The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-06-29
THE BoLDEsT YET.

4AI nAt4HNSF ANN'
Desperate Attempt to Hold Up Train,
The Fireman Killed and RobbeF Cap
tursd,
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 2s,-The
boldest attempts at train robbery that
ever occurred In Texas or the whole
country was made this afternoon about
2 o'clock near the little village OF
Breckenridge, in Wilson county, thirty
miles south Of this city. The tram held
up was the San Antonio & Arkansas
Pass passenger No. 5, leaving here at
1;20 p. nj, The affair resulted in the
killing OF F, N, Martin, the fireman,
and the capture OF ono Of the robbers,
who gives his name as ], d, May a
cowboy
The train was in charge Of Conductor
Ed Steele, Engineer Mike TieFney and
Fireman Martin, all Of San Antonio, "
consisted OF three day coaches, express
car and combination Baggage and mail
car. AT Breckenridge the train stop.
ped to take water, and as she pulled
out three men boarded the baggage car
but were SO guarded in their moye'
ments that they were not seen by the
train crew,
The engineer pulled out at q speed Of
about fifteen miles an hour and had
just entered sharp curve a lew hun
dred yards from the tank when the rob
her, May, climbed upon tho tender
witt, a 45.calibre pistol in each hand,
threw the guns down upon the engineer
and fireman. "Ihrow up your hands,
G. d. you, said the robber to the
men. This remark was the first intima.
tion that the engineer or Martin had
that they were to be held, Nerney
threw up his hands, but Martin made
a movement as though he was
about TO secure pistol from o
box under his seat. The robber then
began pouring lead into Martin, and
emptied one six.shooter into his body,
keeping Tierney covered all the time
with the, other pistol, Martin fell dead
and his body rolled out OF the gangWay
OF the engine onto the track, whore II
was run over by the wheels and mutt
lated, The other two train robbers,
when they saw tho dead body fall out
Of the cab. jumped from their position
on the baggage car to tho platform and
made for the brush. There were but two
passengers on the train, and each was
armed with slx.shooter. Whom they
heard the firing they rushed to the
platform. and as tho two robbers rushed
Into the brush a volley was fred after
thOm. The robber May who killed the
fireman, seeing that he had been de-
serted, made last desperate effort at
capturing tho train single.handed. He
Jumped into the cab aud ordered En-
gineer Tierney to run the train across
Indian bridge. The engineer, in
stead Of complying, put on the
air brakA and the train came 10 o
standstill. The robber then grasped
tho throttle and threw her wide open,
but the train would not mako any head.
way, and with a parting shot at the en-
gineer the robber jumped from the en-
gine and started up the track on hard
run. Conductor Steele rushed up 10
the ehgine with u six,shooter In his
hand. IIe jumped into tho cab and
cutting loose from the tram started
with Messenger Butler and Engineer
Tierney in pursuit Of the train robber.
Tho throttle was pulled wide open and
tho light engine loaped along the track
gaining every moment on the robber
who would turn and fire at his pur.
suers as he ran. Finding that he could
not reach the bridge over the river
whore his Winchester and three pals
awaited him, the robber loft the track
as the engine was almost upon him.
The engine was brought to a etandstill
and Conductor Steele started after the
robber single-handed. He chased him
into the brush, firing at him as he
went The three robbers at the bridge
with Winchesters commenced firing at
the conductor, and their volleys were
returned by the engineer and messen.
ger. Conductor Steele overhauled the
robber he was aftor and disarmed him
of two pistols. The robbers at the
bridge then disappeared, leaving their
Wlnchesters behind. The United
States marshal and posse Of deputies
went down from here ona special train
and are in pursuit Of tho robbers.