The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-10-13
BOLD TRAIN ROBBERS
Make a Big Haul on the Southern
Pacific Railroad.
STOLE FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
The Money Was in Gold Coin, hnd the
Engineer and Fireman Were Compelled
to Carry 1t to the Engine, on Which the
Robbers Escaped.

Engineer and Fireman Were Compelled
to Carry 1t to the Engine on Which the
Robbers Escaped.
| SACRAMENTO, Cal, Oct 13-The train
robbery which occurred about seven miles
beyond Davisville at IA crossing known as
sheep Camp, was II daring crime -Four
sacks OF coin were secured from tho ex-
press car, and Messenger Jack Paige barely
escaped with his life The loot amounted
to $4,000. Engineer Bill Scott and his
fireman were forced at the muzzle of
revolver to carry coin sacks from the ex-
press car to the engine. There the robbers
nncoupled the engine and rode off with
their booty.
1t was a well planned and skillfully exc
cuted robbery. The robbers waylaid the
track walker on his tricycle. about 8
o'clock, tied him hand and foot, stole $5. 80
and left him helpless at the side of the
track. With the track walkers lantern
the robbers signaled No. to stop. Scott
Slowed up, but did not come to a full stop
until the explosion of dynamite bombs
under tho engine wal ned him that it was
useless to proceed further BY this time
the TWO robbers were on the engine. They
sprang on from opposite sides of the track,
and began shooting at once. The passengers
and train hands say quite a number of
shots We're fired before any body knew what
it was all about.
The robbers made the engineer and fire.
man dismount, and walked them back
with rifles at their heads 10 the rear of the
express car, where the victims were ordered
touncouple the train. This was done speed
ily,and before the expressman, mail clerk or
any of the train hands knew what was 60
ing on the engine was speeding ahead and
drawing only the two forward mail cars
and Wells, Fargo IL Co. IS express car They
went ahead about five miles, with tho rob-
bers, the engineer and fireman ON the en-
Fine. The rest of the train remained at
Sheep Camp, in imminent peril Of being
tclescoped by The Oregon train in tho rear
When the captured cars were halted Engi-
neer Scott and the fireman We're marched
back to the express car, where tho robbers
made demand on Messenger Paige to
open his door He refused
"We'll shoot the engineer and fireman
If You don't open in a hurry" said one of
the robbers, while the other masked man
held two dynamite bombs up to view in
the clear moonlight and threatened to blow
the express car to pieces unless 1t was
opened at once. Still Paige hesitated, and
some shots were fired through the glass
door at him, one of which grazed his
temple Then the engineer called out to
Paige to open the door.
We're covered with guns and they will
kill us If you don't open,' said Scott Still
Paige dcsistcd and began to fire through
the door; but his aim was Wild and again
Scott, in fear of his life, called on the mes
sengcr to open, saying that the robbers
would surely blow him up unless he gave
up. The messenger finally opened tho
door
One robber then covered the messenger
and engineer and fireman with his rifle,
while the other searched for coin He
found three sacks.
The bandits secured over S50,oo0 They
seem to have eluded the officers and
escaped with their plunder, which was
nearly all in gold coin, and consequently
II heavy burden.
The engineer and fireman were made to
carry the booty to the engine and deposit
1t where directed. The robbers mounted
the engine and rode off, leaving tho
engineer and fireman behind They went
down the road towards Sacramento, and
then they reversed the lever and sent 1t
baek to the stalled train. Luckily the
steam was low, and when the locomotive
came In contact with The forward mail car
but little damage was done,
Train No 10, the Oregon express, came
along and pushed the three detached
sooNioHS u hain Aso together anu Then
into Sacramento.
In speaking of the affair after his arrival
here Messenger Paige said: Il was about
out of ammunition, and Scott was so badly
frightened that opened the door then to
save his life. am sure they would have
killed him If had held back q moment
longer"
Beyond the mere supposition that the
bandits are railway men who have been in
the employ Of the Southern Pacific and
the supposition is based only on their ap-
parent familiarity with railway methods
and their ability to successfully handle o
locomotive the pursuing officials have
little to work on. The Southern Pacific
has issued circular Offering a reward of
$4,000 for the arrest of the two robbers
and the recovery of the plumber