The Wichita daily eagle., 1894-02-17

Los ANGELES, Cal, Feb l6.-Ihe Dold-
est train robbery that ever occurred in
southern California. or, for that matter, in
the state. took place a little after mid
night at Roscoe, a small station, thirteen
miles north of this city. The train WAS
the Southern Pacific overland No 90
bound north. The train was scheduled TO
leave the Arcade depot at 1870 O'Clock,
but was slightly delayed.
Ever since the train robbery and wreck
ing at Roscoe few weeks ago, the train
hands on the overland train have had II
,pecies of apprehension about the place,
and have feared repetition of that out
rage, Engineer Thomas gave a long blast
of the whistle as the train approached the
switch this side of Roscoe. His face blanch-
ed as be discovered man standing beside
The switch with glaring torch, and his
face assumed more llvid hue when he
discovered that the switch had been left
open. He put on the air brakes, and
whisrled for brakes, but it was of no avail.
About the same time that the engineer
noted the man with the torch, he heard
be sharp cracking OF revolvers, and many
bullets whistted past him. Almost in
stantly the engine crashed over into the
ditch.
At this point there is fill which runs
nearly fifteen feet high. Knowing the
SudrdCteT Ol tue pidCc, LuSiHCci 1Hoildo
jumped and ran, miraculously escaping
injury. Fireman Masters was not so
lucky, however, being pinioned between
the cab and tender. and horribly mutilat-
ed and crushed.
Harry Daily, a tramp, who was stealing
ride on the pilot when the locomotive
jumped the track, was caught and buried
DeLeath the debris of the engine, and was
instantly killed.
At this juncture Two men WEARING elOuch
hats and black masks leaped from the
bushes alongside the track. Taking posi-
tiUns on each side OF the train the men
commenced a furious fusillade from revol-
vers. After this wild and seemingly pur-
poseless firing, one of the men went to the
express car and pounded on the door, and
demanded that it be opened Uopn the
refusal of the messenger to comply, the
robber placed three or four dynamite
bombs on the sill.
Then eDSued terrific explosion, nearly
the whole side of the Car being torn in
-plinters Everything in the car was
shaken up, and the detonation was most
terrific. Luckily, Harry Edgar, the mes
senger, was practically uuhurt. Conster-
uhtion prevailed among the passengers.
Just after blowing up the express car
the robbers. at the point of their revOlv-
srs, compelled an extra fireman who had
been riding on the engine, TO get into the
car, into which one of the robbers followed
him. Then. under the command of the
masked robber, the extra fireman carried
The contents of the local box, and which
contained many sacks of gold, outside the
car, where the other robbers were waiting.
Ali this time the robbers kept up fur
lous fusilade, firing into the train and
into the Car.
After gathering into portable shape the
valuables, the highwaymen turned their
far tn c..fa ,E.A-
are 50 constructed il requires much
time to open them, and the robbers real
lied the futility of attempting il; so they
left it intact and vented their disappont-
ment bJ volley from their pistols.
Gathering together their booty. the rob
bers placed il in gunnysacks, and, mount
ing their horses. galloped off in the direc
tion of the mountains. It's not known
how much they secured, but it Is sup
posed to be a very large amount.
brakeman Foster Immediately secured
a horse, and at once rode back to Burbank
woke up the telegraph operator, and in
formed the authorities what had taken
place. Sheriff Cline and three deputies
started at o'clock this morning for the
scene A wreckiug train followed, and
physician WAS sent out TO care for the in
jured. The wreck was soon cleared away,
ana today trains are running as usual.
David w. Thomas. engineer Of the train,
tells the following story:
I'VE were about seven minutes late as
we approached the Roscoe siding 1t was
bright moonlight as we approached the
point. l saw two men sitting on the
station platform. Suddenly one of the
men arose and lighted an oll-soaked ball
of rags or paper Then he swung the fire.
bali with his left hand, and with the
right held Winchester rifle. They opened
up with their guns as the train approach
n h.a Winn 10
other man revolvers, at the same time
yelling Stop her!" / made up my mind
10 pull right on, and try TO get away from
them. At that instant | discovered that
they had the switch fixed 10 ditch MS.
Yelled 10 the fireman 10 get in and crouch
down away from the flying bullets. As
did so Winchester rife WAS poked
through the window at me, and gruff
voice again commanded me to stop. |
thought l was gone sure when | looked
into that mnZzle, but took the chances
dropping down as low as possible in the
cab. BY this time the engine WAS off the
track, and Jolting over the ties with
irightful crash.
After the explosion of the bomb, /
crawled away little further, knowing
that could be of no assistance to the
other tralnmeD, being unarmed, | saw
the two robbers very distinctly while |
was lying in the cactus. There was one
large and one small man, the first having
grey oyercost and the other dark clothes.
They had handkerchiefs tied around their
uecks, which were lifted over their noses
TO mask their features. The bomb that
was thrown against the door broke a few
panels and some windows, and stunned
the express messenger. Beyond that no
damage was done. The robbers made the
express messenger carry the money they
secured down from the car toward their
Iwo-horse team. about 290 yards away
But when within about thirty yards of
the wagon they took the money and made
him turn back, There We're several bags
of bullion and money in the car that the
robbers did not get, and probably did not
secure very large amount. There were
ten or a dozen shots fired sltogether.
Fireman Arthur Masters suffered a
terrible fate. The wild pluuging of the
engine threw him off his feet, and he fell
down the opening between the tender and