The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-05-22
SHOT DEAD BY A ROBBER
H0rTR MEN HOLD UP A TRAIN
NEAR SANFORD.

Csr-The Heroic Messenger Falls
victim of the Bullets-The Robbers
Escape, But Get No Booty.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, May 21.-North
b,rnd train No. IA on the Jacksonville,
Tampa and Key West railway was held up
at Lonely Hammock station, i've miles
north of Sanford, at 1:30 o'clock this MORN
inc. by four masked robbers. VINO, in des-
rarste attempt to secure the money of the
southern Express Company, killed Express
Messenger W. M. Saunders and badly
wounded Soliciting Agent j. M. Cox. The
train was stopped by the waving of white
station lantern. Two robbers jumped up
an each side of the engine and compelled
+ha engineer and fireman, at the muzzles of
revovers, to run the train down on to
the trestle, 200 yards distant. While this
was being done two other robbers entered
the express car and in an encounter with
them Saunders was killed. Cox is badly
wounded in the face. The train hands came
TO the rescue and the four robbers beat re-
treat. No money was secured. Posses are in
pursuit Of the gang. There is no clew yet.
Cox's STORY.
Soliciting Agent Cox of the Southern Ex-
press Company reached this city this morn
ing and went direct to his home, where be
vas seen by a reporter, to whom he told the
following story of the attempted train rob-
berv: II was on train No. IA this morning
and when we had reached the little station
of Monroe, just this side OF Sanford, the
trgin was waved down by man with a
lantern, whom supposed was the agent. The
man got on and we had started off slowly
when noticed man standing on the plat
form of the express car just outside the
door. Saunders and myself were sitting
close together, on trunk near the door,
ard on seeing the man l asked Saunders
who it was. He threw open the door to see
and as he did SO two men jumped in, each
with a revolver, and ordered Hands upp
AS the command was uttered Saunders
grappled the first man, who was already in
the car, and l the other. Then a
terrible encounter took place.
The men both had pistols
and we we're unarmed. Saunders had en-
deavored to get his pistol, but without sue
cess. Firing commenced at the outset and
they put it to us hot and heavy. We held
our own, however, with such odds against
US aud succeeded in throwing my man out
and closing the door. Meanwhile Saunders
had received mortal wounds and staggered
through the car to the end, where he fell
In the excitement scarcely recognized that
l had been shot"
THE BAGGAGE MASTER HELPLESS.
James Gilbert, the baggage master, says
he heard the shots and Immediately went
forward to see what as up. At the front
door Of the car stood the fourth robber a
medium sized man with dark bair and
moustache, who had a anarrow-brimmed, soft,
felt hat pulled down over his eyes. The
robber grabbed Gilbert by the coat lapel
with one hand and thrust big pistol il his
face with the others saying: There's one
man lying dead there and another in the
car,and if you know what's healthy for you
you will get in the express car in hurry"
Of course Gilbert did as ordered.
GOT NO MONEY.
The express officials state that there was
probably $4,000 or $12, 600 in the company IS
safe, but the robbers did not get penny Of
it, The mail car was not attacked by the
robbers, although there must have been
money in the registered packages, probably
more than il the express car. Within an
hour from the time of the attack two posses
had been organized by the sheriff and
started to scour the woods in the neighbor-
hood There are OF course, threats Of lynch
Ing If the murderers are captured. There is
no clew as yet to who the robbers are.
FOUR OR FIVE ARRESTED.
special from Sanford to the Times,
Union says: -Four or five men have been
arrested in this neighborhood to-day on
suspicion of being engaged in the train rob-
berry this morning. They are being held
py the authorities until they can give q
more satisfactory account Of themselves.
There is no good evidence against them
a Tallahassee special says that Gov
Fleming has offered a reward of $400 for
the arrest and conviction of the murderers
Of Saunders.
THE EXPERIENCE ON THE ENGINE.
Special Dispatch to the Morning Netcs.
JACKSONVILLE, FLA, May 81, 10 A. NJ.
IRAN No. IA started from Sanford bound
tor Jacksonville at :15 o'clock this morn
lug IN charge of Conductor G. II. Burroughs
ana Engineer j. H. Dumas. When within
oOO yards of Monroe, lonely station near
tne river in dense hammock of palmetto
osk, four men tagged the train by waving
station lantern. The engineer obeyed the
nag signal and slowed down to stop. He had
hardly stopped when one of the robbers
jumped on the rear end of the mai
Var He jumped off when the
engineer came to halt and ran to the eEs
stue Climbing up the step. he sheved 6
o'g 44-caliber 10-inch blue-barreled revolver
~ The face of the colored fireman, San
norris who said: "What do you wautF
N1oTFis thought the man was tramp and
Olly wanted q ride. Throw upr' ex,
oiained the robber. why, you can have
ride If that's what you want. That's all
you can get, for 1 amt got nothing.
IuFow up your hands," again said the
'opOer' and Morris obeyed after first having
puu'ely invited the robber to come in and
'aSe seat and ride.
Eugineer Dumas had his face turned
so" ara uIu the robber, and was watching tc
"AaI he was going to do with the fire.
tsa' l' moment later he was punched in
t1os, and turning was confronted with
ssoo.ll5 u9I Dig shining pistol in the hands of q
honu roboer, likewise masked The rob-
trestle,n O0"H '0"oiU Uu'
The engineer yr1Ia5 Nv, d1,,,, 81 osi-o5