The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-06-29
Daring Attempt to Loot an Express Car That
Ended in Flight Of the Despsradoes
and Capture Of the Leader.
Exciting Battle with the Bandits While
the Murderer Was Being Chased.
Latter Taken BY the Conductor While Bullets
from Winchesters We're Singing About His
Ears-All the Passengers Armed.
KILLED By A RoBBER.

Attempt to Hold Up Train Results I'm ths
Death of q Fire man.
San ANTONIO, Tex. June 2S.-The bold.
est attempt at train robbery that ever ocour..
red in Texas or the whese country occurred
this afternoon. ebout2 oelock, near the little
village of Breckenridge, IL Wilson county.
thirty miles south of tnss city. The train
held up was the San ntoIio g. Arkansas
Pass passenger. No. 4. ,eaving here as lao
p. NJ. The affair resulted in the kill
ing Of 4. +. Martin. the fireman.
and the capture of one of the
robbers, who gives his name as J. ID. May.
q cowboy. The train was In charge OF con.
duotor Ed Steel engineer Mike Terney
and fireman Martin, all of San Antonio.
1t consisted of three day coaches, express
car and combination baggage and mail oar.
At Breckenridge the train stopped 60 take
water. and as she pulled out three men
boarded the baggage car. but were so guard.
ed in their movements that they were not
seen by the train crew. The engineer
pulled out at speed of about fifteen miles
an hour and was just rounding @ sharp
curve O few hundred yards from the tank
when the robber May climbed upon the ten.
der and. with o 45-caliber pistol in each
hand, pointed at the engineer and fireman
and said:
Throw mp your hands. - your
This command was the first intimatIon
the trainmen had that they were about 20
be held mp. Tierney threw up his hands
but Martin made q move as though 90 get
q pistol out OF the box under the seat
The robber emptied one six-shooter into his
body, keeping Tierney covered with the
other. Martin fell dead. and his body
rolled out of the gangway Of the
engine onto the track, whers
it was run over by the wheels
and mutilated. The other two robber4
when they saw the body fall out of the
cab jumped from their position on the bag.
gage car platform snd made for the brush.
There were but twelve passengers on the
train. and each was armed with . six
shooter. When they heard the firing they
robbers ran into the brush vollsy was
fired after them. The robber May.
who killed the fireman, seeing
that he had been deserted. made
ing the train single-handed. He Jumped
into the cab and ordered engineer Tierney
to run the train across Indian river bridge.
The engineer instead of complying. put on
roDber then grasped the throttle and threw
il wide open. bat the train would not make
head way and, with q parting shot at tho
engineer, May jumped from the engine and
started up the track on a run.
Conductor Steele rushed up to the en-.
gine with two six shooters in his hands.
He jumped into the cab. and, cutting loose
from the trains started with messenger
Butler and engineer Tierney in pursuit OF
the fleeing robber. The trottle was pulled
wido open. and the light engine lsaped
along the track. gaining every moment
on tho robber, who would turn and
fire at his pursuers as he ran. Finding that
river. where his Winchester and pals"
awaited him. the robber left the track as
the en- gine was almost upon him. The en-
gine was brought to standstill. and cone
ductor Steele started after the robbef
sin gle. handed, and chased him into the
brush. firing after him as be went The
three robbers ct the bridge with Wihches-
tegs commenced firing at the conductor,
and their volleys were returned by the en-.
gineer and messenger. Conductor Steele
overhauled the robber he was after In the
brush. and disarmed him of two pistols.
The robbers AT the bridge then disappeared,
leaving their Winchesters behind.
The United States marshal and . posse
went from here on q special 5rain and are
In pursuit of the robbers. j. ID. May. the
man who was captured, refuses to make
any statement further than TO say that 10
was the intention Of the band 60 rob the
express and passengers. He was taken
threats were made by railroad men that he
would be lynohed If brought here. Mar.
tin, the fireman. who was killed. was nm.
married. Conductor eteels will receive
81 coo from the State O reward for the
capture of train robber.