The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1893-07-04
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERY.
The Most Daring Ever Attempted
One Of the Robbers CantureI


SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 28.-The
boldest attempt at train robbery that
ever occurred In Texas, or in the whole
country, happened at 2 o'clock this
afternoon near the little village of
Breckenridge in Wilson County, thirty
miles South of this city. The train
held up was the San Antonio passenger
No. 2 leaving here at 1:20 d. m. The
affair resulted in the killing of F. N
Martin, fireman, and the capture of
one of the robbers, who gives his name
as j. ID. May, a cowboy.
At Breckenridge the train stopped
to take water and as she pulled out
three men boarded the blind baggage
crew. The engineer pulled out at q
speed OF about fifteen miles an hour
and had just entered sharp curve a
few hundred yards from the tank, when
Robber May climbed upon the tender
and with a pistol in each hand threw
the guns down upon the engineer and
said Throw up your hands, Cd
d--n YOU"
This remark was the first intimation
that the engineer or Martin had that
they were to be held up. Engineer
Tierny threw up his hands, but Martin
made movement as though he was
about to secure pistol from a box un-
der his seat. The robber then began
pouring lead into Martin, and emptied
one six-shooter into his body, keeping
Tierny covered all the time with the
other pistol. Martin was dead and his
body rolled out of the gang way of the
engine and on to the track where it
was run over by the wheels and mutt
lated.
The other two train robbers,
when they saw the dead body fall out
of the cab, jumped from their position
on the baggage car to the platform
and made for brush. There were
but two passengers on the train and
each was armed with a six shooter.
When they heard the firing they rush
ed upon the platform and as the two
robbers rushed into the brush, volley
was fired after them.
Robber May, who killed the fireman,
seeing that he had been deserted, made
the last desperate effort at capturing
the train singlehanded. He Jumped
into the cab and ordered Engineer
Tierny to run the train across indian
River Bridge.
The engineer instead of complying
put on the air brakes and the train
came to standstill. The robber then
grasped the throttle and threw her
wide open, but the train would not
make any Roadway, and with parting
shot at the engineer the robber Jump.
ed from the engine and started up the
track on a hard run.
Conductor Steele rushed up to the
engine with six shooter in hand. He
jumped on to the cab and cutting loose
from the train, started with Messenger
| Butler and Engineer Tierny, in pursuit
of the robber. The throttle was pull.
ed wide open and the light engine
leaped along the track, gaining every
moment on the robber, who would turn
and fire at his pursuers as he ran.
| Ihe engine was brought to q stand.
still 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 III
the conductor, and their volleys were
returned by the engineer and messen
ger.
Conductor Steele overhauled the rob
Der he was after in the brush and dis
armed him of two pistols. The robbers
at the bridge then disappeared leav
ing their Winchesters behind them
A United States marshal and a poss,
OF deputies went down from here on ,
special train, and are in pursuit of the
robbers.
D. ID. May, the man who was captur
ed, refused to make any statemen
further than that it was the intentio,
of the band to rob the express and pas
senger. He was taken to Breckenrfdg,
for safekeeping, as threats were made
by the railroad men that he would b,
lynched If brought there.
Martin, the fireman, who was killet
was unmarried.
Conductor Steele will receive th
~, 600 standing reward from the Stat
for the capture of the train robbers