
ances says: Griffith has been in the
asylum four different times, and he is en-
tirely irresponsible for what he saws and
does. He was taken from the Napa Asy-
Ium and put on board whaling ship in
the hope that it might be a benefit to him.
His case was explained to the Captain of
the ship, and it was the understanding
that he should never be allowed on land
except under guard. He was taken I'M
der guard when placed on board the ship,
and it was expected that guard could be
kept over him. AS to his being impli-
Gated in the Pixley train robbery, that is
nonsense; he was not in that affair, and
doesn't know anything about it.
lie IS either more insane than usual,
and imagineS that he knows something
about it, or else this is only ruse on his
part to get away from the whaling ship
and get back TO the United States. 1t is
probable he has found the life of the
whaling vessel anything but pleasant,
and not seeing convenient means of es-
cape, has hit upon this plan for getting
away. The Daltons have already con-
fessed to being in the robbery Bill Dali
ton says that he and two of his brothers,
now in Indian Territory, were the ones
who committed that robbery"
Griffith IS the son of s. Griffith. an old
resident OF this city, and a brother of s.
n. Griffith, the well-known capitalist.
No beliefs put in his confession. and it
is thought he will deny everything when
ne finds himself home.
STORY OF THE ROBBERY
The robbery to which John Allen Grit
nth has confessed was one of the most
daring ever committed in California The
scene OF the hold-up was at point about
TWO miles south of Pixley, and occurred
about O'Clock on the evening of Febru-
airy -, 1889.
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