The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-07-08
KILLED AT HIS POST
FIREMAN SHOT DEAD BY
TEXAS TRAIN ROBBERS.
They Stop the Express On the Arkansas
Pass Railroad but Are Driven on
Before They secure Any Booty-One
of the Outlaws Captured.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, June 30. THE
boldest attempt at train robbery evei
known in Texas or in the whole couu
try was made yesterday afternoon al
2 o'clock near the little village oi
breckenridge, in Wilson County. thirty
miles south of this city. The train
held up was the san Antonio d Ar
kansas Pass passenger No. leaving
here at 1880.
The affair resulted in the killing OF
f. M. Martin, the fireman, and the
capture of one of the robbers who gives
his name as j. ID. May, a wboy. The
train was in charge of Conductor Ed
Steele, Engineer Mike Tierney and
Firemen Martin, all of San Antonio.
1t consisted of three day coaches, ex-
press car and com bination baggage and
mail car. At Breckenridge the train
stopped to take water. and as she
pulled out three men boarded the blind
baggage, but were SO guarded in their
movements that they were not seen by
the train crew. The engineer pulled
out at speed of about fifteen miles n
hour, and had just entered a sharp
curve few hun red Yards
from the tank when one of
the robbers climbed upon the
tender, and with +5-caliber p stol in
each hand threw the guns down upon
the engineer aud fireman.
Throw up your hands," he de-
manded. This was the first ntmat on
that the engineer and fireman had that
they were to be held up. Tern threw
up his hands bat Martin made a move
ment ms though he was about to secure
a pistol from box under his seat The
robber then began pouring lead into
Martin and emptied one six sho ter
into his body, keeping Tierney overed
all the time with the other pistol.
Martin fell dead and his body rolled
out of the gangway of the engine on
to the track, where it was run over BY
the wheels and mutilated.
The other two train robbers when
they saw the dead body fall ont of the
cab. jumped from their position on the
baggage car to the platform and made
for the brush. There were but two
passengers on the train and each was
armed with a six-shooter When they
heard the firing they rushed upon the
platform and as the two robbers
rushed into the brush volley was
fred after them.
The robber, Nav, who killed the
fireman, seeing that he had been de-
serted. made a last desperate effort at
capturing the train single handed.
He jumped into the cab and ordered
Engineer Tierney to take the train
across the Indian River bridge. In
stead of complying he put on air
brakes and the train came to stand
STILL The robber then grasped the throt
tie and threw it wide open. but the
train would not make any Roadway,
and with parting shot at the en-
gin, the robber jumped from the
engine and started up the track on a
hard run.
Conductor Steele rushed up to the
engine with six-shooter in his hand.
He jumped into the cab and cutting
loose from the train started with Mes
senger Butler and Engineer Tierney
in pursuit of the train robber. The
throttle was pulled wide open and the
light engine leaped 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 get over the river where his
Winchester and three pals awaited
him, the robber left the track as the
engine was most upon him.
The engine was brought to a 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 at
the conductor, and their volleys were
returned by the engineer and messen-
ger. Conductor Steele overhauled the
rouber he was after and disarmed him
of two p stols. The robbers at the
bridge disappeared.
Martin, the fireman who was killed,
was unmarried. Conductor Steele
will rec i've. 81 900 standing reward
from the State for the capture of train