The herald., 1893-12-26
The Stories Teld by the Train
Hands.
The Persuasive Power of Revolver
Bullets.
The Engineer aud Fireman Provsd Very
Obsdient to Orders which Did Not
Come From Headqusrtsrs
Exoiting Experiences.

last night.
The men have evidently been hiding
In the city, as it is positively known
that they came in soon after the rob-
berry.
Detectives Hums and Thatcher Of
Wells, Fargo & Co.'s express arrived in
the city yesterday and joined the South
,ern Pacific detective, Will Smith, and
the local officers in the search for the
bandits. Several good clues were secured
which may shortly cause the arrest of
the robbers. 1t is believed that the
perpetrators Of the deed are we'll known
men OF this city. An arrest is likely to
take place at any moment.
THE ENGINEERS STORY.
Engineer W. A. Stewart, who pulled
the train from this city on the night Of
the robbery. arrived from tho north
yesterday. He was Immediately be-
seiged by the Southern Pacific compa-
ny's detectives and the local offisers, all
eager to get the story of the deed fresh
from the lips OF one OF the few who
actually saw the robbery committed.
Mr.. Stewart had told the story over
and over again to the railway officials
and authorities, yet he had not tired Of
relating his thrilling experience. He
gave graphic description OF how the
hold-up was managed by the bold rob-
bers. The HERALD 10 the first to pub
lish the story as given by Engineer
Stewart.
"The first intimation l had OF the
affair" said he, twas when the robbers
crawled from the end of the blind bag
gage car over the water tank and began
shooting. The fellow kept coming. He
held a six.shooter in each hand and
kept up an incessant firing.
Immediately after he compelled me
to slow up another robber bobbed up in
the cab. One of them carried a rifle.
Fireman James Fenton wanted to stop
the train sooner. as the robbers were
shooting all around us. Finally they
told US with an oath to keep quiet, do
as they said and we wouldn't get hurt
Zone OF the robbers covered Fenton
and the other leveIed his ak shooter at
me and told US to wait for orders which
we did very gladly under the circum-
stances.
We were ordered to get down from
the cab and we got. They kept up the
shooting, and il you think the scene q
healthy place you Should have been
there.
Zone OF the men ordered me to touch
the fuse of the dynamite and l did it.
the explosion broke open the door and
also broke the bolt across the door.
"Exprees Messenger Potts WAS too
scared to resiet, and it would have been
useless any how The robbers, Firenen
Fenton and myself all entered the ex.
press car through the shattered door.
treasure box and hand them the money,
which was o very small amount.
"The robbers did not disturb any
Potts told them there was no safe
aboard. IL was in the other end of the
Car.
1T was the intention OF the robbers
to ditch the train, but talked them out
of the notion. One of the men had un-
locked the switch, which is about 100
yards from Roscoe station. / told them
it would do no good to ditch the train
as it would cause several hours delay.
We told them we we're at their service,
but not to ditch the train.
"They then ordered us both, includ-
ing Messenger Potts, to walk up the
track nearly quarter of mile. They
kept us covered with their guns continu-
ally but talked pleasantly. We assured
them that no one would disturb the en-
gine. The robbers then disappeared in
the darkness. Naturally we walked
back to the train. The rest of the affair
is known"
Mr.. Stewart, who by the way resides
on Solano street, this city, could not be
induced to give the amount of money
secured by the robbers, for be said he
did not know.
1t is almost positively known, how.
ever, that the bandits secured between
$500 and $400.
very thrilling episode was related
by the engineer. He said that when
one OF the robbers did the shooting he
placed his six-shooter over Fireman
Fenton's shoulder and pressed it against
his cheek. With the revolver in this
position the robber kept up the firing
until the bullet-spitting barrel got too
hot for the fireman's cheek and he
kicked on the treatment.
"Oh, we'll fix that" coolly responded
the robber, as he placed the revolver
over the other shoulder and againet the
left cheek. Then the murderous look
ing weapon continued to belch forth the
man-exterminators. The passengers
never dared to show their heads.
In climbing into the cab the robbers
were shaking like unto an aspen leaf,
but their coo. ness soon came to them.
In passing from the cab to the express
car one Of the robbers handed bottle
of whisky to the engineer.
Take q drink" !" he said, "we're likely
to have some id hot work here In q
few minutes. Pass it to the fireman."
They both thought it best to drink,
after which the bandits coolly emptied
the bottle.
The affair did not consume over Is or
20 minutes, but it was very lively while
it lasted.
DETECTIVE GooDMAN's MEN.
Saturday evening, about 8 o'clock,
Detective Goodman encountered two
men on North Main street whom he at
once spotted as crooks. The men also
spotted the detective. They finally
separated and Goodman gave mis- atten-
tion to the taller. who went up Court
street. AT last the detective, believing
he could easily find his man. again, went
back on Main street to locate No. 2. He
failed to find him, and when he re-
turned No. had also taken his depar-
tnre. By the description there can be