The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-06-02
TRUE TO THEIR TRUST.
TRAIN ROBBERS FOILED BY GALLANT
EXPRESSMEN.


peradoos with Ecvnlvors-- Ono Man
Killed and Another wounded.
JACKSONVILLE, ELA., May 2I.-
The north bound train, No. II, on the
Jacksonville, Tampa Il Key West rail-
road, was held up at a lonely hammock
station five miles south of Sandford at
5 O'Clock this morning by 10 II masked
robbers, who, in desperate attempt to
secure the monies of the Southern En-
ger Saunders and badly wounded Solicit
ing Agent J. M. Cox. The train was
stopped by the waving OF a white sta
ton lantern. Two robbers jumped OH
each side of the engine and compelled
the engineer and fireman at the muZZles
of revolvcrs to run down trestle 200
yards distant. While this was being
done, two other robbers entered the eX-
press car, and in an encounter with them
Saunders was killed and Cox was badly
wounded in the face. The train hands
came to the rescue, and the robbers beat
q retreat, No money was secured. A
posse Is in pursuit of the gang. There
is no clue yet.
Soliciting Agent j. M. Cox, Of the
Southern Express company, reached
this city this morning, and went direct
to his home In Riverside, suburb,
where he told a reporter the following
story OF the murder and attempted rob-
) berry:
Il was on t ain No. II this morning,
and when we had reached the little sta
ton Of Monroe, just this side of Sand.
lord, the train was waved down by u
man with Il lantern who was supposed
: TO be the agent. The man got on and
, we started OIL slowly, when l noticed u
man standing on the platform of the eX-
press car iust outside OF the door. Saun
dcrs and myself were sitting close to.
Q gethcr Oh trunk near the door, and Oh
=, seeing the man l asked Saunders who 1t
was. lie threw open the door TO see
who it was when two men Jumped in,
l. each with revolver, aud ordered,
} Hands upn AS the command was
uttered Saunders grappled with the first
|. man, and l with the other. Then ter
rlbie encounter took place. The men
both had pistols, and we were unarnled.
Saunders cndeavorcd to get his pistol,
but without. success. Firing commenced
at the outset and they put it 10 us hot
and heavy. We held our own, however,
with such odds against us and su ;ceeded
In throwing my man out and closing the
door. Meanwhile, Saunders had re-"
cclvcd mortal wounds and staggered
through the car to the end where he tell.
In the excitement | scarcely recognized
that had been wounded"
j. :. Gilbert, the baggage master,
says that hr heard the shots and immedi.
atcly went Orward 10 sec what was up.
AZ the front door stood the fourth rob-
hcr, medium sized man with Il dark
moustachc, who had on a narrow brim-
med felt hat pulled down over his eyes.
The robbcr grabbed Gilbert by the coat
with one hand, and thrust a big pistol
INTO his face with the other, saying.
'Ihcrc is ono man laying dead there
anu another in the ca. aud If you know
what's healthy for y"u you will get IN
the express car III q hurry" OF course
Gilbert did rs ordered.
The express officials state that there
was probably $4,000 or $50, 900 inethc
company's safe, but the robbers did not
get IL penny Of it. The mail Car was not
attacked, although doubtless there were
registered letters in the mail containing
= large aggregate amount. Within an
hour from the attack, two posses had
been organized by the sheriff, and start
cd TO scour the woods in the neighbor-
hood. There are .of course threats of
lynchng if the murdcrcrs arc caught,
There is as yet no clue as to who the rob.
bCrs are.
JACKSoNVILLE, FLA, May 23.--Sevel
men IN all are under arrest in Orange
County on suspicion Of being connected
, with the murder Of Expressman Saund-
crS. There are rumOrs that one man
, had such strounG suspicious aroused
. against HIM that his captors rcsorted to
physical torture in order to eXtort q con-
iesslon from him, but the expcdent
tailed. One of the suspects at Orlando
is believed to be weakening and there
arc indications that he may turn States
evidence soon and give the names AID
whereabouts of his accomplices. All
the men under arrest are railroad en-
, ployccs, but none Of them worked for the
Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West
, Company, and all are quiet.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, May 23.-Au,
Orlando special says: "The Authorities
; have III the city Jail here q man suspect
ed OF beng a train robber and murderer,
lie was arrested on Saturday afternoon
, IN barber shop. lie came in on a train
from Ci2rmOnt and bought newspaper
in which he read description Of himself.
t lie then went 10 the barber shop
. and ordered his beard shaved eff.
Q 1t is said thai he made confession Sam
9 day duplicating three others. A full
= description Of these has not been pub
}, hshcd. Five suspects arrested at San"
!, ford were brought here this afternoon
and taken before the suspect here al
: legged to have confessed.
No reporters were admitted, but it is
! learned that the suspect here declared
= that these five from Sanford were not
, guilty men, The Orlando people do not
o believe tho man in jail here has con-
% tesscd. The authorities give no infor-
nation, but at Sanford srcular is be-
ing distributed giving description OF
the other men. The descriptions were
e secured from the Orlando man who ls
l. eoiJ to have c0nfSSec0