The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-03-15
A TELLTALE LETTER RE.
CEIVED By AN ADVER-
User REPORTER.
Ii Gives the Particulars of Train Rob
berry In California and Supposed
Cause OF the John T.. West
Disaster.

harbor for some time, awaiting the
arrival of its captain.
1t was purely through an acct
dent that the existence of the letter
was known, otherwise the criminal
confession Of the man might never
have been made public. The AD-
VERTIsER, with its usual energy,
detailed a reporter last night with
instructions to secure a copy of the
confession for its readers at all
events.
The railroad robbery referred to
was one of the most daring that
ever took place in California. AS
the letter states, the "hold up" oc-
CURED near the town Of Pixley in
California, on February %, 1889.
The place mentioned hardly de-
serves the name of a town, as it
contains but a few scattered houses
and the usual ticket office. Three
men boarded the cars at that point,
and after the train had left the
station climbed over the baggage
car into the cab of the engine.
They ordered the engineer to stop
the train; he did not obey them
soon enough with the result that
he lost his life. A passenger
emerged from a coach after the
train had come to a standstill;
rife ball closed his career. The
robbers then went through the
mail and express cars, taking
everything they could lay their
hands on, and escaped.
The reference to the burning of
the whaler John P. West will be
read with interest by everybody in
Honolulu, as that vessel was
destroyed by fire off our shores
but few months ago.
Captain Simmons, the master of
the vessel Northern Light, was
seen last night by reporter of the
ADVERTISER, and stated chat he
thought the letter was written by
the man as a subterfuge to get
ashore"
The vessel leaves this morning
about 8 o'clock for a cruise in the
North Pacific Ocean.
The following is a verbatim copy
of the letter written by the sailor
coPY.
SHIP NORTHERN LIGHT,
March 18th, 1892.
To the Right Honorable American
Consul, Honolulu, Hawaiian King
dom.
My DEAR SIR:-I wish to give my
self into your hands here, fugitive
from justice, to be held a prisoner
until the State authorities of Califor-
MIA and the Postal authorities of the
United States are notified and can
act in the matter. The following
statement is premeditated one, to-
wit: About So'clock P NJ. on the 22d
day of February, 1889, the San Fran
cisco and Los Angeles local express
train was stopped by three highway
men near the town of Pixley, in Tu-
lare county, California, and Wells,
Fargo & Co.'s car forced and robbed
of $1,000 in gold. The mail pouches
were rifed 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, California.
There is large standing reward for
the apprehension of the parties who
perpetrated this crime. The State
offers reward of $4,000 and Wells.
Fargo & Co. $4,000, besides two or
three smaller rewards by private par
, ties. Myself and two other young
men are the perpetrators and were
the sole actors in this crime. The
leader in this is a well-to-do insur-
ance agent doing business in Fresno,
California, at the present time My
, self and the other fellow have been
, at sea together most of the time
, since then. [ have lived in constant
r fear since then, every moment of my
, life / have been in terror, and now ]
= have every reason to believe that the
( facts will be made public before my
ship reaches San Francisco, hence
this statement. The other fellow
? shipped on the John p. West, with
: the intention of running away or
9 some of the remote islands near the
4 equator, and when he found out that
e the ship would not put in at any Of
Y those islands, | have every reason &c
Y believe that he is the man who sci
{ her on fire. | will turn states evi
:. dence and make clean breast of th,
whole thing. As soon as | see you
{ will make a written statement of al
the facts and swear to it before a no
e tary | am turning myself over t,
e you because | can't stand this wretch
y ed. fearful existence any longer, anC
/ hope to get off lighter by acting
# thus. IL you take me in charge, d.
It it quickly, as my ship will leave her
Y at once This must be ended once
y and for good, even if it ends in sci
/ destruction. My father is wealth
business man of Fresno, California